Which place is cheaper, Tena or Belize City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Belize City or Tena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Belize City 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: Belize City or Tena?
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.
This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.
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 G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBelize City $88Tena $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $88, while the average daily cost in Tena is $51. 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 Belize City and Tena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBelize City $49Tena $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBelize City $98Tena $48
Compare Hotels in Belize City and Tena
Looking for a hotel in Belize City 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.
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: Belize City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Belize City $5.82Tena $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City
Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Shuttle Transfer: $113
- Belize city water taxi terminal to Airport transfer: $30
- Belize: Belize City to/from San Ignacio Shuttle Transfer: $68
- Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $60
- Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150
- Transfer Belize city to bacalar: $50
- We do transfers from airport to any where in Belize.: $49
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 Bucaramanga Palonegro Airport (BGA) to Bucaramanga: $15
- San Andres hotels to San Andres Airport (ADZ) Departure Transfer: $36
- Roundtrip transfer in private minivan Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $84
- Round trip transfer in Private Car from-to Palonegro Airport(BGA) to Bucaramanga: $29
- Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
- Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
- Private Transfer from Villavieja to San Agustín: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Tena?
Prices for flights to both Tena and Belize City 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 dayBelize City $27Tena $15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City
For Belize City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Altun Ha Mayan Site & Food Tour: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Belize City $29Tena $15
Tours and Activities in Belize City
For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Belize City Tour: $40
- Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour in Belize: $50
- Hassle free Cave Tubing Adventure from Belize City with Lunch: $55
- Charlie's Cave Tubing Tour for cruisers (lunch included): $65
- Second largest Barrier Reef Adventure Snorkeling: $70
- Guided Cave Kayaking Tour with Pickup: $77
- Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and River Wallace and Manatee Watch Tour: $85
- Cave Tubing Experience from Belize City: $85
- Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
- Half-Day Altun Ha Temple & Belize City Tour: $86
- Turtle Garden Snorkeling Tour and Island Break : $90
- Howler Monkey Sanctuary Tour from Belize City: $90
Tours and Activities in Tena
Here are a few actual costs in Tena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4-Hour Private Walking Tour along Ruta de Las Flores: $42
- Enjoy a Coffee Tour & Santa Fe de Antioquia Colonial Town!!: $135
- Full Day Adventure Laguna Negra-Páramo de Ocetá from Mongua: $20
- Gastronomic Private Walking Tour in Popayán: $50
- Popayán Tour from Cali: $216
- Popayan and Silvia Town Private Tour from Cali: $240
- Private 2-hour Diving Experience with Instructor: $65
- Private Guided Tour to Piedra Colgada and Indian Face and Lagoon: $75
- Scuba Diving Private Tour in San Andres: $130
- Tour 5 Rosario Islands: $94
- Unique experience flying paragliding: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBelize City $12Tena $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Belize City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Belize City:
- Belize: City Highlights Tour with Rum Distillery Visit: $49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Belize City and Tena, we can see that Belize City is more expensive. And not only is Tena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Belize City is in Central America and Tena is in South 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 Tena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tena 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 Belize City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Belize City than you might in Tena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Belize City Expensive? and Is Tena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Belize City or Tena?
Belize City has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Tena. When comparing the sizes of Belize City 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.
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.