Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or La Ceiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Ceiba or La Fortuna?
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 La Ceiba and La Fortuna can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Ceiba or La Fortuna?
La Ceiba
La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras, situated on the north Caribbean coast. The city has a population of about a quarter million people. Many people who visit this city do so before heading into Pico Bonito National Park. It hasn't had the best infrastructure for tourists in the past but is developing fast. It is about 200 kilometers from San Pedro Sula, another large city in Honduras.
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 Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, 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 dayLa Ceiba $65La Fortuna $100
The average daily cost (per person) in La Ceiba is $65, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $100. 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 La Ceiba and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Ceiba $24La Fortuna $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Ceiba $48La Fortuna $100
Compare Hotels in La Ceiba and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in La Ceiba 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: La Ceiba Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Ceiba $32La Fortuna $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Ceiba
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Ceiba:
- Ferry Transfer between La Ceiba and Roatán Island: $35
- Private Transfer from Goloson Airport (LCE) to Banana Coast Port: $80
- Private Transfer from La Ceiba hotels to Banana Coast Cruise Port: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- La Fortuna or Monteverde: One-Way Boat Transfer: $39
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Arenal La Fortuna: $42
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $49
- White Water Tubing Tour with Guide and Transfers: $55
- Scenic Transfer to Monteverde via Arenal Lake: $56
- Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $64
- Sloth Watching Tour with Transfer and Snacks: $68
- From Lake Arenal Kayaking Trip with Transfer: $90
- San Jose: One way shared transfer to La Fortuna: $94
- From Monteverde: 2 Day Hike in Fortuna with Hotel Transfer: $160
- Transfer from Arenal or Fortuna to Papagayo: $170
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $187
Is it cheaper to fly into La Ceiba or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and La Ceiba 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 dayLa Ceiba $18La Fortuna $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- Sloth Tour in La Fortuna and Tortillas Cooking Class: $35
- Farm-To-Table Cooking Class : $45
- Cooking Class and Sugar Cane Experience: $45
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $50
- Night Frog Tour + Costa Rican Dinner: $58
- 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
- Ceviche & Empanadas Cooking Class: $77
- Combo Cooking Class and Salsa Dance Lesson: $80
- Pura Vida Cooking Class in La Fortuna (From farm to table): $85
- Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $85
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Ceiba $22La Fortuna $43
Tours and Activities in La Ceiba
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Ceiba are as follows:
- ATV Tour : $110
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Three hours walking tour around the deep Tropical Rain Forest: $20
- arenal fortuna city tour: $30
- Excellent Wildlife Tour in Bijagua de Upala: $30
- Private Sloth and Monkey Wildlife Tour: $30
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $30
- Sloth Tour: $30
- San Carlos: The Art of Chocolate Making Tour at Don Olivo: $30
- Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
- Místico Arenal Hanging Bridges Admission Ticket: $32
- 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $35
- Arenal 1968 Trail Park Admission Ticket: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Ceiba $5.15La Fortuna $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Ceiba and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is La Ceiba much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to La Ceiba would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Ceiba 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 La Fortuna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Fortuna than you might in La Ceiba.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Ceiba Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Ceiba or La Fortuna?
La Ceiba has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Ceiba and La Fortuna, 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.