Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Boquete?
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 Boquete or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Boquete and Tamarindo 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: Boquete or Tamarindo?
Boquete
Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Boquete Prices
Panama PricesTamarindo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBoquete $67Tamarindo $161
The average daily cost (per person) in Boquete is $67, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $161. 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 Boquete and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBoquete $22Tamarindo $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBoquete $44Tamarindo $112
Compare Hotels in Boquete and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Boquete or Tamarindo? 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: Boquete Hotel Prices and Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Boquete $5.21Tamarindo $77
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boquete
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boquete:
- Private transfer from Boquete to Bocas del Toro: $200
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Costa Rica Private Guanacaste Airport (LIR) Departure transfer: $3.50
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Secrets Papagayo: $16
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Mangroove Hotel: $16
- Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Waldorf Astoria Hotel: $16
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Planet Hollywood: $19
- Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Waldorf Astoria Hotel: $20
- Convenient airport transfers from Liberia: $20
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Riu Guanacaste: $20
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport: $20
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Hotel Luna Llena: $21
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Hotel Arco Iris: $21
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Swiss Captain: $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Boquete or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Boquete 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 dayBoquete $32Tamarindo $62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Tamarindo : Traditional Cooking Class: $95
- Discover Tamarindo's Blue Zone: Healthy Cooking Class: $154
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Boquete $17Tamarindo $19
Tours and Activities in Boquete
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:
- Taste Panama Coffee Tasting Experience: $25
- Coffee Tasting Experience-Los Molinos Hotel-Panama's Top Product: $25
- Fun Adventure at Finca CreaDora Cafe and Animals and Hiking: $35
- Small, Hands-on Coffee Tour: $46
- Guided Market Tour with Sensory Coffee Tasting Boquete: $48
- Epic Cloud Forest Horseback Riding Adventure in Boquete: $55
- River Tubing - Fun and Nature Experience: $55
- Ancestral Coffee Experience in Boquete: $55
- Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
- Tubing Adventure on the Cochea River: $55
- Family experience in boiler Thermal wells and limestone: $65
- Private E-Bike Tour in Scenic Views & Coffee Farms: $75
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Paintball Experience near Tamarindo: $32
- Tamarindo Mangrove Guided Boat Tour in Las Baulas National Park: $36
- Boat Sightseeing Tour of Las Baulas Marine Park, Mangroves and Nature: $42
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $45
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour Wildlife Adventure in Guanacaste: $45
- Boat adventure with wildlife viewing in Tamarindo: $45
- Mangrove Sightseeing Tour and Wildlife Experience: $45
- Tamarindo Estuary Boat Tour with Naturalist Guide: $45
- Tamarind Mangrove Tour and Wildlife Watching: $45
- Mangrove Boat Tour in Tamarindo: $45
- Mangrove tour, crocodiles , monkeys birds nature Boat or Kayak: $45
- Tamarindo Mangrove Tour: $46
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBoquete $4.44Tamarindo $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Tamarindo
Also in Tamarindo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Tamarindo Bar Crawl – #1 Nightlife Experience | Shots all night!: $20
- Tamarindo Bar Crawl – #1 Nightlife Experience: $20
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boquete and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo is more expensive. And not only is Boquete much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boquete would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boquete 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo than you might in Boquete.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Boquete Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
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.