A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Curitiba vs. Tamarindo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Curitiba or Tamarindo?

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 Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo?

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.

Tamarindo

Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.

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


Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Curitiba?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Curitiba is $73, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $121. 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 Tamarindo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Curitiba $30
    Tamarindo $50
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Curitiba $60
    Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in Curitiba and Tamarindo

Looking for a hotel in Curitiba or Tamarindo? 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 Curitiba


Hotels in Tamarindo


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 Tamarindo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Curitiba $16
    Tamarindo $69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Curitiba

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Curitiba:


  • 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 Tamarindo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:

  • Transfer to La Fortuna de Arenal: $307
  • Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to JW Marriott Guanacaste: $280
  • Round Trip Transfer From Liberia Airport To Secrets Papagayo: $250
  • Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Andaz Papagayo Resort: $201
  • Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Four Seasons Resort: $200
  • Private Liberia airport transfer: $200
  • Transfer To/From Liberia Airport To/ From JW Marriott Guanacaste: $195
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To JW Marriott Guanacaste: $185
  • Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Riu Guanacaste Hotel: $181
  • Transfer From Liberia Airport To Hacienda Pinilla Guanacaste: $175
  • Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Planet Hollywood Beach Resort: $171
  • Private Transfer from Intl Liberia (LIR) Airport to Papagayo beaches areas: $170

Is it cheaper to fly into Curitiba or Tamarindo?

Prices for flights to both Tamarindo 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Curitiba $28
    Tamarindo $32
Typical Food Prices in Curitiba

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Curitiba:


  • 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 Tamarindo

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

  • Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
  • Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Curitiba $19
    Tamarindo $17

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 Tamarindo

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

  • Ecologic farming Sloth tour Hiking & Chocolate -Coffee tour: $260
  • Premium Tour: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Adventure Combo Tour: $220
  • Premium Tour: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano and Waterfall Hiking: $170
  • Premium Tour:Sloths and Río Celeste y Cortez Waterfalls (Tenorio Volcano Park): $220
  • Private ATV or Buggy Tour from Riu Hotels: $85
  • Sloth Farm Watching Tour & Amazimg Waterfall: $185
  • Wildlife Tour at Palo Verde National Park: $199
  • 1,5 Hours Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $80
  • 2-Hour Guided Tour by ATV near Playa Conchal: $130
  • 3 Hour ATV Secluded Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal & Grande: $125
  • 3-in-1 Rincon de la Vieja National Park Nature Day Tour: $300
  • 5-Hour Guided Sunset Boat Tour in Tamarindo Costa Rica: $95

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Curitiba $14
    Tamarindo $14
Typical Alcohol Prices in Curitiba

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Curitiba:


  • Beer
    $0.44


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