Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Eagle Beach?
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 Eagle Beach or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Eagle Beach or Tamarindo, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Eagle Beach or Tamarindo?
Eagle Beach
Aruba, only fifteen miles north of Venezuela, is a top Caribbean tourist destination. It's a small island, only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide, and is an autonomous dependency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. One of the most popular and beautiful beaches on the island is Eagle Beach. It's a popular beach with the locals, and a common destination for many who are looking for a party. The beach is particularly crowded on Easter weekend. The sand is a sugary white and the waters are a stunning crystal blue color. The beach itself is quite flat and the ocean is so calm it's like swimming in a pool. There are a handful of palm trees if you're seeking shade, but otherwise it's the ideal place to soak up some rays. You'll find some shaded picnic areas as well if you're hoping to enjoy a casual lunch.
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 Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Eagle Beach Prices
Aruba PricesTamarindo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEagle Beach $391Tamarindo $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Eagle Beach is $391, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $159. 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 Eagle Beach and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEagle Beach $227Tamarindo $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEagle Beach $454Tamarindo $110
Compare Hotels in Eagle Beach and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Eagle Beach 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.
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: Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Eagle Beach $33Tamarindo $76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eagle Beach
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eagle Beach:
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Round-trip Bus Ticket$2.22
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One Day Scooter Rental$40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Eagle Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Eagle Beach:
- Aruba Airport Private Transfers (ONE-WAY): $25
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Aruba Reina Beatrix Airport (AUA)- Aruba: $25
- Round Trip Aruba Airport Transfer: $26
- Aruba Private Airport Transfer one way: $26
- Aruba Private Airport Transfer: Personalized Arrival: $31
- Private Transfer from Aruba Queen Airport (AUA) to Aruba Island: $35
- Aruba Airport Transfers (ROUND-TRIP): $38
- Aruba Queen Beatrix Airport(AUA) to Aruba Island-Arrival Transfer: $39
- Aruba Island to Aruba Queen Airport (AUA) - Departure Transfer: $39
- Aruba Island to Aruba Queen Airport(AUA) Departure Transfer: $39
- Round-Trip Aruba Airport Express Transfer: $51
- Private Transfer from Oranjestad Port to Oranjestad Airport (AUA): $54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Airport Transfer from Intl. Liberia (LIR) to Tamarindo- Flamingo: $170
- Airport Transfer from Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo Hyatt (Round Trip): $180
- Costa Rica Private Guanacaste Airport (LIR) Departure transfer: $5.00
- Flamingo/Tamarindo to Liberia Airport(LIR)- Departure Transfer: $121
- Guanacaste Airport transfer to Jw Marriott Guanacaste: $130
- Liberia Airport Private Transfer to Best Western Tamarindo: $24
- Liberia Airport To Tamarindo Private Transfer: $95
- Minivan Departure Transfer Tamarindo to San Jose Airport SJO: $293
- Monteverde: Transfer to Tamarindo: $100
- Playa Grande to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $106
- Private Round Trip Transfer: From Liberia Airport To Secrets Papagayo: $280
- Private Round-Trip Transfer: Liberia Airport to Reserva Conchal with Free Drinks: $260
Is it cheaper to fly into Eagle Beach or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Eagle Beach 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 dayEagle Beach $117Tamarindo $62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Eagle Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Eagle Beach.
- Noord, Aruba: Exclusive Private Dinner aboard the Aqua Donut: $90
- Aruba Caribbean Dinner Sail Experience: $92
- Sunset Sail: Aruba Dinner Cruise with Open Bar by Catamaran: $119
- Tropical Sailing Experience with BBQ Lunch or BBQ Dinner in Aruba: $135
- Caribbean Cooking Class in Aruba: $160
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: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Eagle Beach $121Tamarindo $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Eagle Beach
Here are a few typical costs in Eagle Beach for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Full Day Bike Rental$25
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Kayak & Snorkeling Tour$98
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Horseback Riding Tour$70
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4 Hr Snorkel Trip$74
Tours and Activities in Eagle Beach
Here are a few actual costs in Eagle Beach for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Champagne and Diamond Shopping Experience in Aruba: $5.00
- Aruba Mangel Halto and Baby Beach Snorkeling Guided Tour: $37
- Best of Aruba weekend open bus Tours: $39
- Scenic Aruba Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $40
- Explore Aruba Party Bus Tour: $41
- Explore Aruba Iconic Sights Kukoo Island Bus Tour: $45
- Aruba Downtown Historic and Cultural Walking Tour: $45
- Aruba Countryside Tour: $49
- Aruba Jet Ski Rentals — Exciting Water Adventures Await: $58
- Aruba Sunset Sail Cruise aboard The Dolphin Catamaran: $59
- Aruba Semi-Submarine Cruise from Oranjestad: $60
- Half day Tour: $60
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Paintball Experience near Tamarindo: $32
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $45
- Boat adventure with wildlife viewing in Tamarindo: $45
- Tamarindo Mangrove Tour: $46
- Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
- Tamarindo Estuary Boat Tour: $47
- Conchal Beach Horseback Riding - 1hr 30min Guided Tour: $50
- Turtle Nesting Tour Playa Grande CR: $55
- Tamarindo wildlife Estuary boat ride tour 1 hour and 45 minutes: $62
- ATV Tour of Tamarindo: $65
- Prívate Beach tour at Guanacaste Province: $65
- Turtle Nesting Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEagle Beach $31Tamarindo $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Eagle Beach
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Eagle Beach:
- Aruba Happy Hour Party Bus Pub Crawl: $82
Sample the Local Flavors in Tamarindo
Also in Tamarindo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Puro Vino - Tamarindo's Wine Tour Ride: $85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eagle Beach and Tamarindo, we can see that Eagle Beach is more expensive. And not only is Tamarindo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eagle Beach is in Caribbean Islands 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 Tamarindo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tamarindo 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 Eagle Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Eagle Beach than you might in Tamarindo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Eagle Beach Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
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.