Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Johannesburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Johannesburg or San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Johannesburg and San Jose 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: Johannesburg or San Jose?
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
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 Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, 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 dayJohannesburg $95San Jose $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Johannesburg is $95, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $89. 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 Johannesburg and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohannesburg $55San Jose $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohannesburg $110San Jose $96
Compare Hotels in Johannesburg and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Johannesburg 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: Johannesburg Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johannesburg $16San Jose $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- Transfers Between OR Tambo and Pilanesburg : $159
- Tour operator. airport and hotels transfers chauffeur and safari tours services.: $30
- Suncity Transfer: $193
- Shuttle Transfer from Johannesburg Airport to Hazyview: $66
- Private executive transfer to sun city or airport/hotels : $119
- Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Sedan Car: $61
- Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Luxury Car: $103
- Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Sedan Car: $61
- Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Luxury Van: $72
- Private Transfer, Airports to Cradle of Humankind & Muldersdrift : $146
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg To Pilanesberg: $221
- Private Transfer from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB) to Pretoria hotels: $164
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$2.71
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
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- 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
- Transfer Costa Rica SJO Airport To OR From Hotels nearby Private : $45
- Private Airport and Hotel Transfer: Alajuela and San Jose: $45
- Private Transfer from San Jose City to Puntarenas Cruise Port: $50
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport (SJO) to Puntarenas Port: $50
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport One Way: $56
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Round-Trip Private Transfer: $64
- Private transfer from SJO Intl Airport to downtown Hotels: $65
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Arrival Private Transfer: $68
Is it cheaper to fly into Johannesburg or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Johannesburg 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 dayJohannesburg $17San Jose $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Maboneng Street Art and Street Food Tour: $41
- JOBURG DINNERS : MABONENG CITY DINNER: $97
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $99
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $216
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
- 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
- Dinner + Typical Show in the best viewpoint of the City: $99
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johannesburg $21San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Private Full Day Johannesburg Historical Tour : $193
- Soweto half day tour including Mandela House.Private transport: $72
- (Meet the Artist)Art Gallery & Street Art tour with lunch: $30
- 10 Days Overland Tour-Johannesburg and Cape Town: $2,701
- 15 Days Johannesburg, Kruger National Park – Cape Town Tour: $4,052
- 3 Day Kruger National Park Tour from Johannesburg: $807
- 3 Days 2 Nights Panorama Tour & Kruger National park Safari: $832
- 4-Days Overnight Experience in The Panorama Route & Safari: $1,735
- 6 Days Johannesburg and Kruger National Park Tour: $1,621
- 6 Days of The Best of Johannesburg Experience: $972
- 9 day Kruger Park Safari & Cape Town Luxury Coach Tour: $1,972
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $32
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 Farm of Hacienda Orosi: $11
- Entrance ticket to the Hacienda Orosi: $21
- Hiking Experience in El Quetzal Private Reserve: $26
- Private Roasting and Cupping Coffee Experience: $30
- Sarapiqui Frog Tour: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- Poas Volcano National Park - Admission Ticket: $32
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $33
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- San Jose Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
- San Jose ART Walking Tour - small groups, creative experience: $35
- Corso Lecheria Tour: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohannesburg $4.73San Jose $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $8.28
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 comparing the travel costs between Johannesburg and San Jose, we can see that Johannesburg is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Johannesburg is in Africa and San Jose is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Johannesburg Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johannesburg or San Jose?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of Johannesburg 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.