Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Santa Elena? 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.
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.
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
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 G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.20, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $92. 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 Santa Elena in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Santa Elena? 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.
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena 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.
For Puerto Iguazu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Santa Elena, we can see that Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena Expensive?.