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. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Copan is $102, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $123. 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 $22
    La Fortuna $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Copan $44
    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 $76
    La Fortuna $21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:

  • Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $42
  • Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $159
  • Direct Transfer From La Fortuna to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $150
  • From Fortuna: 2 Day Hike to Monteverde with Hotel Transfer: $160
  • From Lake Arenal Kayaking Trip with Transfer: $90
  • From One way shared transfer to Monteverde: $74
  • From Private Transfer to Tamarindo & Conchal: $279
  • From San Jose: One way shared transfer to La Fortuna: $74
  • La Fortuna Arenal Hotels TO SJO Airport Private Transfer One Way: $190
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Guapiles: $213
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $187
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Manuel Antonio or Quepos: $320

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 $35
    La Fortuna $47

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna

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

  • Sloth Tour in La Fortuna and Tortillas Cooking Class: $35
  • 2 Hours Private Cooking Class in La Fortuna: $45
  • Costa Rican Breakfast & Cooking Experience in La Fortuna: $50
  • Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $50
  • Costa Rican Cooking Class: $57
  • Costa Rican cuisine Cooking Class at Rancho Don Lelo: $60
  • 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 & Rainforest Night Experience: $79
  • Combo Cooking Class and Salsa Dance Lesson: $80
  • Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $85

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Copan $24
    La Fortuna $44

Tours and Activities in La Fortuna

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

  • Sloth Safari Private Walking Tour: $20
  • Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
  • La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
  • Arenal Volcano Hike Experience (not guide included): $23
  • Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
  • arenal fortuna city tour: $30
  • Excellent Wildlife Tour in Bijagua de Upala: $30
  • Sloth and Monkey Wild Life Tour : $30
  • San Carlos: The Art of Chocolate Making Tour at Don Olivo: $30
  • Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $32
  • Night tour through the Tropical Forest at Tifakara : $34
  • Local Coffee Tour Experience: $35

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Copan $6.97
    La Fortuna $11


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Copan and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Copan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Copan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Copan 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 Copan.

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.