A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Addis Ababa vs. La Fortuna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Addis Ababa or La Fortuna?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or La Fortuna, 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: Addis Ababa or La Fortuna?

Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and also the nation's largest when ranked by its population of over three million. There are also more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a hub for international diplomacy concerning Africa. Other draws include its thriving marketplaces, spicy food, and rich coffee.

La Fortuna

La Fortuna is in San Carlos, in the province of Alajuela. It is the closest town to Arenal Volcano, and the area is often simply refered to as Arenal. The volcano itself is active and has been constantly erupting since 1968. It erupts on average 41 times a day. This area of northern Costa Rica is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.


Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Addis Ababa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $28, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $138. 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 Addis Ababa and La Fortuna in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $15
    La Fortuna $57
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $30
    La Fortuna $114
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and La Fortuna

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or La Fortuna? 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 Addis Ababa


Hotels in La Fortuna


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: Addis Ababa Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $2.75
    La Fortuna $23
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa

Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Pickup and transfer: $18
  • Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport: $23
  • Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
  • Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $29
  • City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $35
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $39
  • Cultural Show and Jazz Night with Transfers: $44
  • Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
  • Private Addis Ababa Airport Transfer: $55
  • Customizable Layover Tour with Transfers: $55
  • Photography Tour with Guide & Transfer: $62
  • Private Tour with Local Guide and Transfers: $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:

  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Puerto Viejo de Limon: $500
  • Private Transfer: San José Airport (SJO) ↔ La Fortuna: $300
  • Private VIP Transfer La Fortuna to Tamarindo, Flamingo & Conchal: $299
  • Private Transfer to Manuel Antonio & Crocodiles: $295
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $295
  • From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
  • Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $290
  • Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna: $285
  • From Private Transfer to Tamarindo & Conchal: $279
  • San Jose Airport: Private transfer from/to La Fortuna: $270
  • Private Transfer from Arenal La Fortuna to San Jose Airport: $255
  • Private Transfer from La Fortuna Hotels to Jacó Beach Los Sueños: $250

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or La Fortuna?

Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Addis Ababa 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
    Addis Ababa $11
    La Fortuna $53
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:


  • Slice of Cake
    $0.04

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Addis Ababa

For Addis Ababa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Authentic Ethiopian Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
  • Addis Eats Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $49
  • Berbere Bites Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
  • Addis Ababa Food Tour: Ethiopian Cuisine, Coffee & Drinks: $50
  • Berbere Bites Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $50
  • Addis Eats Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $50
  • Flavors of Ethiopia: Hands-On Cooking Class in Addis Ababa: $55
  • Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
  • Totot Cultural Feast & Rhythm Show With Dinner: $60
  • Addis Ababa Ethiopian Food Cooking Class and Kitchen Tour: $60
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
  • Addis Ababa Cooking, Coffee & Traditional Drink Tasting: $65

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.

  • Traditional cooking lesson with a local family: $37
  • Sloth Tour in La Fortuna and Tortillas Cooking Class: $38
  • Farm to Table Cooking Class: $45
  • Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
  • Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $50
  • Costa Rican Cooking Class: $57
  • Costa Rica The Chela Cooking Experience: $60
  • 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $68
  • Arenal Boat Tour & Pirate Hot Springs Dinner: $69
  • Sloth Tour with Cane Juice and Cooking Class: $70
  • Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $70
  • Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $2.84
    La Fortuna $49

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.

  • Addis Ababa City Tour & Coffee Ceremony with Shopping areas: $18
  • National Museum Guided Tour with Lucy Fossil: $28
  • Guided Walking Tour with Coffee & Food: $28
  • Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Tour: $30
  • Guided City Tour with Coffee Break & Entry fee: $30
  • Kebena to Entoto Green Corridor Discovery Tour: $30
  • Best Addis Ababa Half-Day Tour: $32
  • Mercato Market Guided Tour with Hotel Pickup: $32
  • Premium Addis Ababa Piassa Walking Tour with Coffee Ceremony: $32
  • Red Terror Memorial Storytelling Experience: $35
  • Flexible City tour Museum's,other layover vist: $35
  • Coffee Ceremony & Traditional Clothing Tour: $36

Tours and Activities in La Fortuna

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:

  • 12-Cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over Waterfalls: $115
  • 2-in-1 Arenal Coffee and Chocolate Tour: $75
  • 5-Day Pura Vida Adventure: Volcano and Jungle in Costa Rica: $1,099
  • 7 Nights Costa Rica Fully Guided Adventure: $1,850
  • 7-Cable Zipline Adventure: Fly Over La Fortuna Waterfall: $84
  • 7-Cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over La Fortuna Waterfall: $95
  • A day of Arenal Adventure 1968 and Spring: $96
  • ARENAL FORTUNA CITY TOUR .: $30
  • ATV Tour Quad Crater Impact and Forest Arenal Volcano: $113
  • ATV Tour near Arenal Volcano, Jungle, and River Crossing: $165
  • ATV Tour: Adventure tour in La Fortuna: $161
  • ATV adventure Tour in La Fortuna: $105

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $2.35
    La Fortuna $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:

  • Pastry, Chocolate, and Wine Tour with Pickup: $60

Sample the Local Flavors in La Fortuna

Also in La Fortuna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Wine Tasting in Costa Rica: $55


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Addis Ababa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Addis Ababa is in Africa and La Fortuna 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 Addis Ababa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Addis Ababa 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 La Fortuna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Fortuna than you might in Addis Ababa.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Addis Ababa Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or La Fortuna?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 920 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and La Fortuna, 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.