Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Isla Mujeres?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Isla Mujeres or San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Isla Mujeres and San Jose. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Isla Mujeres or San Jose?
Isla Mujeres
About eight miles from the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Mujeres is an island in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. The town, of the same name, has a population of about 13,000. Tourism has grown in the area since the 1970s and today it is a significant part of the island's economy. As such, there are plenty of amenities that cater specifically to visitors. The island's proximity to Cuba make it a common transit point for Cubans in route to the United States.
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 Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, 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 dayIsla Mujeres $148San Jose $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Isla Mujeres is $148, 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 Isla Mujeres and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIsla Mujeres $78San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIsla Mujeres $156San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Isla Mujeres and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Isla Mujeres 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: Isla Mujeres Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Isla Mujeres $35San Jose $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Isla Mujeres
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Isla Mujeres:
- Private Transfer: Playa Mujeres to Cancun Airport CUN in SUV: $123
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:
- San Jose to Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) – Departure Private Transfer: $32
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport SJO to San Jose City by Minivan: $35
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from SanJose City to SanJose Juan Santamaría Airport: $39
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from SanJose Juan Santamaría Airport to SanJose City: $39
- Private One-way Juan Santamaria Airport Transfer to from San Jose: $41
- Private Airport and Hotel Transfer: Alajuela and San Jose: $45
- Transfer SJO Airport to Hotels nearby or Vice versa Private 6 PAX: $45
- Private San José Airport Transfer to San José Hotels : $50
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport (SJO) to Puntarenas Port: $50
- Private Transfer from San Jose City to Puntarenas Cruise Port: $50
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport One Way: $56
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Round-Trip Private Transfer: $63
Is it cheaper to fly into Isla Mujeres or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Isla Mujeres 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 dayIsla Mujeres $46San 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.Isla Mujeres $21San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Isla Mujeres
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Isla Mujeres are as follows:
- Romantic tour in Isla Mujeres: $126
- Scuba Diving Adventure WITHOUT CERTIFICATION! Try it today!: $185
- 3 Hours VIP Semiprivate Tour Isla Mujeres Full Snorkeling Experience : $84
- Cancun Jungle Kingdom Adventure ATV, Zipline and Cenote : $70
- Cancun: Full-Day Catamaran Cruise to Isla Mujeres: $79
- Cancun: Isla Mujeres 12 pm Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling: $59
- Crystal Boat Tour to Isla Mujeres and Reefs: $43
- From Cancún: Isla Mujeres Sunset Catamaran Cruise: $75
- From Riviera Maya: Isla Contoy & Isla Mujeres Full-Day Tour: $163
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Adventure at the Underwater Museum: $47
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour: $90
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour Adventure: $49
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Entrance ticket to the Hacienda Orosi: $21
- Hiking Experience in El Quetzal Private Reserve: $26
- Visit a Butterfly Chapel, Gardens, Coffee Tour with Typical Lunch: $30
- Private Roasting and Cupping Coffee Experience: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- Poas Volcano National Park - Admission Ticket: $32
- 2-Hour Downtown San Jose Walking Tour: $33
- Private Custom Guided Tour in San Jose: $33
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $33
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- Historical Tour and Old Houses by Dota: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIsla Mujeres $25San Jose $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Isla Mujeres
Also in Isla Mujeres, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Isla Mujeres Golf Cart Bar Crawl : $175
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 Isla Mujeres and San Jose, we can see that Isla Mujeres is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Isla Mujeres is in North 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 Isla Mujeres would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Isla Mujeres than you might in San Jose.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Isla Mujeres Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Isla Mujeres or San Jose?
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Isla Mujeres. When comparing the sizes of Isla Mujeres and San Jose, 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.