A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Curitiba vs. Quepos for Couples, Backpackers, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Curitiba or Quepos?

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 Quepos 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.

Curitiba

Curitiba is a vibrant, cultural, and active city. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums. See Curitiba travel costs.

Quepos

Quepos is a relaxed, local, and laid-back town. It's also popular because of the shopping, nightlife, and food. See Quepos travel costs.

Curitiba and Quepos: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Curitiba or Quepos?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Curitiba. Although Curitiba and Quepos are popular destinations, Curitiba has more sights and attractions for tourists. Curitiba is very popular for its museums and attractions, food, and nightlife, while Quepos attracts visitors for its resorts and beaches. Curitiba is famous for its performing arts, walkability, and culture. It is also well known for the Botanical Gardens. Quepos is famous for its big game sport fishing.

How is Curitiba different from Quepos?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Quepos and Curitiba. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Curitiba or Quepos?

Curitiba is very good for its museums and history. However, Quepos is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Curitiba. There are a variety of museums around town that include a number of history museums, a few art museums, and other cultural museums that are worth checking out.

Quepos offers a few options for museum-goers. You won't find much as far as museums go around town.

Is the Food Better in Curitiba or Quepos? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Curitiba is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Curitiba has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The official dish of the town is carne de onça, which first originated here and is a beef tartare that's served on flat bread. There are also many other traditional and authentic Brazilian restaurants around town, so this is a great place for a foodie to explore.

Quepos offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. You'll find a mix of cafes, fine dining, and seafood restaurants in the area. You can get traditional Costa Rican dishes as well as a more international flavor depending on your preference.

Is Curitiba or Quepos Better for Nightlife?

Curitiba is a very popular place for its evening party scene. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

Curitiba has a large number of nightlife venues. Like most cities in Brazil, you'll find a great nightlife scene with plenty of bars and restaurants. Some of the best neighborhoods for nightlife are Batel, which is one of the most international parts of the city, Itupava Street, which is lined with Brazilian restaurants and bars, and São Francisco, which is popular with the student population because of its affordability.

Quepos has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find a few bars and clubs around town, but it is a small town and the selection can be limited.

Is Curitiba or Quepos Better for Resorts?

Quepos is adequate for its luxury resorts. However, Curitiba is not a resort destination.

You might not think of Quepos as a resort destination, but it has a few places. It's a fishing town with a local vibe, so you'll likely want to stay outside of town if you're looking for an upscale resort.

Curitiba is not a resort destination.

Is Curitiba or Quepos Better for Beaches?

Quepos is a town with good options for the beach. However, Curitiba is not a beach destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Quepos. If you want to be close to the beach, you'll do better to stay at nearby Manuel Antonio. Quepos does have a waterfront and access to deep sea fishing.

Curitiba is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Curitiba or Quepos?

If you're looking to go shopping, Curitiba and Quepos both offer plenty of nice spots.

Curitiba has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. The city has large shopping malls and many great fashion boutiques. It's a great place to spend some time shopping.

Quepos is a great destination for shopping. You'll find boutique shops around town that sell everything from clothing to art.

Is Curitiba or Quepos Better for Families?

Quepos is a great town for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Curitiba is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Quepos. Most of the beaches are kid-friendly and the children will love the wildlife. You'll also find zipline tours in the area as well as canopy walks.

Curitiba is a family-friendly place to visit. The city has parks and museums that are great for kids. In particular, the botanical gardens and Bosque Alemao appeal to young visitors.

Is Curitiba or Quepos Better for Couples?

Quepos is a must-visit destination for couples. Also, Curitiba is not as popular, but is still a nice city for romance.

Quepos is a great town for couples, as it has plenty to offer. The beaches and resorts make this a favorite honeymoon destination for couples. There are many great restaurants and plenty of activities like horseback riding or surfing nearby.

Curitiba is a nice destination for couples. The city has some great parks and restaurants that make it a pleasant place to explore with your significant other.

Is Curitiba or Quepos Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Quepos is a must-visit destination for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Curitiba is not as popular, but is still a nice city for backpackers.

A large number of backpackers visit Quepos, as it is a very popular town for budget travelers. It's one of the more popular destinations in Costa Rica, so you'll find plenty of hostels and other backpackers to hang out with.

Plenty of backpackers visit Curitiba. The nightlife and music scene, combined with a great public transit system, make this a good, but often overlooked destination for backpackers in Brazil.

Is Curitiba or Quepos Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Curitiba is a very popular place for times when you don't have a car. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

The public transit in Curitiba can get you to most places easily. There's a great public transit system here that includes a metro system, trolleybuses, and buses.

You'll find some public transit in Quepos, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are a number of buses that pass through town. There are also buses that travel between Quepos and Manuel Antonio.

Is Curitiba or Quepos a more walkable city?

Curitiba is a very popular place for its ease of walking around. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its walkability.

Curitiba is a very walkable destination. It is a walkable city that is fun to explore on foot, but as always, take precautions in certain areas, particularly at night.

Quepos is somewhat walkable. It is a relatively walkable town.

For even more information, also check out Is Curitiba Worth Visiting? and Is Quepos Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Quepos or Curitiba?

How long in Curitiba or Quepos?

It's fun to spend time in either Curitiba or Quepos. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Quepos due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Curitiba, and 2-4 days is enough time in Quepos.

Families should spend more time in Quepos than Curitiba. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Quepos, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Quepos than Curitiba. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Quepos that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

One day in Curitiba or Quepos?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Curitiba. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

The town of Quepos offers nightlife and food. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Curitiba or Quepos?

Curitiba is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Quepos is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Quepos, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Curitiba or Quepos?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Curitiba. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Quepos is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Curitiba or Quepos?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the cultural destination of Curitiba. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Quepos is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best Tours for Seniors to Brazil, The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Curitiba and Quepos, we can see that Quepos 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 Quepos 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos 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 Quepos Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Curitiba or Quepos?

Curitiba has a larger population, and is about 220 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Curitiba and Quepos, 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.