Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Buzios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Buzios or La Fortuna? 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.
Initially a fishing village, Armação dos Buzios is a small beach resort town about three hours from Rio de Janeiro by bus. Buzios is a common weekend getaway destination for Cariocas. With 23 beaches, visitors from all over come to swim, snorkel, surf and enjoy sun and sand.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Buzios is $77, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna 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 Buzios and La Fortuna in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Buzios 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.
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.
Also for Buzios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Buzios 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Buzios.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Buzios and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Buzios much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Buzios is in South America 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 Buzios would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Buzios 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 Buzios.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Buzios Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
Buzios has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Buzios 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.