Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Curitiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Curitiba or San Jose?
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 San Jose 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 San Jose?
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.
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 The Best Wildlife Tours to Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, 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 dayCuritiba $73San Jose $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Curitiba is $73, 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 Curitiba and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCuritiba $30San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCuritiba $60San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Curitiba and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Curitiba 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: Curitiba Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Curitiba $16San Jose $19
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:
- Shared transfer between Curitiba Airport and Hotels: $74
- Shared Transfer: Curitiba International Airport: $39
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City to Curitiba Airport (CWB): $35
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City Hotels to Porto Belo Port: $75
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Porto Belo Port : $75
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport: $106
- Curitiba to Curitiba Airport (CWB) - Departure Private Transfer: $16
- Curitiba to Afonso Pena Airport (CWB)- Departure Private Transfer: $17
- Curitiba Airport PrivateTransfers Round Trip or One Way: $111
- Curitiba Airport CWB to Downtown hotels- Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Downtown - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
- Afonso Pena Airport CWB to Beach Resorts : Arrival Transfer: $44
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 Curitiba or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose 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 $28San Jose $18
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 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.Curitiba $19San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Curitiba
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Curitiba.
- Full Day Tour to Vila Velha and Buraco do Padre: $157
- 2-Day Rafting and Rappelling Adventure in Tibagi: $190
- 4-Hour Private Tour of Curitiba City: $70
- Arte Bike Tour - Bike Tour with Kuritbike: $25
- CRAFT BREWERS TOUR By Jens Tours: $72
- Complete Tour to Ilha do Mel: $148
- Curitiba City Tour: $58
- Tour in Barigui Park: $122
- Walking tour from past to present: $12
- Full-day tour in Curitiba: $79
- Gastronomic Tour in Curitiba with Jens Tours: $80
- Half Day Curitiba Sightseeing Tour: $31
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 dayCuritiba $14San Jose $17
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
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 Curitiba and San Jose, we can see that San Jose 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 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 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 San Jose would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Jose 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 San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Curitiba or San Jose?
Curitiba has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of Curitiba 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.