Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Freeport?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Freeport vs. La Fortuna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Freeport or La Fortuna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Freeport and La Fortuna 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: Freeport or La Fortuna?
Freeport
When you picture the Bahamas you likely picture the beaches, resorts and playgrounds of Nassau. Just to the northwest of this tourist paradise is a tropical city founded on industry. Freeport began as mostly swampland and is now the second most populous city in the Bahamas.
This city is less of a tourist attraction - a place where you'll find the true Bahaman culture mixed in with some relaxing spots to help you unwind and get into your island vacation.
La Fortuna
La Fortuna is in San Carlos, in the province of Alajuela. It is the closest town to Arenal Volcano, and the area is often simply refered to as Arenal. The volcano itself is active and has been constantly erupting since 1968. It erupts on average 41 times a day. This area of northern Costa Rica is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFreeport $244La Fortuna $100
The average daily cost (per person) in Freeport is $244, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $100. 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 Freeport and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFreeport $141La Fortuna $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFreeport $282La Fortuna $98
Compare Hotels in Freeport and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in Freeport or La Fortuna? 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: Freeport Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Freeport $59La Fortuna $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Freeport
Also for Freeport, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport Port: $29
- Private Transfer from Freeport Port to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO): $29
- Roundtrip Airport Transfers Grand Lucayan Resort Freeport: $30
- Round-Trip Airport Transfer Viva Club Fortuna Freeport: $30
- Round-Trip Airport Transfer Between Freeport Airport and Pelican Bay Resort : $30
- Round-trip Airport Transfers to Castaway Resorts, Freeport: $30
- Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport - Arrival Private Transfer: $71
- Freeport to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Grand Bahama Airport: One-Way Transfer to Freeport Hotels: $139
- Grand Bahama Airport(FPO) to Freeport -RoundTrip Private Transfer: $143
- Private Transfer from FPO to Freeport hotels or resorts: $166
- Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Old Bahama Bay - Private Transfer: $193
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Manuel Antonio From 11 to 15 passengers: $489
- Private Transfer From Cahuita To Arenal La Fortuna: $435
- Private One Way Transfer from Arenal, La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio : $350
- One Way Transfer from La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano to Manuel Antonio/Quepos: $350
- One-Way Private Transfer: La Fortuna to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $347
- Arenal or Fortuna transfer to LIR Liberia Airport up to 5 passengers (One way): $344
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Int. Airport Liberia From 11 to 15 passengers: $341
- Private One-Way Transfer from/to La Fortuna to Tamarindo: $336
- Private Ground-Transfer in a 4x4 car From San Jose Airport to La Fortuna : $325
- Transfer private from Arenal & Fortuna to Jaco Beach: $320
- Transfer from Arenal Volcano to Manuel Antonio : $320
- Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Manuel Antonio From 7 to 10 passengers: $312
Is it cheaper to fly into Freeport or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Freeport 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 dayFreeport $63La Fortuna $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Freeport
For Freeport, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- A Taste of Bahamas Cultural Food Tour: $93
- Around Town/Bahamian Cooking Experience: $175
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- Skip the Line: Mineral Hot Springs Full Day Ticket w/ Optional Lunch or Dinner: $38
- Farm-To-Table Cooking Class : $45
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $45
- Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
- Costa Rica Cooking, El Fogon de Chela: $50
- Baldi Hot Springs Day Pass with lunch or dinner included: $57
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $59
- 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $62
- Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $63
- Rainforest Night Walk and Authentic Costa Rican Dinner from La Fortuna: $65
- Combo Cooking Class and Salsa Dance Lesson: $73
- Cooking and Salsa Dance Lesson Combo : $74
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Freeport $40La Fortuna $42
Typical Entertainment prices in Freeport
For Freeport, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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10 Dive Package$299
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4 Hr. Kayak Tour$70
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1/2 Day Snorkel Trip$75
Tours and Activities in Freeport
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Freeport.
- Tour of Coral Vita and breach brak at Banana bay beach club: $51
- Mamma Gal Native Experience : $65
- Mamma Gal East End Native Experience : $80
- Freeport Shore Excursion: Garden of the Groves and City Tour: $81
- Clear Kayak Tour: $96
- Taste of the Bahamas Guided Food & Cultural Tour: $112
- CocoNutz Cruisers Electric Bicycle Tour: $123
- East End Island Sightseeing Tour from Freeport: $200
- Snorkel/Swim with the Turtles Experience: $250
- Private Car Service Tour: $250
- 4 Hour Private Sandy Cay Experience with Snorkeling: $275
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- Hiking Experience to Volcano Base Arenal Park: $23
- Sky Adventures Arenal : Zipline - Sky Tram & Sky Walk (guided): $205
- 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $30
- 12 cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over Waterfalls!: $95
- 2-Hour Chachagua Rainforest - Birdwatching Tour: $45
- 2-in-1 Arenal Combo Tour: Hanging Bridges + La Fortuna Waterfall: $164
- 2-in-1 Arenal Combo Tour: River Safari Float and La Fortuna Waterfall: $170
- 2-in-1 Arenal Volcano Combo Tour: La Fortuna Waterfall and Volcano Hike: $145
- 3-Hour Arenal Lake Flexi Pass Adventure In Costa Rica: $62
- 3-in-1 Arenal Combo Tour: Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall & Volcano Hike: $215
- 3-in-1 Arenal Volcano Combo Tour: River Safari Float with La Fortuna Waterfall and Volcano Hike: $186
- 4 in 1 Rain forest, Sloth sanctuary, Blue river and Volcanoes Private Tour: $325
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFreeport $30La Fortuna $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Freeport
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Freeport:
- Brewery & Taste with Beach & Shop at Largest Market on Freeport 4-hrs : $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Freeport and La Fortuna, we can see that Freeport is more expensive. And not only is La Fortuna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Freeport is in Caribbean Islands and La Fortuna 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 La Fortuna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Fortuna 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 Freeport would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Freeport than you might in La Fortuna.
Which is Bigger, Freeport or La Fortuna?
Freeport is bigger, and its population is about 8.9 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the population of Freeport vs. La Fortuna, 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 and the activities that interest you.
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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.
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