Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Havana?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Havana or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Havana and Tamarindo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Havana or Tamarindo?
Havana
The city of Havana is at the top of most peoples' bucket list - mostly because of the allure of a forbidden land. Before the Communist revolution, Cuba was a popular tourist destination. Since it has reopened in the 1990s, it has drawn tourists from all over the world (except the US).
This capital city is a land trapped in the past. With 50 years of neglect, when you step off the plane, prepare to step back in time. A trip to Havana is meant for those with truly open minds - and when they arrive they'll be swept away.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHavana $65Tamarindo $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Havana is $65, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $121. 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 Havana and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHavana $40Tamarindo $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHavana $80Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in Havana and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Havana or Tamarindo? 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: Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Havana $19Tamarindo $69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Havana
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Havana:
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Short Taxi Ride$0.68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Airport Transfer from Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo Hyatt (Round Trip): $163
- Airport Transfer from Liberia Airport to Secrets Papagayo Resort: $135
- Flamingo/Tamarindo to Liberia Airport(LIR)- Departure Transfer: $38
- From Hotel Transfer to Liberia Guanacaste Airport: $62
- Guanacaste Airport transfer to Jw Marriott Guanacaste: $130
- Liberia Airport Private Transfer To Gulf of Papagayo Costa Rica: $125
- Liberia Airport To Andaz Papagayo Resort, Private Transfer: $128
- Liberia Airport To Tamarindo Private Transfer: $55
- Monteverde: Transfer to Tamarindo: $65
- Playa Conchal & Flamingo From Liberia Airport, Transfer Service: $168
- Playa Grande to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $31
- Private Airport Transfer from Liberia to Tamarindo beaches Areas & surrounding : $140
Is it cheaper to fly into Havana or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Havana 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 dayHavana $10Tamarindo $32
Typical Food Prices in Havana
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Havana:
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Pizza$0.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Havana $11Tamarindo $17
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Sea turtle watching tour near playa grande: $44
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $44
- Tour of the Mangroves and Wetlands of Tamarindo by Boat: $45
- Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
- Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour: $50
- ATV Beach and Mountain Tour!: $62
- Hiking Tour of La Leona Waterfall with Lunch: $65
- Howler Monkey Mangrove Kayaking Tour: $65
- UTV Side By Side Off Road Tour Tamarindo Beach & Flamingo Beach: $65
- ATV and UTV Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo and Conchal Beach: $67
- Turtle Watching Tour: $70
- ATV Tour through the Flamingo Potrero and Brasilito Area: $70
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHavana $5.76Tamarindo $14
Typical Alcohol Prices in Havana
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Havana:
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Mojito$0.15
Sample the Local Flavors in Tamarindo
Also in Tamarindo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Tamarindo Bar Crawl Experience: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Havana and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo is more expensive. And not only is Havana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Havana is in Caribbean Islands and Tamarindo 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 Havana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Havana 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo than you might in Havana.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Havana Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Havana or Tamarindo?
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 Havana or Tamarindo in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Havana and Tamarindo. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Havana year-round. Tamarindo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Tamarindo receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Havana usually receives less rain than Tamarindo. Havana gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In July, Havana is generally around the same temperature as Tamarindo. Daily temperatures in Havana average around 27°C (81°F), and Tamarindo fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyHavana 27°C (81°F)Tamarindo 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Havana or Tamarindo in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Havana as well as Tamarindo. Havana attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Tamarindo throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Tamarindo. Havana usually gets less rain in October than Tamarindo. Havana gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
Havana is around the same temperature as Tamarindo in the autumn. The daily temperature in Havana averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Tamarindo fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberHavana 25°C (77°F)Tamarindo 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Havana or Tamarindo in the Winter?
Both Tamarindo and Havana are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Havana throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Tamarindo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Havana usually receives more rain than Tamarindo. Havana gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
In the winter, Havana is cooler than Tamarindo. Typically, the winter temperatures in Havana in January average around 21°C (70°F), and Tamarindo averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryHavana 21°C (70°F)Tamarindo 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Havana or Tamarindo in the Spring?
Both Tamarindo and Havana during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Havana because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Tamarindo year-round.
Havana usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Tamarindo. Havana gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In April, Havana is generally cooler than Tamarindo. Daily temperatures in Havana average around 24°C (75°F), and Tamarindo fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilHavana 24°C (75°F)Tamarindo 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Tamarindo and Havana
| Havana | Tamarindo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 23°C (73°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 26°C (79°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 23°C (73°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 22°C (72°F) | 30 mm (1.2 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.