Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Curitiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Curitiba 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 Curitiba 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: Curitiba or La Fortuna?
Curitiba
Curitiba is a relatively large city that is convenient to visit if you're traveling to Iguazu Falls from either Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. It is worth a day or two stop over because it has a great old city that has been restored. It's also the capital of Parana, Brazil. Curitiba is one of the more wealthy cities in the southern region of Brazil. It has a diverse population with many immigrants and some interesting cultural events.
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 Wildlife Tours to Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCuritiba $73La Fortuna $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Curitiba is $73, 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 Curitiba and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCuritiba $30La Fortuna $51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCuritiba $60La Fortuna $102
Compare Hotels in Curitiba and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in Curitiba 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.
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: Curitiba Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Curitiba $16La Fortuna $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Curitiba
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Curitiba:
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Taxi Ride$1.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Curitiba
Also for Curitiba, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Curitiba to Curitiba Airport (CWB) - Departure Private Transfer: $16
- Curitiba Airport CWB to Downtown hotels- Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Curitiba to Afonso Pena Airport (CWB)- Departure Private Transfer: $17
- Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Downtown - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City to Curitiba Airport (CWB): $35
- Shared Transfer: Curitiba International Airport: $39
- Afonso Pena Airport CWB to Beach Resorts : Arrival Transfer: $44
- Shared transfer between Curitiba Airport and Hotels: $74
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City Hotels to Porto Belo Port: $75
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Porto Belo Port : $75
- Afonso Pena Airport (CWB) to Beach Resorts - Round-Trip Transfer: $87
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport: $106
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Puerto Viejo de Limon: Transfer to La Fortuna de Arenal: $400
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Puerto Viejo de Limon: $400
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Manuel Antonio or Quepos: $320
- Private One-Way Transfer to Manuel Antonio: $310
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Tamarindo: $307
- Private Transfer from la Fortuna to Puerto Viejo & Cahuita Limon: $299
- VIP Private Transfer from La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano) to Tamarindo Beach: $299
- Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Manuel Antonio From 1 to 6 passengers: $297
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- Transfer from Arenal or La Fortuna to Monteverde up to 5 passengers. (One Way): $295
- Private One-Way Transfer from/to La Fortuna to Papagayo Peninsula: $289
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna: $285
Is it cheaper to fly into Curitiba or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Curitiba 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 dayCuritiba $28La Fortuna $27
Typical Food Prices in Curitiba
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Curitiba:
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Chips$0.88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Curitiba
For Curitiba, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bar-hopping and Food Tour in Curitiba: $31
- Curitiba's History Food Tour: $70
- Curitiba's History Food Tour: $75
- Curitiba Tour by Night with Dinner: $94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- 2 Hours Private Cooking Class in La Fortuna: $38
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $45
- Cooking Class and Sugar Cane Experience: $45
- Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
- Costa Rica Cooking, El Fogon de Chela: $50
- 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
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
- Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75
- Ceviche & Empanadas Cooking Class: $77
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Curitiba $19La Fortuna $44
Tours and Activities in Curitiba
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Curitiba.
- Ticket MAI - Museum of Indigenous Art - Curitiba: $4.91
- Walking tour from past to present: $12
- Arte Bike Tour - Bike Tour with Kuritbike: $25
- Half Day Curitiba Sightseeing Tour: $31
- Private City Tour - Top Postcards from Curitiba by Pinheiro Turismo: $40
- Historic City Tour in Curitiba with Jens Tours: $40
- Interparks Cycling Tour Curitiba for small groups: $50
- Curitiba City Tour: $58
- 4-Hour Private Tour of Curitiba City: $70
- CRAFT BREWERS TOUR By Jens Tours: $72
- Full-day tour in Curitiba: $79
- Gastronomic Tour in Curitiba with Jens Tours: $80
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- Arenal Volcano Hike Experience (not guide included): $23
- La Fortuna's 3 Essentials Private Tour: $280
- Rio Celeste Tubing Experience: $54
- Sky Adventures Arenal : Zipline - Sky Tram & Sky Walk (guided): $260
- 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $30
- 12 cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over Waterfalls!: $101
- 2-Hour Chachagua Rainforest - Birdwatching Tour: $60
- 2-in-1 Arenal Combo Tour: River Safari Float and La Fortuna Waterfall: $170
- 2-in-1 Arenal Volcano Combo Tour: La Fortuna Waterfall and Volcano Hike: $170
- 6 Course Tropical Rainforest Foodie Adventure: $199
- 7 Nights Costa Rica Fully Guided Adventure: $2,000
- 7 cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over La Fortuna Waterfall!: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCuritiba $14La Fortuna $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Curitiba
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Curitiba:
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Beer$0.44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Curitiba and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Curitiba much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Curitiba is in South America and La Fortuna 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 Curitiba would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Curitiba 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 Curitiba.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Curitiba Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Curitiba or La Fortuna?
Curitiba has a larger population, and is about 570 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Curitiba 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.
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.