A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Puerto Iguazu vs. Tena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Tena?

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

Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Tena? 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 Tena?

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.

Tena

Tena is the capital of the Napo Province, an attractive and quiet city in the Amazon rainforest, and is known as the "cinnamon capital" of Ecuador. Tena has a friendly population, lots of backpacker infrastructure, a gorgeous setting surrounded by jungle-covered hills and a high concentration of surrounding rivers where white-water lovers from around the world come to paddle and kayak. The town provides a gateway to exploration into Ecuador's most accessible part of the great Amazon rainforest, which does not leave visitors disappointed. Beyond being a base for discovering the jungle and its wildlife, Tena is also a hub for adventure sports which are abundant in the area. Tena is a charming place where many travelers find themselves hanging around quite happily before or after a trip into the rainforest.

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 Colombia, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota.


Which place is cheaper, Tena 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 Tena is $50. 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 Tena in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Iguazu $3.31
    Tena $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Iguazu $6.62
    Tena $46
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Tena

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Tena? 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 Tena


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $2.55
    Tena $16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu

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

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tena

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tena:

  • Transfer in private minivan Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $42
  • Transfer in Private Car from Medellin ariport (MDE)- Guatape: $34
  • Transfer in Private Car from Bucaramanga Palonegro Airport (BGA) to Bucaramanga: $15
  • San Andres hotels to San Andres Airport (ADZ) Departure Transfer: $36
  • Roundtrip transfer Private Car Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $68
  • Round trip transfer in Private Car from-to Palonegro Airport(BGA) to Bucaramanga: $29
  • Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
  • Private Transfer from Villavieja to San Agustín: $150

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Tena?

Prices for flights to both Tena 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
    Tena $15

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $2.73
    Tena $14

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: $24
  • Puerto Iguazú: Iguazú Biocenter Tour: $25
  • Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $30
  • Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $31
  • Ciudad del Este Shopping Tour: $32
  • Half-Day Iguazú Forest Adventure: $38
  • Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $41
  • From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
  • Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls : $49
  • Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $55
  • Iguazu Falls: Argentine Side Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $55

Tours and Activities in Tena

Here are a few actual costs in Tena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • ATV Tour Bogotá : $120
  • Coffee Experience-La Palma & El Tucán: $138
  • Coffee Tour Daytrip at Finca La Manchuria - Exclusive Experience.: $80
  • Colonial Guaduas Tour: $43
  • Enjoy a Coffee Tour & Santa Fe de Antioquia Colonial Town!!: $135
  • Full Day Adventure to the Páramo de Ocetá from Mongui: $20
  • Full Day Tour to Rock Paintings in Cerro Azul Guaviare: $130
  • Gastronomic Private Walking Tour in Popayán: $50
  • Popayan Gastronomic Wonders and City Tour: $63
  • Popayan and Silvia Town Private Tour from Cali: $240
  • Private Guided Tour to Piedra Colgada and Indian Face and Lagoon: $75
  • Scuba Diving Private Tour in San Andres: $132

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $1.31
    Tena $10


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Tena, we can see that Tena 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 Tena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tena 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 Tena Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Tena?

Puerto Iguazu has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Tena. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Tena, 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.