A Travel Price Comparison for Argentina Puerto Iguazu vs. San Miguel de Tucuman for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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 Miguel de Tucuman?

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 Miguel de Tucuman

The capital of the Tucuman Province in Argentina, San Miguel de Tucuman is the largest city in the country's northwest. The city is probably most well known as the sight where the Declaration of Independence from Spain took place on July 9, 1816. The location of this event, a colonial-style house called "Casa Historica" or "Casita de Tucuman", remains an important landmark in the city.

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.


Which place is cheaper, San Miguel de Tucuman or Puerto Iguazu?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.32, while the average daily cost in San Miguel de Tucuman is $11. 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 Miguel de Tucuman in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Iguazu $3.31
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.92
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Iguazu $6.62
    San Miguel de Tucuman $9.84
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and San Miguel de Tucuman

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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.

Hotels in Puerto Iguazu


Hotels in San Miguel de Tucuman


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 Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $2.55
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu

Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
  • One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $8.00
  • One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
  • Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $6.85
  • Puerto Iguazú Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $20
  • Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $98
  • Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $20
  • Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers: $61
  • Argentine and Brazilian Falls with transfers: $67

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Prices for flights to both San Miguel de Tucuman 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $3.06
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.07

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:

  • El Quincho Del Tio Querido - Dinner And Show from Foz do Iguaçu: $46
  • Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $60
  • Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $69
  • Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $107
  • Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Selva Iriapu Hotels Exclusive: $110
  • Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $117
  • The Argentine Experience: wine & dinner experience: $118
  • Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
  • Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $120
  • From Foz do Iguaçu: Madero Tango with dinner: $123
  • Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $145
  • Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Belmond Hotel: $160

Typical Food Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $2.73
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.35

Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu

For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 3hr Experience Learning to Make an Argentine Asado: $150
  • Argentina: Full-Day Iguazu Falls and Great Adventure Tour: $140
  • Argentine Gastronomy Experience in Iguazú: $105
  • Argentinean Side Iguassu Falls - Private Tour Hotels in Puerto Iguazú Exclusive: $140
  • Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $31
  • Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side From Puerto Iguazú Hotels - Private Tour: $120
  • Brazilian Side Falls: Brazilian Falls Tour with Parque Das Aves:: $120
  • Brazilian Side of Iguassu Falls and Itaipu Dam Full-Day Sightseeing Tour from Puerto Iguazú: $78
  • Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $41
  • Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $55
  • Brazilian Side of the Falls - All Tickets Included: $74
  • City Tour Puerto Iguazú Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusivo: $135

Tours and Activities in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Discover Tafí del Valle and Quilmes Ruins in a Day Tour: $82
  • Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
  • Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $82
  • Tafi del Valle Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $68
  • Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $51

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $1.31
    San Miguel de Tucuman $2.10


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and San Miguel de Tucuman, we can see that San Miguel de Tucuman is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Iguazu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Miguel de Tucuman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Miguel de Tucuman 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 Miguel de Tucuman Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or San Miguel de Tucuman?

San Miguel de Tucuman has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and San Miguel de Tucuman, 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.