Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Ilha Grande?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ilha Grande or San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ilha Grande or San Jose? 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: Ilha Grande or San Jose?
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.
San Jose
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is likely to be your first and last stop in a visit to the country. The city is situated in the Central Valley and is surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, making for a beautiful flight in. The city has an elevation of 1200 meters and sits on a plateau with a beautiful backdrop of lush green forest. Half of the people in Costa Rica reside in the country's capital city. You are likely to stay only a day or two, but there are a handful of things to do and see including museums and markets. You will also find many embassies, as well as the University of Costa Rica in San Jose.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIlha Grande $68San Jose $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $68, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $90. 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 Ilha Grande and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIlha Grande $37San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIlha Grande $74San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or San Jose? 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: San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ilha Grande $18San Jose $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $37
- Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $187
- Private Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Airport GIG in Rio : $190
- Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
- From Rio de Janeiro:Shared Roundtrip Transfer to Araçatiba: $106
- From Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
- From Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $47
- From Araçatiba: Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
- From Angra dos Reis: Speedboat Transfer to Araçatiba: $27
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $56
- Departure Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Van: $246
- Departure Private Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Sedan Car: $116
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO$25
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Local Bus$2.72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- transfer from Juan Santamaria airport to Dominical and Uvita: $290
- Transfers to Occidental Papagayo - Secrets Resort, Round-Trip: $130
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from SanJose Juan Santamaría Airport to SanJose City: $39
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from SanJose City to SanJose Juan Santamaría Airport: $39
- Transfer from San Jose Airport CR (SJO) to Arenal La Fortuna Hotels: $279
- Transfer from SJO Airport to Jaco or vice versa: $125
- Transfer TO or FROM SJO Airport to Monteverde Area. Private, NOT SHARED: $215
- Transfer TO & FROM SJO Airport to Esterillos - Bejuco Not Shared.: $180
- Transfer SJO Airport to Hotels nearby or Vice versa Private 6 PAX: $45
- Transfer SJO Airport TO & FROM Dominical OR Uvita (One Way): $290
- Transfer From San Jose to Puerto Viejo: $80
- Transfer Airport Area to Jaco Hotels Private One Way Transport: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Ilha Grande 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 dayIlha Grande $21San Jose $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Jose
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bites and Sights: Walking Food Tour in San Jose, Costa Rica: $34
- Tropical Cooking Classes: $52
- San Jose By Night Tour: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $57
- San Jose Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and visit Gold Museum : $60
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $76
- Explore San Jose By Night: Food and Culture Tour with Local Dinner: $80
- Private Authentic Food Tour in San José: $84
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ilha Grande $6.61San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 360 Tour of Ilha Grande - Speed Boat Tour: $74
- Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $69
- Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $79
- Angra dos Reis with Speedboat Tour and Paradise Islands: $58
- Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $21
- From Abraão, Lopes Mendes Beach Tour & Trekking: $21
- From Ilha Grande - Paradise Island 7 h - Speedboat tour: $55
- From Rio: Full-Day Angra dos Reis Cruise & Island Tour: $77
- Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $67
- Half-Day Blue Lagoon Schooner Tour: $40
- Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $40
- Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Street Food Walking Tour in Downtown San Jose: $60
- 2-Hour Downtown San Jose Walking Tour: $33
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- 3 in 1 Eco Tour Rain Forest Aerial Tram, River Cruise & Nature Walk Private Tour: $299
- 6 in 1 RainForest Adventure From San Jose: $189
- A taste of Aquiares - 2 hours Coffee Tour: $42
- AERIAL TRAM TOUR - HALF DAY PASS Rainforest Adventures Braulio Ca: $78
- AWA Water Museum - Waterfall Adventure (Organic Food Experience): $98
- Arenal Combo Experience: Canopy & Rapell + Thermals: $65
- Arenal Volcano Eco Tour & Baldi Hot Springs Private Tour from San Jose: $285
- Arenal Volcano Experience Full-Day Tour from San Jose: $159
- Arenal Volcano Hanging Bridges & Baldi Hot Springs. Private Tour from San Jose: $285
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIlha Grande $11San Jose $17
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $38
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and San Jose, we can see that San Jose is more expensive. And not only is Ilha Grande much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ilha Grande is in South America and San Jose 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 Ilha Grande would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ilha Grande 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 San Jose would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Jose than you might in Ilha Grande.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ilha Grande Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
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.