Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Accra?
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 Accra or San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Accra or San Jose, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Accra or San Jose?
Accra
Accra is the capital city of Ghana, located on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. Popular attractions include the National Museum of Ghana, local beaches, markets, and cultural landmarks like those dedicated to Civil Rights activist W.E.B. DuBois.
San Jose
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is likely to be your first and last stop in a visit to the country. The city is situated in the Central Valley and is surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, making for a beautiful flight in. The city has an elevation of 1200 meters and sits on a plateau with a beautiful backdrop of lush green forest. Half of the people in Costa Rica reside in the country's capital city. You are likely to stay only a day or two, but there are a handful of things to do and see including museums and markets. You will also find many embassies, as well as the University of Costa Rica in San Jose.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Ghana, The Best Adventure Tours to Ghana, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Accra Prices
Ghana PricesSan Jose Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAccra $39San Jose $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Accra is $39, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $104. 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 Accra and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAccra $16San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAccra $32San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Accra and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Accra or San Jose? 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: Accra Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Accra $14San Jose $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Accra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Accra:
- Private Transfer from Kotoka Airport Accra Ghana (ACC) to Accra city: $76
- Private Airport Transfer to from ACC Kotoka by Business Car: $60
- Private Accra City Tour with Free Airport Transfer: $100
- Kotoka Airport Private Transfer within Accra City: $45
- Historic Slave Walking Tour of Jamestown with Transfers: $127
- Airport & City Transfers: $100
- Private Transfer in and out of Accra: $145
- City Highlights, Culture, History Tour with Transfers: $150
- City Highlights Half-day Guided Tour with Transfers: $59
- Accra Hotel to Airport Transfer: $85
- Accra Airport to Hotel Transfer: $50
- Accra Airport Hotel City Transfers: $58
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO$25
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Local Bus$2.74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Costa Rica SJO Airport TO Downtown Hotel Private Transfer Shuttle: $25
- Private One-way Transfer from San Jose to Juan Santamaria Airport: $43
- Private One-way Transfer from Juan Santamaria Airport to San Jose: $44
- Private Transfer from San Jose to La Fortuna de Arenal: $46
- Transfer from San Jose to Arenal-La Fortuna San Carlos: $48
- Private San José Airport Transfer to San José Hotels : $55
- Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Private Transfer: $58
- San Jose to Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) – Departure Private Transfer: $58
- Private transfer from San Jose-Heredia-Alajuela Hotels to International Airport: $60
- Transfer 1 to 3 Pax Juan Santamaria Airport to SJO Hotels : $60
- Private transfer from SJO Intl Airport to downtown Hotels: $65
- Shared transfer to Manuel Antonio: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into Accra or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Accra 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 dayAccra $14San Jose $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Accra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Accra.
- Authentic Ghanaian Cooking Lessons and Take Out Services.: $20
- Local Ghanaian Cooking Class in Accra to help support wellness community center: $45
- Accra Street Food Tour: Osu Night Market Tour Experience: $46
- Culinary for Social Change-Cooking Class : $60
- Accra Street Food Tour: Makola Market Tour With Full Lunch: $73
- Cooking Class: $75
- Nighttime Food Tour with Local Guide: $90
- Authentic Ghanaian Cooking Class in Accra: $100
- Private 1 to 2 Hours Street Food Tour in Ghana: $100
- Hands-On Cooking Class With Local Food Tours and Market Tours : $116
- Flavors of Ghana: Food Tour Experience.: $135
- Fulani Dinner Experience: $150
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Jose
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour including Markets: $34
- Tropical Cooking Classes: $52
- San Jose By Night tour Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $59
- Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and National Museum : $65
- San Jose By Night: Sights & Culture Tour with Local Dinner : $70
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $78
- Private Authentic Food Tour in San José: $84
- Dinner + Typical dance show at the best viewpoint in San José: $92
- Dinner with Private Show in Tiquicia Traditional Nights : $95
- Street Food Tour in San Jose with a Local Guide: $110
- City Tour and Dinner at the Best Lookout in San Jose: $149
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $185
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Accra $2.94San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Accra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Accra are as follows:
- 1 Day Accra City Tour: $71
- Accra E-waste and Recycling experience in Agbogbloshie: $100
- Accra Luxury Beachfront Experience : $81
- Accra Nightlife Experience: $150
- Accra Private Surfing Experience with Pick Up: $250
- Cape Coast Root ,History, & Active Adventure tour: $174
- Ghana Chocolate Tasting Experience : $180
- Naming Ceremony and Heritage Homecoming Experience for Diasporas: $265
- The Akosombo Tour: $190
- 2-day Tour of Downtown Accra: $216
- 6-Hour Private Guided Accra City Tour: $75
- Aburi Botanic Gardens, Boti Falls,Umbrella Rock & Cocoa Farm Tour: $160
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self Guided Walking Tour in San Jose City, Costa Rica: $5.78
- Entrance Ticket to the Farm of Hacienda Orosi: $11
- Entrance ticket to the Hacienda Orosi: $21
- Private Guided Tour of Cheese in Canaan de Rivas: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- San Jose Highlights Walking Tour with a Guide: $35
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $35
- Historical Tour and Old Houses by Dota: $35
- San Jose ART Walking Tour - small groups, creative experience: $35
- Private Roasting and Cupping Coffee Experience: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAccra $4.22San Jose $17
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Exclusive Pub Crawl in San Jose : $35
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Accra and San Jose, we can see that San Jose is more expensive. And not only is Accra much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Accra is in Africa and San Jose 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 Accra would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Accra 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 San Jose would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Jose than you might in Accra.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Accra Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Accra or San Jose?
Accra has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of Accra and San Jose, 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.
When is the best time to visit Accra or San Jose?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Accra or San Jose in the Summer?
Both San Jose and Accra during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Accra because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Jose year-round.
San Jose gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Accra usually gets less rain in July than San Jose. Accra gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
In July, Accra is generally cooler than San Jose. Daily temperatures in Accra average around 25°C (77°F), and San Jose fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyAccra 25°C (77°F)San Jose 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Accra or San Jose in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Accra and San Jose. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Accra year-round. San Jose attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
December to April in San Jose is the dry season. The hurricane season in San Jose is May to November. San Jose receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Accra usually receives less rain than San Jose. Accra gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
Accra is around the same temperature as San Jose in the autumn. The daily temperature in Accra averages around 26°C (79°F) in October, and San Jose fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberAccra 26°C (79°F)San Jose 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Accra or San Jose in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Accra as well as San Jose. Accra attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Jose throughout the year.
Accra usually gets more rain in January than San Jose. Accra gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the winter, Accra is around the same temperature as San Jose. Typically, the winter temperatures in Accra in January average around 27°C (81°F), and San Jose averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryAccra 27°C (81°F)San Jose 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Accra or San Jose in the Spring?
Both San Jose and Accra are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Accra throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to San Jose because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in San Jose is December to April. May to November is the hurricane season in San Jose. It's quite rainy in Accra. In April, Accra usually receives more rain than San Jose. Accra gets 117 mm (4.6 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
In April, Accra is generally around the same temperature as San Jose. Daily temperatures in Accra average around 28°C (82°F), and San Jose fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilAccra 28°C (82°F)San Jose 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for San Jose and Accra
| Accra | San Jose | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 117 mm (4.6 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 26°C (79°F) | 281 mm (11.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
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.