Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) or San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) and San Jose can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) or San Jose?
Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)
Puerto Plata, nestled on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, is a captivating destination known for its beautiful beaches, historical landmarks, and vibrant culture. Whether you're arriving via the bustling Amber Cove cruise port or planning an extended stay, Puerto Plata offers a diverse range of experiences for every traveler.
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 Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
-
Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) Prices
Dominican Republic PricesSan Jose Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAmber Cove (Puerto Plata) $231San Jose $103
The average daily cost (per person) in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) is $231, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $103. 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 Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAmber Cove (Puerto Plata) $141San Jose $49
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAmber Cove (Puerto Plata) $282San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) 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: Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) $9.01San Jose $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)
Also for Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- transportation and Private transfer Airport pop, silver port: $45
- private transfer from or to Santiago Airport: $61
- Transfer STI Airport: Taxi and Shuttle to Home: $300
- Santiago to Cibao International Airport (STI) - Departure Private Transfer: $31
- Puerto Plata to Rio San Juan transfer: $189
- Puerto Plata to Lifestyle LHVC transfer: $91
- Puerto Plata VIP Transferencias y tours: $120
- Puerto Plata Airport(POP)to Puerto Plata/Cofresi-Arrival Transfer: $54
- Puerto Plata Airport (POP)Puerto Plata/Cofresi-RoundTrip Transfer: $129
- Puerto Plata Airport (POP) to Sosua / Cabarete - Arrival Transfer: $30
- Puerto Plata Airport (POP) to Puerto Plata - Round-Trip Transfer: $110
- Puerto Plata Airport (POP) to Las Galeras/Samana-Arrival Transfer: $65
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
-
Taxi from SJO$25
-
Local Bus$2.72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer from San Jose or Airport with welcome service to Montezuma: $300
- San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Limon: Private Transfer : $299
- One-Way Private Transfer: SJO Airport to/from Uvita or Dominical: $290
- Private Transfer San Jose SJO Airport to Puerto Viejo by Minivan: $283
- Transfer from San Jose Airport CR (SJO) to Arenal La Fortuna Hotels: $279
- Private Transfer SJO Airport to Puerto Viejo/Cahuita/Manzanillo: $271
- Private transfer from San Jose Airport welcome service to Monteverde: $270
- Private transfer from San Jose Airport welcome service to Manuel Antonio Quepos: $269
- Private transfer from San Jose or Airport with welcome service to Samara Beach: $265
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Cahuita, English Speaking Driver: $263
- Private Ground Transfer SJO - Monteverde: $256
- Private VIP Transfer from San Jose Airport to Fortuna (1-9 ppl): $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) 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 dayAmber Cove (Puerto Plata) $75San Jose $31
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
- San Jose By Night: Farm to Table Dinner, Cooking & Cocktail Class: $47
- San Jose Cooking Classes visit Central Market: $52
- Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and National Museum : $65
- San Jose By Night: Sights & Culture Tour with Local Dinner : $80
- Dinner + Typical dance show at the best viewpoint in San José: $92
- Street Food Tour in San Jose with a Local Guide: $114
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $185
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) $40San Jose $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)
For Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Snorkeling Tour$42
-
Banana Boat Ride$5.96
-
Paragliding$51
-
1 Hr Kayak Rental$12
-
Water Skiing$18
Tours and Activities in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Amber Cove (Puerto Plata).
- Puerto Plata: Wild, Wet & Furious Adventure: $165
- 2 Hours Buggy Adventure from Puerto Plata: $130
- 2 Person Buggy Tour: $126
- 27 Damajagua Waterfalls for Cruises (Taino Bay and Amber Cove): $59
- 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua – Adventure Tour from Puerto Plata: $75
- A Splash of Adventure: 27 Pools for Cruises, Hotels and Airbnb.: $70
- ATV 4 wheel from Amber Cove & Taino bay port silver Cruise port: $110
- ATV Adventure: $60
- ATV Adventure from Puerto Plata: $125
- ATV Adventure from Puerto Plata: $120
- ATV Combo and City Tour in Puerto Plata: $130
- ATV Tour Adventure in Puerto Plata - Double occupancy: $130
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- ATV Off Road Poas Volcano Adventure and Hiking for two persons.: $130
- AWA Water Museum - Waterfall Adventure (Organic Food Experience): $98
- Adventure Park: $190
- Adventure Zip Lining at the Cloud Forest from San José: $138
- Arenal Combo Experience: Canopy & Rapell + Thermals: $65
- Arenal Hanging Bridges and Hot Springs Private Tour from San Jose: $295
- Arenal Volcano & Baldi Hot Springs one day tour from San Jose: $199
- Arenal Volcano Experience Full-Day Tour from San Jose: $159
- Arenal Volcano Hike and Hot Springs Tour from San Jose: $142
- Arenal Volcano and Baldi Hot Springs Full Day Tour from San Jose: $195
- Birding Watching tour from San José: $190
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAmber Cove (Puerto Plata) $13San Jose $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) and San Jose, we can see that Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) is in Caribbean Islands 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) than you might in San Jose.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) or San Jose?
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Amber Cove (Puerto Plata). When comparing the sizes of Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) 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.
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.