Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Ushuaia?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Ushuaia? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
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.
Ushuaia
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
Which city is cheaper, Ushuaia or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $49, while the average daily cost in Ushuaia is $69. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Puerto Iguazu and Ushuaia in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $40 in Puerto Iguazu For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $68 in Ushuaia For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Local Transportation
To get around in Puerto Iguazu, the average visitor spends $15 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Iguazu Falls: Day Tour including transfers and guided tour:
$245
-
Iguazu Falls Pass: Transfers in/out + Visit to Iguazu Falls Argentininan Side:
$110
-
Iguazu: Transfer from Argentina Side:
$95
-
Iguazu Airport Private Transfer:
$63
-
Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$30
-
One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer:
$4.98
Typical Local Transportation prices in Ushuaia
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ushuaia are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Shared Round-Trip Airport Transfer:
$38
-
Ushuaia Combo: Tierra del Fuego National Park & Round Trip Transfers to airport:
$114
-
Ushuaia Airport Shared Transfer:
$7.30
-
Ushuaia Airport Departure Transfer:
$18
-
Ushuaia Airport Arrival Transfer:
$15
-
Transfer Ushuaia Airport - Hotel in Ushuaia - Ushuaia Airport:
$35
-
Transfer Ushuaia Airport - Hotel in Ushuaia - Ushuaia Airport:
$35
-
Transfer Cerro Castor (Round Trip):
$19
-
Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia):
$22
-
Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Ushuaia):
$27
-
Private Transfer Airport-Port or Port-Airport (Ushuaia):
$55
-
Private Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia):
$54
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Ushuaia?
Prices for flights to both Ushuaia 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
The average traveler spends about $18 per day in Puerto Iguazu for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
On average, meal and food prices in Ushuaia cost around $13 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $5.20.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Puerto Iguazu $18
Ushuaia $13
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:
$27
-
Foz do Iguaçu Folkloric Show with Dinner from Puerto Iguazú:
$30
-
Skip the Line: Dinner Tango Show in Iguazu Falls Ticket:
$59
-
Folkloric Show with Dinner at Rafain Churrascaria:
$63
-
Rafain Steakhouse Show - Dinner and Show Included:
$69
-
Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls:
$85
-
Creative Cooking Class and Dinner with Wine in Iguazu:
$87
-
Tio Querido Dinner and Folk Show in Puerto Iguazú:
$90
-
Skip the Line: Dinner Samba Show Ticket in Rafain (brazilian side):
$99
-
Full day Iguazu Falls Argentinian side + Tango Show (no dinner):
$110
-
Full day Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side + Dinner Tango Show:
$125
-
Visit to Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side + Dinner Samba Show in Rafain:
$134
Typical Food prices in Ushuaia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ushuaia:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Esmeralda Lagoon Hiking Tour with Dinner and Drinks:
$100
-
Meeting with Beavers and Lagoon Tour with Dinner:
$176
Entertainment
In Puerto Iguazu, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $16 per person, per day.
In Ushuaia, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $76 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
2-Night Iguassu Falls Sightseeing Tour:
$150
-
2-Night Iguazu Rainforest Experience at Yacutinga Lodge:
$608
-
2-day Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side + City Tour with 3 frontiers landmark:
$115
-
3-Day Iguazu Falls Adventure: Brazil and Argentina:
$363
-
3-Day Iguazu Falls Exploring Tour:
$172
-
3-Day Iguazu Falls Self Guided Exploring Tour:
$213
-
3-Day Tour: Exploring Iguazu Falls in Private Service:
$544
-
3-Days Iguazu Falls Tour of the Argentinian and Brazilian Side:
$491
-
3-Days Private Experience at Iguazu:
$790
-
4-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls by Air from Buenos Aires:
$1,058
-
5-Day Adventure Trip in Iguazu:
$538
-
6-Day Iguazu Falls & Ibera Marshlands Luxury Tour:
$1,800
Tours and Activities in Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
-
2-Day Ushuaia Trekking and Rowing Small-Group Tour:
$606
-
2-Days and 1 Night Experience Ushuaia with Airfare from Buenos Aires:
$1,046
-
2-day tour: Tierra del Fuego National Park + Fagnano and Escondido Lakes:
$115
-
2-day tour:Tierra del Fuego NP + Beagle Channel Navigation + Fagnano & Escondido:
$190
-
3-Day Adventure Tour of Hiking, Canoeing and Sailing at the End of the World:
$425
-
3-Days Unique Adventure at the End of the World - Ushuaia:
$485
-
4 hours Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour with Chinese Guide:
$80
-
4-Day Ushuaia Overland adventure - Lake Fagnano, Lake Escondido & San Pablo Cape:
$1,085
-
4-Days Experience for Nature Lovers at Ushuaia:
$718
-
4WD Off-Road Lakes Tierra del Fuego Adventure From Ushuaia:
$125
-
5-Day Adventure Trip in Ushuaia:
$675
-
5-Day Ushuaia Overland adventure - Lake Fagnano, San Pablo Cape & Beagle Channel:
$1,644
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Puerto Iguazu spend on average $7.73 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Ushuaia
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ushuaia are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Ushuaia, we can see that Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ushuaia than you might in Puerto Iguazu.
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