A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Copan vs. La Fortuna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Copan or La Fortuna?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Copan and La Fortuna 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: Copan or La Fortuna?

Copan

If you are a lover of history, or just really want to tap into your inner Indiana Jones, a trip to Copan, Honduras is right up your alley. Located in western Honduras, the cobblestone lined streets and white adobe buildings topped with red roofs provide the beautiful backdrop to this once powerful city.

Occupied by the Maya for 2,000 years, Copan was the ruling city in the southern Mayan kingdom. Settled nicely in a fertile river valley among rolling hills, this city is absolutely fascinating and the perfect place to explore history.

La Fortuna

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 Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.


Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Copan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Copan is $90, 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 Copan and La Fortuna in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Copan $23
    La Fortuna $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Copan $46
    La Fortuna $102
Compare Hotels in Copan and La Fortuna

Looking for a hotel in Copan 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.

Hotels in Copan


Hotels in La Fortuna


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: La Fortuna Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Copan $78
    La Fortuna $21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:

  • Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $64
  • Arenal lake boat transfer from to Monteverde from La Fortuna: $60
  • Costa Rica Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) -Arrival Private Transfer: $189
  • Direct Transfer From La Fortuna to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $155
  • From La Fortuna/La Palma: Private Transfer to Tamarindo: $280
  • From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
  • La Fortuna Private Transfer to San Jose Airport : $231
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Guapiles: $213
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $70
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $187
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Manuel Antonio or Quepos: $320
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Puerto Viejo de Limon: $400

Is it cheaper to fly into Copan or La Fortuna?

Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Copan 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 day
    Copan $21
    La Fortuna $28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.

  • Cooking Class and Sugar Cane Experience: $35
  • Sloth Tour in La Fortuna and Tortillas Cooking Class: $35
  • Skip the Line: Mineral Hot Springs Full Day Ticket w/ Optional Lunch or Dinner: $42
  • Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $45
  • Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
  • Costa Rica Cooking, El Fogon de Chela: $50
  • cooking class la fortuna: $50
  • Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $63
  • Rainforest Night Walk and Authentic Costa Rican Dinner from La Fortuna: $65
  • 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $68
  • Costa Rican Cooking Class+Dinner+Night Frog Tour: $72
  • Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Copan $25
    La Fortuna $44

Tours and Activities in La Fortuna

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:

  • Two Destinations Tour - La Fortuna Top Destinations : $20
  • Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
  • Hiking Experience to Volcano Base Arenal Park: $20
  • Hiking Experience to Volcano Base Arenal Park: $23
  • Arenal Observatory Trails Admission Ticket: $29
  • Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
  • Excellent Wildlife Tour in Bijagua de Upala: $30
  • Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $30
  • Rainforest Chocolate Tour from La Fortuna: $30
  • 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $30
  • arenal fortuna city tour: $30
  • Sloth Tour: $30

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Copan $7.23
    La Fortuna $11


When comparing the travel costs between Copan and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Central America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Copan Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Copan or La Fortuna?

Copan has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Copan 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.