Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Grande-Terre?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Grande-Terre or La Fortuna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Fortuna? 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: Grande-Terre or La Fortuna?
Grande-Terre
Grande Terre is an island that makes up the eastern half of the Guadeloupe 'mainland.' It is divided from the other half of the main Guadeloupe island, Basse Terre, by a narrow channel called Rivière Salee (or the Salt River). The island itself is characterized by rolling hills, white sand beaches, and cliffs, and its indented coastline is surrounded by coral reefs. It is home to most of Guadeloupe's farmlands and tourist resorts.
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 Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGrande-Terre €145La Fortuna €98
The average daily cost (per person) in Grande-Terre is €145, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is €98. 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 Grande-Terre and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGrande-Terre €82La Fortuna €49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrande-Terre €164La Fortuna €98
Compare Hotels in Grande-Terre and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in Grande-Terre 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: Grande-Terre Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grande-Terre €9.00La Fortuna €20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grande-Terre
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Grande-Terre:
- Pointe-a-Pitre to Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Pointe-a-Pitre Airport to Pointe-a-Pitre Hotels Arrival Transfer: $23
- PrivateTransfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Cruise Port to Airport (PTP) : $26
- Private Transfer from Pointe-à-Pitre City Hotels to Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Cruise Port to City Hotels: $26
- PrivateTransfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Cruise Port : $26
- Transfer Guadeloupe Airport to Cruise Port: $38
- Arrival Private Transfer Pointe a Pitre Airport PTP to Pointe a Pitre by SUV: $41
- Departure Private Transfer from Pointe a Pitre to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $41
- Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Pointe-a-Pitre - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
- Arrival Private Transfer from Pointe a Pitre Airport PTP to Le Gosier by SUV: $50
- Departure Private Transfer from Le Gosier to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $42
- Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $63
- Arenal lake boat transfer from to Monteverde from La Fortuna: $60
- Costa Rica Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) -Arrival Private Transfer: $189
- Direct Transfer From La Fortuna to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $153
- From La Fortuna/La Palma: Private Transfer to Tamarindo: $280
- From Lake Arenal Kayaking Trip with Transfer: $90
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Guapiles: $213
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $70
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $187
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Manuel Antonio or Quepos: $320
Is it cheaper to fly into Grande-Terre or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Grande-Terre 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 dayGrande-Terre €48La Fortuna €26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- 2 Hours Private Cooking Class in La Fortuna: $38
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $45
- Cooking Class and Sugar Cane Experience: $45
- Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
- Costa Rica Cooking, El Fogon de Chela: $50
- Costa Rican cuisine Cooking Class at Rancho Don Lelo: $60
- Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $63
- Rainforest Night Walk and Authentic Costa Rican Dinner from La Fortuna: $65
- 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $68
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
- Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75
- Ceviche & Empanadas Cooking Class: $77
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grande-Terre €45La Fortuna €42
Tours and Activities in Grande-Terre
Here are a few actual costs in Grande-Terre for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cruise stopover - Plage du Gosier Round trip: $15
- Cruise Stopover at Village Sainte Anne and its Beach: $31
- Guided tour by electric tuk-tuk: $49
- Stand Up Paddle Adventure in Guadeloupe: $49
- Stopover Cruise - Valombreuse Botanical Garden + Sainte-Anne Beach: $49
- *Cruise Stopover* - Tropical Forest - Sainte-Anne Beach: $60
- Private Surf Lessons Tour in Guadeloupe: $97
- Photoshoot + Drone on a Caribbean paradise beach or day tour : $100
- Full Day Tour of Guadeloupe: $157
- Private Ultralight Seaplane Experience in Guadeloupe: $169
- Full Day Private Boat Tour to the Lagoon of Guadeloupe: $232
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- Two Destinations Tour - La Fortuna Top Destinations : $20
- Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Arenal Volcano Hike Experience (not guide included): $23
- Arenal Observatory Trails Admission Ticket: $29
- arenal fortuna city tour: $30
- Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
- Sloth Tour: $30
- Private Sloth and Monkey Wildlife Tour: $30
- 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $30
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $30
- Night tour through the Tropical Forest at Tifakara : $32
- Ticket to Rio Celeste Waterfall & Tenorio Volcano National Park: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrande-Terre €12La Fortuna €11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Grande-Terre and La Fortuna, we can see that Grande-Terre is more expensive. And not only is La Fortuna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grande-Terre 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 Grande-Terre would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grande-Terre 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 Grande-Terre Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Grande-Terre or La Fortuna?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Fortuna in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Grande-Terre and La Fortuna. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Grande-Terre year-round. La Fortuna attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
La Fortuna receives a lot of rain in the summer. Grande-Terre gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Grande-Terre usually receives less rain than La Fortuna. Grande-Terre gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In Grande-Terre, it's very sunny this time of the year. Grande-Terre usually receives more sunshine than La Fortuna during summer. Grande-Terre gets 245 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 164 hours of full sun in the summer.
Grande-Terre is around the same temperature as La Fortuna in the summer. The daily temperature in Grande-Terre averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and La Fortuna fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyGrande-Terre 27°C (81°F)La Fortuna 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Fortuna in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Grande-Terre as well as La Fortuna. Grande-Terre attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in La Fortuna. Grande-Terre receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Grande-Terre usually gets less rain in October than La Fortuna. Grande-Terre gets 228 mm (9 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Grande-Terre this time of the year. In the autumn, Grande-Terre often gets more sunshine than La Fortuna. Grande-Terre gets 217 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 169 hours of full sun.
In the autumn, Grande-Terre is around the same temperature as La Fortuna. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Grande-Terre in October average around 27°C (80°F), and La Fortuna averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberGrande-Terre 27°C (80°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Fortuna in the Winter?
Both La Fortuna and Grande-Terre are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Grande-Terre throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to La Fortuna because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Grande-Terre usually receives more rain than La Fortuna. Grande-Terre gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
It's quite sunny in La Fortuna. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Grande-Terre. Grande-Terre usually receives less sunshine than La Fortuna during winter. Grande-Terre gets 236 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 264 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Grande-Terre is generally cooler than La Fortuna. Daily temperatures in Grande-Terre average around 24°C (76°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryGrande-Terre 24°C (76°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Fortuna in the Spring?
Both La Fortuna and Grande-Terre during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Grande-Terre because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to La Fortuna year-round.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Grande-Terre. Grande-Terre usually gets more rain in April than La Fortuna. Grande-Terre gets 123 mm (4.8 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In La Fortuna, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Grande-Terre. In the spring, Grande-Terre often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortuna. Grande-Terre gets 240 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 255 hours of full sun.
Grande-Terre is cooler than La Fortuna in the spring. The daily temperature in Grande-Terre averages around 26°C (78°F) in April, and La Fortuna fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilGrande-Terre 26°C (78°F)La Fortuna 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for La Fortuna and Grande-Terre
| Grande-Terre | La Fortuna | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (76°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (76°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 25°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (78°F) | 123 mm (4.8 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 27°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 236 mm (9.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (80°F) | 228 mm (9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 220 mm (8.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.