Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Tamarindo? 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 Tamarindo?
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.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesTamarindo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $59Tamarindo $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $59, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $159. 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 Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $42Tamarindo $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $84Tamarindo $110
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Tamarindo? 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 Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.22Tamarindo $76
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: $14
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $21
- Puerto Iguazú Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $22
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $22
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer to or from Puerto Iguazu Airport IGR: $40
- Wanda Mines Guided Tour with Transfer / From Iguassu Falls: $56
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Brazil Duty Free Shop with Transfers: $60
- Iguazu Falls Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers: $79
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $83
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $85
- Iguazú Falls Combo: Argentina & Brazil, with Transfers: $86
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Transfers to or from Riu Palace or Riu Guanacaste: $85
- Transfers to or from Liberia Airport: $60
- Transfer from Westin Conchal Hotel to Liberia Airport (LIR): $160
- Transfer from JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa to Liberia Airport (LIR): $168
- Transfer To/From Liberia Airport To/ From JW Marriott Guanacaste: $195
- Transfer Service To Playa Conchal & Flamingo From Liberia Airport: $168
- Transfer Service Liberia Airport To Playa Grande, Guanacaste: $165
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport to Planet Hollywood Costa Rica: $115
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Golfo de Papagayo: $135
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Four Seasons Papagayo: $165
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Hacienda Pinilla Guanacaste: $185
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Conchal And Flamingo Beach: $165
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo 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 $6.59Tamarindo $62
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: $34
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $36
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $75
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $75
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $120
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner: $125
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $130
- Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls - no transfers -: $152
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
- Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $232
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $244
- Iguazu Falls: Argentina Side Tour with Dinner & Tango Show: $278
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $35Tamarindo $19
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: $27
- Foz do Iguaçu: Brazil/Argentina Sides Iguazu Falls Day Tour: $41
- Explore Iguazu Falls in Brazil: An Unforgettable Experience: $44
- From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
- Iguazu Falls Argentine Side Tour & Ecological Train Ride: $55
- Iguazú Falls National Park Entry Ticket or Flexipass 3 days: $60
- Iguazu Falls, Argentina + Boat Option (Private Tour): $71
- Iguazu Falls Guided Tour Argentina side: $73
- Full-Day Tour to the San Ignacio Mission Ruins and Wanda Mines: $74
- Official Tickets: Argentina Side: $75
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- "Rio Celeste Waterfall, Cacao & Cofee tour and Sloth Adventure: $250
- 1 Full Private Tour to Arenal Volcano + Baldi Hot Springs: $183
- 1 Hour Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $70
- 1,5 Hours Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $85
- 2 Hours ATV Off Road Tour in Guanacaste Costa Rica: $85
- 2 Hours Pura Vida ATV Adventure from Tamarindo to Playa Conchal: $180
- 2-Hour Guided Tour by ATV near Playa Conchal: $130
- 3 HOURS Coastal ATV Adventure from Tamarindo to Playa Negra: $270
- 3 Hour ATV Full Tour Off-Road Tour in Guanacaste, Costa Rica: $190
- 3 Hour ATV Secluded Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal & Grande: $125
- 3-in-1 Rincon de la Vieja National Park Nature Day Tour: $300
- 5 Tours in 1 – The Ultimate Volcano Adventure!: $169
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $8.22Tamarindo $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo Expensive?.
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.