Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Cozumel?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cozumel or San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cozumel and San Jose can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cozumel or San Jose?
Cozumel
Cozumel is a Caribbean island just off the Yucatan Peninsula. It'as a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful beaches and excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. With crystal clear waters and vibrant colored coral, Cozumel is one of the most popular dive destinations in the area. The island's economy is centered around tourism, and as such, you'll find plenty of amenities for visitors. The prices are comparable to other coastal towns in the area and there is no shortage of activities or attractions nearby.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Adventure Tours to Mexico, 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 dayCozumel $118San Jose $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Cozumel is $118, 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 Cozumel and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCozumel $70San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCozumel $140San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Cozumel and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Cozumel 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: Cozumel Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cozumel $23San Jose $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cozumel
Also for Cozumel, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Wild Jade Cavern Private ATV Tour With Transfer: $86
- Private Transfer from Cozumel hotels to Cozumel Cruise Port: $44
- Private Transfer from Cozumel Airport: $110
- Mexico Cozumel Airport (CZM) to Cozumel -Arrival Private Transfer: $44
- Mexico Cozumel Airport (CZM) Cozumel - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $87
- Cuban Cigar Master Class & Beach Break® with transfer: $153
- Shared Transfer from Airport to Hotel: $30
- Cozumel to Mexico Cozumel Airport (CZM)Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Cozumel Private Airport Transfer: $150
- Cozumel Port to Cozumel Airport CZM Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Cozumel Island hotels to Cozumel Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Cozumel Island Transfers: $70
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 Cozumel or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Cozumel 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 dayCozumel $24San Jose $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cozumel
For Cozumel, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Authentic Mayan Cooking Class in Cozumel: $61
- Cozumel Food Tour: $90
- Cozumel Food Tour: $110
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.Cozumel $44San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Cozumel
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cozumel.
- Island Tour With Private Driver : $56
- Private Cozumel Jeep Tour & Jade Caverns Cenote: All-Inclusive: $85
- Romantic tour in Cozumel: $127
- 1 Hour and Half Private Tropical Fitness Experience in Cozumel: $6.03
- 15-minute Private Parasailing Experience in Cozumel: $69
- 2 Hour Discover Mermaid Experience : $20
- 2 Hour Diving Experience in San Miguel de Cozumel: $88
- 4 Hour Snorkeling Tour in Cozumel: $65
- 4 Hours Experience the turtle sanctuary on La Chula Catamarán : $78
- 4-Hour Jeep and ATV Tour with Snorkel in Cozumel with Lunch: $99
- A Pirate's Adventure in Cozumel with Captain Draco : $80
- A snorkeling adventure in a glass-bottom boat at Cozumel's reef.: $70
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 dayCozumel $11San 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 Cozumel and San Jose, we can see that Cozumel is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cozumel is in North 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 Cozumel would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cozumel than you might in San Jose.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cozumel Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cozumel or San Jose?
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cozumel. When comparing the sizes of Cozumel 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.