Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Buzios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Buzios or San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Buzios or San Jose? 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: Buzios or San Jose?
Buzios
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.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBuzios $77San Jose $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Buzios is $77, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $90. 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 San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBuzios $37San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBuzios $74San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Buzios and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Buzios 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: San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Buzios $19San Jose $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Buzios
Also for Buzios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Tour in Buzios City Tour, Lunch and Transfer: $60
- Private transfer from Buzios to the GIG Airport : $190
- Private transfer Minivan from GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 6 pax to Buzios: $112
- Private transfer Buzios in Rio to the SDU Airport : $190
- Private Transfer from GIG Airport to City Buzios in Rio : $170
- Private Transfer from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro: $91
- Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Santos Dumont Airport (SDU): $32
- Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $43
- Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $47
- Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Santos Dumont (SDU): $28
- Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $28
- Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $32
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO$25
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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 Tortuguero: $300
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport to Guanacaste Hotels: $299
- transfer from Juan Santamaria airport to Dominical and Uvita: $290
- Transfer SJO Airport TO & FROM Dominical OR Uvita (One Way): $290
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Monteverde: $280
- Transfer from San Jose Airport CR (SJO) to Arenal La Fortuna Hotels: $279
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport or Guanacaste Hotels: $276
- Private transfer from San Jose or Airport with welcome service to Tambor beach: $276
- 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
- Private Transfer: $260
- Private Transfer Airport or San Jose hotels to Puerto Viejo Limon: $259
Is it cheaper to fly into Buzios or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBuzios $24San Jose $18
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 in San Jose, Costa Rica: $34
- Tropical Cooking Classes: $52
- San Jose By Night Tour: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $57
- San Jose Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and visit Gold Museum : $60
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $76
- Explore San Jose By Night: Food and Culture Tour with Local Dinner: $80
- Private Authentic Food Tour in San José: $84
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Buzios $27San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Buzios
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Buzios.
- Buzios Trolley City Tour: $29
- 3-hour Small Group Buzios Peninsula Open Air Trolley Tour: $33
- 7 Beaches In Búzios With Photos On A Private Tour!: $35
- Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Arraial do Cabo: $128
- Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Búzios: $99
- Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Cabo Frio: $116
- Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo: $24
- Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo Panoramic City Tour in Cabo Frio: $96
- Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo from Buzios with Lunch: $60
- Buggy Ride in Buzios by Buziana Tour: $16
- Buggy Tour in Arraial do Cabo by Arraial Viagens: $32
- Cabo Frio Full-Day Tour From Buzios with Lunch: $68
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Street Food Walking Tour in Downtown San Jose: $60
- 2-Hour Downtown San Jose Walking Tour: $33
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- 3 in 1 Eco Tour Rain Forest Aerial Tram, River Cruise & Nature Walk Private Tour: $299
- 6 in 1 RainForest Adventure From San Jose: $189
- A taste of Aquiares - 2 hours Coffee Tour: $42
- AERIAL TRAM TOUR - HALF DAY PASS Rainforest Adventures Braulio Ca: $78
- AWA Water Museum - Waterfall Adventure (Organic Food Experience): $98
- Arenal Combo Experience: Canopy & Rapell + Thermals: $65
- Arenal Volcano Eco Tour & Baldi Hot Springs Private Tour from San Jose: $285
- Arenal Volcano Experience Full-Day Tour from San Jose: $159
- Arenal Volcano Hanging Bridges & Baldi Hot Springs. Private Tour from San Jose: $285
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBuzios $17San Jose $17
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $38
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Buzios and San Jose, we can see that San Jose 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 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 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 San Jose would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Jose 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 San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Buzios or San Jose?
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Buzios. When comparing the sizes of Buzios 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.