Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Ensenada?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ensenada or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ensenada or Tamarindo? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Ensenada or Tamarindo?
Ensenada
Ensenada is on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Tijuana. It's the only deep water port in the state of Baja California and as such, it is an important commerical fishing port as well as a cruise ship destination. The city has a population of almost 500,000 and is located just 78 miles south of San Diego. The city sits between the ocean and a small mountain range. The surrounding area is known for its wine production, which produces some of the best wine in Mexico.
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 Food and Culinary Tours in Mexico, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEnsenada $99Tamarindo $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Ensenada is $99, 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 Ensenada and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEnsenada $47Tamarindo $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEnsenada $94Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in Ensenada and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Ensenada 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: Ensenada Hotel Prices and Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ensenada $21Tamarindo $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ensenada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ensenada:
- Border and Tijuana Airport Transfers to Ensenada or Valle de Guadalupe: $120
- Transfer: From Tijuana to Valle de Guadalupe & Ensenada: $408
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Airport Transfer from Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo Hyatt (Round Trip): $163
- Flamingo/Tamarindo to Liberia Airport(LIR)- Departure Transfer: $38
- From Hotel Transfer to Liberia Guanacaste Airport: $62
- Guanacaste Airport transfer to Jw Marriott Guanacaste: $130
- Liberia Airport Private Transfer To Gulf of Papagayo Costa Rica: $125
- Liberia Airport To Tamarindo Private Transfer: $55
- Monteverde: Transfer to Tamarindo: $65
- Playa Conchal & Flamingo From Liberia Airport, Transfer Service: $168
- Playa Grande to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $31
- Private Airport Transfer from Liberia to Tamarindo beaches Areas & surrounding : $140
- Private Liberia airport transfer: $200
- Private Transfer - Liberia Airport & Riu Hotel: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Ensenada or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Ensenada 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 dayEnsenada $39Tamarindo $32
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ensenada $11Tamarindo $17
Tours and Activities in Ensenada
Here are a few actual costs in Ensenada for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Rondo del Valley Winery Tour with 5 Tastings: $26
- Lavender Field Guided Tour: $34
- Lavender Field Guided Tour: $37
- From La Bufadora Geyser Tour: $39
- Ensenada : The unique bufadora private tour: $39
- Tacos, Brews and Views Tour : $40
- La Bufadora Punta Banda Tour: $41
- Private La Bufadora Tour (blowhole): $41
- La Bufadora Tour in Baja California: $42
- Horseback Riding Experience in Las Cañadas Campamento: $44
- The Bufadora private Tour: $44
- Las Cañadas Canopy Tour in Ensenada: $52
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Costa Rica: tour in electric car (only best view locations): $2.00
- Sea turtle watching tour near playa grande: $44
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $44
- Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
- Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour: $50
- ATV Beach and Mountain Tour!: $62
- Tamarindo Estuary: Howler Monkey Mangrove Kayaking Tour: $65
- Hiking Tour of La Leona Waterfall with Lunch: $65
- ATV and UTV Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo and Conchal Beach: $67
- ATV Tour through the Flamingo Potrero and Brasilito Area: $70
- Zipline Canopy Tour from Guanacaste: $70
- Tamarindo Kayaking Tour with Snorkeling at Captain Island: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEnsenada $11Tamarindo $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Ensenada
Also in Ensenada, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Wine Tasting Experience in Maglén: $29
- Xecue Wine Tasting in the Guadalupe Valley: $39
- Wine tour valley of guadalupe: $60
- Valle de Guadalupe Wine Tasting Tour: $78
- From Wine Tasting at Guadalupe Valley Ensenada: $87
- From Ojos Negros Valley Cheese & Wine Tasting Tour: $97
- Wine Tasting Tour in Valle de Guadalupe: $115
- Private Wine Tour at Valle de Guadalupe (A wine tasting included).: $119
- wine tours and driver service through valle de guadalupe, Ensenada B.C. Mexico: $135
- Wine tasting tour for Cruise Ship Visitors. All Inclusive!: $199
- Private and custom group Wine tour Valle de Guadalupe : $220
- Valle Experience by Ansell Wine Tours: $269
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ensenada and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo is more expensive. And not only is Ensenada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ensenada is in North 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 Ensenada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ensenada 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 Ensenada.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ensenada 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.