Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Dahab?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Dahab 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 Dahab 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: Dahab or San Jose?
Dahab
Dahab is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is located about 85 kilometers north of Sharm el-Sheikh and sits on the Gulf of Aqaba. It's a popular destination with divers and backpackers alike, and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving that you'll find in the Red Sea. It's a great alternative to the resort driven Sharm el-Sheikh, and is popular with independent travelers who are looking for affordable accommodation. There are some upmarket options however, predominantly in the Laguna area, but budget facilities are not hard to find.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Dahab Prices
Egypt PricesSan Jose Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDahab $23San Jose $113
The average daily cost (per person) in Dahab is $23, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $113. 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 Dahab and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDahab $8.47San Jose $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDahab $17San Jose $108
Compare Hotels in Dahab and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Dahab 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: Dahab Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dahab $2.82San Jose $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sharm el-Sheikh: 1-Way or Round-Trip Transfer to Dahab: $42
- Private Transfer from Dahab to Sharm El Sheikh Airport (SSH): $35
- Private Transfer From Dahab To Taba border group from 1 to 4: $100
- Private Transfer Between Nuweibaa City and Sharm El Sheikh Hotels: $60
- Private Pickup Transfers From Dahab To Cairo: $195
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$28
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Local Bus$3.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers to Occidental Papagayo - Secrets Resort, Round-Trip: $130
- Transfer from San Jose to Arenal-La Fortuna San Carlos: $48
- Transfer from Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) to Quepos Cruise Port: $163
- Transfer SJO Airport to Caldera Puntarenas Docks Cruises & Hotels: $145
- Transfer 1 to 6 Pax Juan Santamaria Airport to SJO Hotels: $65
- Shuttle & transfer rides to Jaco beach: $155
- Shared transfer to Manuel Antonio: $70
- Scenic Coach Transfers San José to Arenal AM & back at 19:00 hrs: $58
- San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Limon: Private Transfer: $299
- San Jose to Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) – Departure Private Transfer: $57
- San Jose to Fortuna - Arenal: Private Transfer: $200
- San Jose Airport to La Fortuna Private VIP Transfer: $179
Is it cheaper to fly into Dahab or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Dahab 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 dayDahab $12San Jose $34
Typical Food Prices in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)$1.82
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Juice$0.10
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Breakfast for Two$0.57
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 including Markets: $35
- San Jose By Night: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $49
- Tropical Cooking Classes: $52
- 3.5h Cooking Class in San José with 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $75
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $80
- Dinner + Typical dance show at the best viewpoint in San José: $92
- City Tour and Dinner at the Best Lookout in San Jose: $149
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $185
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dahab $5.96San Jose $23
Tours and Activities in Dahab
For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4x4 Jeep Adventure from Dahab: $42
- Adventure Quad Biking Tour in Dahab: $40
- Adventure Safari By Horse In Dahab At Laguna Beach: $65
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Tour with lunch from Dahab: $43
- Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkeling + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab: $50
- Royal Seascope Submarine Guided Boat Tour: $41
- Royal seascope Semi-Submarine Cruise: $33
- luxury Snorkeling cruise with buffet lunch: $41
- Full-Day Hike Tour at St. Catherine's Monastery: $30
- Jerusalem Bethlehem and Dead Sea 1-Day Tour from Dahab: $260
- Jerusalem Bethlehem and Dead Sea 1-Day Tour from Dahab: $270
- Mount Sinai & St. Catherine Sunset and Sunrise combined tour from Dahab: $170
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 in 1 Volcano Combo Tour Irazu Crater Turrialba Eruption Area: $199
- 2 in 1 Volcano Irazu + San Jose City Tour: $187
- 3 Hour Painting Experience in Uvita: $80
- 3-Hour Downtown San Jose Walking Tour: $40
- A taste of Aquiares - 2 hours Coffee Tour: $42
- AWA Water Museum - Waterfall Adventure (Organic Food Experience): $98
- Action Packed Class 4 Rafting Adventure: $95
- Arcade and Mini Bowling Experience: $78
- Arenal Combo Experience: Canopy & Rapell + Thermals: $65
- Arenal Hanging Bridges and Hot Springs Private Tour from San Jose: $295
- Arenal Volcano & Baldi Hot Springs one day tour from San Jose: $199
- Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs Private Tour from San José: $281
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDahab $3.54San Jose $18
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- San Jose Exclusive Bar Crawl with Drinks and Club Entrys: $28
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $40
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $95
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dahab and San Jose, we can see that San Jose is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dahab is in Africa 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 Dahab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dahab 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 Dahab.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dahab Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dahab or San Jose?
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Dahab 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.