Which place is cheaper, Quepos or La Ceiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Ceiba or Quepos?
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 Quepos can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Ceiba or Quepos?
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.
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Ceiba $65Quepos $117
The average daily cost (per person) in La Ceiba is $65, while the average daily cost in Quepos is $117. 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 Quepos in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Ceiba $24Quepos $76
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Ceiba $48Quepos $152
Compare Hotels in La Ceiba and Quepos
Looking for a hotel in La Ceiba or Quepos? 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 Quepos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Ceiba $32Quepos $9.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Ceiba
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Ceiba:
- Private Transfer from La Ceiba hotels to Banana Coast Cruise Port: $79
- Private Transfer from Goloson Airport (LCE) to Banana Coast Port: $79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
- Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO): $72
- Private Transfer from Quepos Port to Liberia Int Airport (LIR): $88
- Transfer TO or FROM Manuel Antonio, Quepos to SJO Airport - Private (ONE WAY): $105
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- Transfer Manuel Antonio Hotels to Airport area Private One Way: $185
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San José (Airport SJO): $210
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to the Sierpe: $213
- Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
- Manuel Antonio & Quepos one way transfer to SJO hotels - Airport up to 5 people.: $274
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Monteverde: $276
Is it cheaper to fly into La Ceiba or Quepos?
Prices for flights to both Quepos 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 $18Quepos $29
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$15
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $59
- Cooking Class in Manuel Antonio with Medicinal Plants Garden Visit: $77
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Ceiba $22Quepos $17
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 Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Beach Day Experience in Manuel Antonio: $20
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park tour : $29
- Manuel Antonio National Park Group Guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio Jungle Night Tour with pick up included: $39
- Guided hiking Tour by the Mystic Ebano Rainforest in Costa Rica: $40
- Manuel Antonio: Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $45
- Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $45
- Mangrove and monkey boat Tour UNFORGETTABLE...: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Ceiba $5.16Quepos $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Ceiba and Quepos, we can see that Quepos 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos 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 Quepos Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Ceiba or Quepos?
La Ceiba has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of La Ceiba and Quepos, 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.