Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Castries?
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 Castries or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Castries or Tamarindo? 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: Castries or Tamarindo?
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 Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
-
Castries Prices
Saint Lucia PricesTamarindo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCastries $186Tamarindo $145
The average daily cost (per person) in Castries is $186, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $145. 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 Castries and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCastries $100Tamarindo $50
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCastries $200Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in Castries and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Castries 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: Castries Hotel Prices and Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Castries $25Tamarindo $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Costa Rica Private LIR Airport Departure transfer : $6.00
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Secret Papagayo: $13
- Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Waldorf Astoria Hotel: $15
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo: $15
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Hotel Riu Guanacaste: $15
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Riu Guanacaste: $16
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Hotel Pastiempo Tamarindo: $20
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To La Palapa In Tamarindo: $20
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Tamarindo Beach: $20
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Best Western Tamarindo: $20
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Hotel Mar Rey Tamarindo: $20
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Selina Tamarindo: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Castries or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Castries 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 dayCastries $66Tamarindo $56
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
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $99
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Castries $27Tamarindo $17
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- 1 Hour Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $30
- Tamarindo Estuary Boat Tour: $40
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $45
- Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
- Tamarindo Estuary Boat Tour with Naturalist Guide: $50
- Tamarindo Surf & Tours : Surf Lesson For All Levels: $50
- Morning Moka -Tamarindo's Morning Coffee Tour: $62
- Hiking Tour of La Leona Waterfall with Lunch: $65
- Tamarindo Estuary: Kayak Monkey Tour: $65
- Zipline Canopy Tour from Guanacaste: $70
- Turtle Watching Tour: $70
- Private Wildlife Tour in Avellanas Beach: $75
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCastries $11Tamarindo $14
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 Experience: $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Castries and Tamarindo, we can see that Castries is more expensive. And not only is Tamarindo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Castries is in Caribbean Islands and Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tamarindo 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 Castries would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Castries than you might in Tamarindo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Castries 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.