Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or San Carlos de Bariloche? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Puerto Iguazu or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Puerto Iguazu
Puerto Iguazu is located in the northeastern part of Argentina at the border with Paraguay and Brazil. It is a tourist city and travel destination because of its close proximity to Iguazu Falls, which is only 18 kilometers away. Much of the city's infrastructure has grown to maintain the tourist crowds that come to see the falls. The town itself has a population of slightly over 80,000.
San Carlos de Bariloche
Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.
No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Argentina, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Argentina, The Best 10-Day Tours in Argentina, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $7.77San Carlos de Bariloche $7.01
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $7.77, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $7.01. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Puerto Iguazu and San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $3.08San Carlos de Bariloche $2.54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $6.16San Carlos de Bariloche $5.08
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and San Carlos de Bariloche
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or San Carlos de Bariloche? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Puerto Iguazu Hotel Prices and San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.38San Carlos de Bariloche $2.16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $8.00
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $10
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $21
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers: $64
- Argentine and Brazilian Falls with transfers: $71
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $93
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $98
- Full day tour visit to Iguazu Falls with transfers from airport : $120
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:
- Visit to Piedras Blancas Bariloche with transfers: $85
- Transfers to and from Villa La Angostura: $175
- Transfers to and from San Martín de los Andes: $295
- Transfers to and from El Bolsón: $196
- Transfers in Bariloche: $29
- Transfer from the Airport to Bariloche: $26
- Shared Transfer One Way - Bariloche Airport to Hotel or v.v.: $23
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bariloche Airport: $23
- Private Transfer from Tom Wesley to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $55
- Private Transfer from Lago Moreno to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $46
- Private Transfer from Hotel Catedral to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $46
- Private Transfer from El Casco Art Hotel to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche and Puerto Iguazu change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayPuerto Iguazu $2.85San Carlos de Bariloche $2.64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $33
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $60
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $69
- From Foz do Iguaçu: Madero Tango with dinner: $101
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Selva Iriapu Hotels Exclusive: $110
- Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $117
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $117
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $120
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $135
- FD Iguazu Falls Argentinian side + Dinner Tango Show -no transfer: $140
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $145
- Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls - no transfers -: $145
Typical Food Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some typical examples of dining costs in San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
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Pastries$0.01
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Empanadas$0.03
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.54San Carlos de Bariloche $2.89
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side Full-Day Tour: $18
- Hito Tres Fronters and La Aripuca City Tour: $28
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $33
- Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour Argentine Side With Optional Brazilian Falls: $34
- From Foz do Iguaçu: Tour to Argentinian Falls: $34
- Ciudad del Este Shopping Tour: $34
- Argentina Iguazu Falls Bus Tour: $37
- From Foz do Iguaçu: Iguazu Cruise Expedition: $39
- Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $40
- City tour with stops at tourist attractions: $40
- Iguazu Falls: one-day tour on the Argentine side: $40
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $43
Tours and Activities in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
- 2-Days Experience Bariloche with Airfare from Buenos Aires: $1,460
- 4-Hour Guided Tour of the Small Circuit: $160
- Bariloche Beer Experience: $128
- Bariloche Horseback Riding & Traditional Argentine Barbecue Tour: $140
- Bariloche San Martin de los Andes and Seven Lakes Road Tour: $130
- Bariloche: 4-Hour Cerro Catedral Base Tour: $21
- Bariloche: Blest Port and Cantaros Waterfall Tour : $158
- Bariloche: Full-Day El Bolsón and Puelo Lake Tour: $63
- Bariloche: Half Day Small Circuit Tour - Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $28
- Bariloche: Mt Tronador and Hanging Glaciers Full-Day Tour: $109
- Bariloche: Private Enchanted Valley Tour with Lunch: $560
- Cerro Lopez Zipline Adventure from Bariloche: $70
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $1.22San Carlos de Bariloche $1.74
Typical Alcohol Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in San Carlos de Bariloche from other travelers:
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Beer$0.01
When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Iguazu and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that Puerto Iguazu is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Iguazu Expensive? and Is San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or San Carlos de Bariloche?
San Carlos de Bariloche has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and San Carlos de Bariloche, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.