Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Freeport?
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 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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas, The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
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Freeport Prices
Bahamas PricesLa Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFreeport $290La Fortuna $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Freeport is $290, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $138. 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 $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFreeport $282La Fortuna $114
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 $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Freeport
Also for Freeport, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Round-trip Airport Transfers to Castaway Resorts, Freeport: $30
- Roundtrip Airport Transfers Island Seas Resort Freeport: $30
- Private Transfer from Freeport Port to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO): $67
- Private Transfer from Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport Port: $67
- Old Bahama Bay to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) - Private Transfer: $77
- Freeport to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) Departure Private Transfer: $77
- Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport - Arrival Private Transfer: $77
- Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Old Bahama Bay - Private Transfer: $77
- Luxury SUV Transfer from Airport, cruise port, Celebration Key: $133
- Shared Round Trip Limousine Transfer: $150
- Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Old Bahama Bay -Round-Trip Transfer: $154
- Grand Bahama Airport(FPO) to Freeport -RoundTrip Private Transfer: $154
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Puerto Viejo de Limon: $500
- Private Transfer: San José Airport (SJO) ↔ La Fortuna: $300
- Private VIP Transfer La Fortuna to Tamarindo, Flamingo & Conchal: $299
- Private Transfer to Manuel Antonio & Crocodiles: $295
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $295
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $290
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna: $285
- From Private Transfer to Tamarindo & Conchal: $279
- San Jose Airport: Private transfer from/to La Fortuna: $270
- Private Transfer from Arenal La Fortuna to San Jose Airport: $255
- Private Transfer La Fortuna to Daniel Oduber Quiros LIR: $254
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 $110La Fortuna $53
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Freeport
For Freeport, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Around Town/Bahamian Cooking Experience: $200
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- Traditional cooking lesson with a local family: $37
- Farm to Table Cooking Class: $45
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $50
- Traditional cooking class with local family: $50
- Costa Rican Cooking Class: $57
- Costa Rica The Chela Cooking Experience: $60
- 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $68
- Arenal Boat Tour & Pirate Hot Springs Dinner: $69
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
- Sloth Tour with Cane Juice and Cooking Class: $70
- Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $70
- Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Freeport $40La Fortuna $49
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.
- Junkanoo Village Beach Club (3) Rum Punch Experience: $55
- Rumbo Tour: $60
- Coopers Castle and Port Lucaya Marketplace Tour: $60
- Junkanoo Village Beach Club Experience: Lunch & 1 Signature Drink: $70
- Swim with the Pigs Freeport @Creative Eco Adventures: $72
- Mamma Gal Native Experience: $80
- Mamma Gal Celeb-Key Native Exp. Shared Tour: $80
- Mamma Gal East End Native Experience: $95
- Clear Kayak Tour: $120
- Bahamas Sea Scooter Snorkeling Adventure: $120
- Freeport Shore Excursion: Garden of the Groves and City Tour: $127
- Freeport Shore Excursion: Garden of the Groves and City Tour: $127
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- 12-Cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over Waterfalls: $115
- 2-in-1 Arenal Coffee and Chocolate Tour: $75
- 3-Hour Arenal Lake Flexi Pass Adventure In Costa Rica: $73
- 5-Day Pura Vida Adventure: Volcano and Jungle in Costa Rica: $1,099
- 7 Nights Costa Rica Fully Guided Adventure: $1,850
- 7-Cable Zipline Adventure: Fly Over La Fortuna Waterfall: $84
- A day of Arenal Adventure 1968 and Spring: $96
- ARENAL FORTUNA CITY TOUR .: $30
- ATV Tour Quad Crater Impact and Forest Arenal Volcano: $113
- ATV Tour near Arenal Volcano, Jungle, and River Crossing: $165
- ATV Tour: Adventure tour in La Fortuna: $161
- Adventure Pass: $167
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFreeport $30La Fortuna $12
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: $85
- Grand Bahama Brewery and Distillery Tour: $150
Sample the Local Flavors in La Fortuna
Also in La Fortuna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine Tasting Experience: $135
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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Freeport Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Freeport or La Fortuna?
Freeport has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Freeport and 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 along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.