A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Flores vs. Quepos for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Flores or Quepos?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Flores and Quepos 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: Flores or Quepos?

Flores

The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.

Quepos

Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala, The Best G Adventures Tours to Guatemala, The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.


Which place is cheaper, Quepos or Flores?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Flores is $42, while the average daily cost in Quepos is $116. 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 Flores and Quepos in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Flores $8.61
    Quepos $75
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Flores $17
    Quepos $150
Compare Hotels in Flores and Quepos

Looking for a hotel in Flores or Quepos? 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 Flores


Hotels in Quepos


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: Flores Hotel Prices and Quepos Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Flores $7.86
    Quepos $9.43

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores

Also for Flores, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from Flores Guatemala: to San Pedro Ambergris Belize Bus + Ferry: $55
  • Transfer from Flores Guatemala to Caye Caulker Belize: $43
  • Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $60
  • Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores Guatemala : $140
  • Private transfer Mundo Maya Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10
  • From Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Tikal: $39
  • Transfer From Flores to Semuc Champey, Lanquin Exclusive Tourism: $32
  • One way shared transfer to Semuc Champey, Lanquin: $59
  • Belize, Caye Caulke, San Pedro Van/ Ferry Transfer: $20
  • Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Rio Dulce, Izabal: $39
  • Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos

Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO): $72
  • Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $209
  • Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $135
  • Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
  • Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
  • Private Transfer: SJO Airport to/from Manuel Antonio (One Way): $100
  • Private Transfer: SJO Airport to Manuel Antonio with Scenic Stop.: $225
  • Private Transfer from Quepos Port to Liberia Int Airport (LIR): $87
  • Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
  • Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca: $220
  • Private Transfer FROM or TO Manuel Antonio - Sierpe : $189
  • Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San José (Airport SJO): $210

Is it cheaper to fly into Flores or Quepos?

Prices for flights to both Quepos and Flores 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
    Flores $22
    Quepos $29

Typical Food Prices in Quepos

For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch
    $15
  • Seafood Dinner (for 1)
    $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos

For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $59
  • Cooking Class in Manuel Antonio with Medicinal Plants Garden Visit: $77
  • Cooking Class and Medical Plants Garden: $77
  • Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
  • Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Flores $20
    Quepos $17
Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Tikal Entrance (for 2)
    $39
  • Map of Tikal
    $3.22

Tours and Activities in Flores

For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
  • 2-Day Tour to Tikal and Yaxhá from Flores Island: $220
  • Admire The Sunrise In Tikal - Private Tour From Flores: $225
  • Adventure to Ixpanpajul Hanging Bridges plus Canopy: $145
  • Awaken to Tikals' Sunrise Exclusive Tour: $199
  • Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
  • 1-Day Tikal Tour Private Service From your Hotel: $185
  • From El Remate: Tikal Guided Tour: $85
  • From Flores Guided Tour to Tikal with transportation + lunch: $75
  • From Flores, Tikal Guided Group Tour: $50
  • From 2-Day Tikal & Yaxhá Tour: $299
  • From Blue Crater Adventure All Inclusive: $155

Tours and Activities in Quepos

For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 10 in 1 Tour! Zip Lines, Rappels, Tarzan Swing, Waterfalls & More: $158
  • 2 Hours Kayaking Tour in The Mangroves: $58
  • 2-3-Hour Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $30
  • 2-Hour Kayak Tour in Quepos: $85
  • ATV Tour Half Day Trip From Manuel Antonio: $88
  • Adventure Full Day Tour from Manuel Antonio & Quepos + 2 Tours : $162
  • All Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure from Manuel Antonio: $83
  • All Inclusive Nauyaca Waterfalls Adventure: $155
  • All-Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure with Lunch: $93
  • All-Inclusive Full-Day Nauyaca Waterfall and Beach Town Tour: $133
  • All-Inclusive Half Day Nauyaca Waterfall Tour: $146
  • All-Inclusive Jungle Night Tour: $59

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Flores $21
    Quepos $14
Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:


  • Two Margaritas
    $2.57


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Flores and Quepos, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is Flores much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Flores would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flores 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos than you might in Flores.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Flores Expensive? and Is Quepos Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Flores or Quepos?

Flores has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Flores and Quepos, 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.