Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna 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 Pedro La Laguna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or San Pedro La Laguna? 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 Pedro La Laguna?
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 Pedro La Laguna
Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Eco Tours in Guatemala.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesSan Pedro La Laguna Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $57San Pedro La Laguna $45
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $57, while the average daily cost in San Pedro La Laguna is $45. 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 Pedro La Laguna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $41San Pedro La Laguna $8.34
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $82San Pedro La Laguna $17
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and San Pedro La Laguna
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or San Pedro La Laguna? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.07San Pedro La Laguna $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $17
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $22
- Puerto Iguazu Airport (IGR) Private Transfer to Puerto Iguazu: $27
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $100
- Private Transfers Full Day Iguazú Falls: $130
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $78
- Iguazu Falls 2-Day Tour with Airport Transfer: $348
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $79
- Brazilian Waterfalls Tour and Bird Park with Transfer: $102
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro La Laguna
Also for San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from Panajachel Atitlan to Guatemala City: $47
- Private transfer from Panajachel to Antigua Guatemala: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or San Pedro La Laguna?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna 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 Pedro La Laguna $19
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
Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lemonade$2.09
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Cake$1.30
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Ice cream$0.39
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Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread$3.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $44
- Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $50
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $33San Pedro La Laguna $22
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 day- Tour on both sides of the waterfalls: $111
- 1-Day Private Tour In the Iguacu Falls of Brazil and Argentina : $106
- 2-Day Private Tour Both Waterfalls ARG/BRA: $182
- 2Day Iguazu Tour HELICOPTER Ride & Airfare from Buenos Aires: $590
- 3-Day Iguazu Falls Exploring Tour From Argentina and Brazil: $299
- Argentina: Full-Day Iguazu Falls and Great Adventure Tour: $142
- Argentine Falls Package with Great Adventure and Brazilian Falls: $250
- Argentine Side Iguassu Falls Private Tour Hotels in Puerto Iguazú: $140
- Argentinean Falls with Gran Aventura Boat Tour: $238
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $32
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side From Puerto Iguazú Hotels - Private Tour: $135
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $130
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Canopy Tour (for 2)$39
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Kayaking (for 2)$1.96
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Coffee Tour (for 2)$7.04
Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Lake Atitlan Boat tour from Puerto Quetzal (Group): $125
- 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
- Authentic local experience with a community of women: $74
- Authentic tour of Mayan art and culture in Lake Atitlan: $42
- Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
- Bicycle Tour Around Lake Atitlan with Weaving Coops and Coffee Plantations: $112
- Boat tour in Mayan villages: $85
- Chichicastenango Market Day Tour from Panajachel: $96
- Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
- Full Day Tour to Chichicastenango from Panajachel : $160
- Half-Day Private Indian Nose Peak Tour from Lake Atitlan: $140
- Half-Day Scenic Bicycle Tour from Panajachel: $71
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $7.86San Pedro La Laguna $5.65
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and San Pedro La Laguna, we can see that Puerto Iguazu is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Iguazu is in South America and San Pedro La Laguna 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 San Pedro La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 Puerto Iguazu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Iguazu than you might in San Pedro La Laguna.
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 Pedro La Laguna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or San Pedro La Laguna?
Puerto Iguazu has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and San Pedro La Laguna, 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.