Which place is cheaper, San Juan del Sur or Fortaleza?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Fortaleza and San Juan del Sur 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: Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur?
Fortaleza
A major city on Brazil's northeastern coast and the capital city of Ceara state, Fortaleza is best characterized by its city landscape lined with beaches and palm trees. It also features some great seafood as well as long-standing folk traditions in culture and dance.
San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur is a popular port destination on the Pacific coast of southwest Nicaragua. The town was once a quaint fishing village but has grown into a tourist town with activities for visitors that include surfing, fishing, and, of course, partying. The town has a population of just over 15,000, most of whom are either fishermen or involved in the tourism industry. There is also a large expat community from the United States, Canada, and Europe.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFortaleza $69San Juan del Sur $53
The average daily cost (per person) in Fortaleza is $69, while the average daily cost in San Juan del Sur is $53. 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 Fortaleza and San Juan del Sur in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFortaleza $30San Juan del Sur $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFortaleza $60San Juan del Sur $42
Compare Hotels in Fortaleza and San Juan del Sur
Looking for a hotel in Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur? 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: Fortaleza Hotel Prices and San Juan del Sur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Fortaleza $21San Juan del Sur $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fortaleza
Also for Fortaleza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 4x4 Private Transfer Service : $180
- 4x4 Transfer Private Service Fortaleza - Jericoacoara: $259
- Arrival Private Transfer from Fortaleza Airport FOR to Fortaleza by Minivan: $117
- Arrival Private Transfer from Fortaleza Airport FOR to Fortaleza by Sedan Car: $88
- Beach Park Transfer from Fortaleza: $16
- Cumbuco Private Transfer From Fortaleza: $58
- Departure Private Transfer: Fortaleza City to Fortaleza Airport FOR by Minivan: $117
- Departure Private Transfer: Fortaleza City to Fortaleza Airport FOR by Sedan Car: $88
- Departure Private Transfer: Jericoacoara to Fortaleza Airport FOR by Sedan Car: $253
- Fortaleza Airport (FOR) to Fortaleza - Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Fortaleza Airport (FOR) to Fortaleza Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
- Fortaleza Airport Private Transfer: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur?
Prices for flights to both San Juan del Sur and Fortaleza 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 dayFortaleza $24San Juan del Sur $18
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Fortaleza $15San Juan del Sur $15
Tours and Activities in Fortaleza
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fortaleza.
- Full Day Tour to Cumbuco From Fortaleza: $11
- Cumbuco Beach Tour: $12
- 3 Beaches in 1 Day Tour Leaving Fortaleza: $13
- Lagoinha Beach Tour: $14
- Águas Belas Tour: $15
- Cumbuco Beach with City Tour from Fortaleza: $16
- Lagoinha Beach Tour: $17
- Tour 3 beaches in 1 day: $18
- One Day Bus Tour of Fortaleza and Cumbuco Beach: $18
- Canoe Quebrada Full Day Tour - Departure from Fortaleza by Vitorino Turismo: $19
- Canoa Quebrada Beach Tour with Nettour: $20
- The colorful sands of Morro Branco beach - Full Day Tour: $22
Tours and Activities in San Juan del Sur
Here are a few actual costs in San Juan del Sur for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ATV Adventure Tour in San Juan del Sur, NICARAGUA: $130
- Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Maderas, San Juan del Sur also in Costa Rica: $90
- Mombacho Volcano Hike and Ziplining Adventure from San Juan del Sur: $159
- SJDS PORT EXCURSION: Zipline and Adventure Park: $103
- San Juan del Sur Shore Excursion: Private Masaya Volcano and Catarina Tour: $118
- atv tour also in Costa Rica: $132
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFortaleza $9.97San Juan del Sur $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fortaleza and San Juan del Sur, we can see that Fortaleza is more expensive. And not only is San Juan del Sur much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Fortaleza is in South America and San Juan del Sur 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 San Juan del Sur would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Juan del Sur 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 Fortaleza would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fortaleza than you might in San Juan del Sur.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Fortaleza Expensive? and Is San Juan del Sur Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur?
Fortaleza has a larger population, and is about 310 times larger than the population of San Juan del Sur. When comparing the sizes of Fortaleza and San Juan del Sur, 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.
When is the best time to visit Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur?
Fortaleza has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Juan del Sur experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Fortaleza as well as San Juan del Sur. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan del Sur throughout the year.
Fortaleza is around the same temperature as San Juan del Sur in the summer. The daily temperature in Fortaleza averages around 28°C (82°F) in January, and San Juan del Sur fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Fortaleza this time of the year. In the summer, Fortaleza often gets more sunshine than San Juan del Surin July. Fortaleza gets 221 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan del Sur receives 175 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in San Juan del Sur. Fortaleza receives a lot of rain in the summer. Fortaleza usually gets less rain in January than San Juan del Surin July. Fortaleza gets 119 mm (4.7 in) of rain, while San Juan del Sur receives 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyFortaleza 28°C (82°F)San Juan del Sur 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur in the Autumn?
Both San Juan del Sur and Fortaleza are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan del Sur because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Fortaleza is around the same temperature as San Juan del Sur. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Fortaleza in April average around 27°C (80°F), and San Juan del Sur averages at about 27°C (81°F)in October.
Fortaleza usually receives less sunshine than San Juan del Sur during autumn. Fortaleza gets 159 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan del Sur receives 195 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Juan del Sur. It's quite rainy in Fortaleza. In April, Fortaleza usually receives more rain than San Juan del Surin October. Fortaleza gets 356 mm (14 in) of rain, while San Juan del Sur receives 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberFortaleza 27°C (80°F)San Juan del Sur 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur in the Winter?
Both San Juan del Sur and Fortaleza during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan del Sur year-round.
In July, Fortaleza is generally around the same temperature as San Juan del Surin January. Daily temperatures in Fortaleza average around 26°C (79°F), and San Juan del Sur fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
In San Juan del Sur, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Fortaleza. In the winter, Fortaleza often gets around the same amount of sunshine as San Juan del Surin January. Fortaleza gets 256 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan del Sur receives 244 hours of full sun.
Fortaleza usually gets more rain in July than San Juan del Surin January. Fortaleza gets 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while San Juan del Sur receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryFortaleza 26°C (79°F)San Juan del Sur 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Fortaleza or San Juan del Sur in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Fortaleza and San Juan del Sur. San Juan del Sur attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Fortaleza is around the same temperature as San Juan del Sur in the spring. The daily temperature in Fortaleza averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and San Juan del Sur fluctuates around 29°C (84°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan del Sur this time of the year. In Fortaleza, it's very sunny this time of the year. Fortaleza usually receives more sunshine than San Juan del Sur during spring. Fortaleza gets 287 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan del Sur receives 242 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Fortaleza usually receives more rain than San Juan del Surin April. Fortaleza gets 13 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while San Juan del Sur receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilFortaleza 28°C (82°F)San Juan del Sur 29°C (84°F)
Typical Weather for San Juan del Sur and Fortaleza
| Fortaleza | San Juan del Sur | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (80°F) | 323 mm (12.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 356 mm (14 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| May | 27°C (80°F) | 256 mm (10.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) |
| Jun | 26°C (80°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 196 mm (7.7 in) |
| Jul | 26°C (79°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 144 mm (5.7 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (80°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 151 mm (5.9 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 210 mm (8.3 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 197 mm (7.8 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 31°C (88°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Dec | 28°C (82°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
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.