Which place is cheaper, San Ignacio or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or San Ignacio?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or San Ignacio? 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 Ignacio?
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 Ignacio
So you want a tropical getaway, but also don't want to lay around with nothing to do. You want an adventure! You want relaxation and exploration.
You want to visit the small town of San Ignacio, Belize.
This section of the Cayo region is really more of a jungle than a typical Belize beach getaway. Located close the ancient Mayan ruins on the western and inland side of Belize, this town is most popular for its many outdoor adventures including hiking, climbing, and caving!
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best Budget Tours to Belize, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesSan Ignacio Prices
Belize Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $57San Ignacio $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $57, while the average daily cost in San Ignacio is $86. 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 Ignacio in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $41San Ignacio $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $82San Ignacio $38
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and San Ignacio
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or San Ignacio? 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 Ignacio Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.07San Ignacio $3.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Brazilian Waterfalls Tour and Bird Park with Transfer: $102
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $79
- Iguazu Falls 2-Day Tour with Airport Transfer: $348
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $78
- Private Transfers Full Day Iguazú Falls: $130
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $100
- Puerto Iguazu Airport (IGR) Private Transfer to Puerto Iguazu: $27
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $22
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $17
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
- Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Ignacio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Ignacio:
- Transfer from Belize Airport to San Ignacio: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or San Ignacio?
Prices for flights to both San Ignacio 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 $6.30San Ignacio $36
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:
- Madero Tango Iguazú - Premium Dinner (Foz do Iguaçu/Puerto Iguazú): $30
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $36
- El Quincho Del Tio Querido - Dinner And Show from Foz do Iguaçu: $44
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $65
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $65
- Iguazu: The Argentine Experience Dinner with Wine Pairing: $69
- Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $98
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $117
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $157
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Ignacio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Ignacio.
- Maya Fish Cooking Experience: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $33San Ignacio $100
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: $31
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $32
- Iguazu Falls Tour on Brazil Side: $37
- Foz do Iguaçu: Brazil/Argentina Sides Iguazu Falls Day Tour: $40
- From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
- Iguaza Falls Brazilian Side & Bird Park Tour: $46
- Half-Day Iguazú Forest Adventure: $48
- Cataract: The complete experience of both sides in one day.: $48
- Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls : $49
- Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $49
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
Tours and Activities in San Ignacio
Here are a few actual costs in San Ignacio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2-Hour The Best of Belmopan Private Walking Tour: $192
- 3 in 1 Adventure Combo in San Ignacio: $275
- 5 Waterfall Adventure at Dreaming Giant Falls Belize: $145
- 7:30am Jungle Farm trail Ride plus Xunantunich adventure: $100
- ATM Cave Tour from San Ignacio Actun Tunichil Muknal: $124
- ATV Excursions in Cayo with Waterfalls Experience: $174
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic: $131
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour from San Ignacio : $140
- Actun Tunichil Muknal with Local Tour guide & Belizean Lunch: $131
- Barton Creek Tour: $146
- Belize Cave Tubing Adventure from San Ignacio: $95
- Caracol Maya Ruins Tour Including Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave and a Picnic Lunch: $122
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $7.86San Ignacio $17
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and San Ignacio, we can see that San Ignacio is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Iguazu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Iguazu is in South America and San Ignacio is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Puerto Iguazu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Iguazu and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in San Ignacio would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Ignacio than you might in Puerto Iguazu.
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 Ignacio Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or San Ignacio?
Puerto Iguazu has a larger population, and is about 91% larger than the population of San Ignacio. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and San Ignacio, 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.