Should you visit La Ceiba or Tamarindo?
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 Tamarindo can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
Which city is cheaper, Tamarindo or La Ceiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in La Ceiba is $53, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $74. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for La Ceiba and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
La Ceiba's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $38. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $19.
A hotel room in Tamarindo is about $62 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around La Ceiba is $26 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The average price of local transportation around Tamarindo is $42 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
-
Private Premium Transfer: From Tamarindo Zone:
$85
-
Liberia Airport Private Transfer To Or From Tamarindo:
$86
-
Private Round-Trip Transfer: Liberia Airport to Tamarindo with Free Drinks:
$89
-
Transfer Liberia to Tamarindo:
$90
-
Private Transfer to Tamarindo Beach from Liberia Airport:
$100
-
Volcano Adventure Sisisi Transfers & Tours Costa Rica:
$155
-
Private transfer from Tamarindo to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport:
$265
-
Transfer TO or FROM Tamarindo Area to SJO Airport:
$325
Is it cheaper to fly into La Ceiba or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo 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
While meal prices in La Ceiba can vary, the average travelers spends about $15 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in La Ceiba should cost around $6.00 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in La Ceiba is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
On average, meal and food prices in Tamarindo cost around $20 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $8.00.
-
Food
Meals for one day
La Ceiba $15
Tamarindo $20
Entertainment
La Ceiba's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $18 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tamarindo's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $10 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in La Ceiba
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Ceiba are as follows:
-
The best of La Ceiba walking tour:
$496
-
Romantic tour in La Ceiba:
$496
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
-
Skip the Line: Monkey Park Admission Ticket:
$27
-
Kayak Tour:
$45
-
Turtle Watching Tour:
$45
-
Turtle Nesting Tour:
$46
-
Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo:
$46
-
Tamarindo River Boat Tour:
$50
-
Canopy Tour Costa Rica:
$55
-
Tamarindo Kayak Estuary Mangrove Tour:
$56
-
Tamarindo Kayaking Tour with Snorkeling at Captain Island:
$60
-
Premium Tour: Turtle Nesting Tour:
$62
-
Early Bird Watching Tour:
$65
-
Private Buggy/ATV Sunset Tour at Tamarindo:
$65
Alcohol
The average person spends about $4.15 on alcoholic beverages in La Ceiba per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about $8.53 on alcoholic beverages in Tamarindo per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Ceiba and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo than you might in La Ceiba.
Related Articles for La Ceiba
Related Articles for Tamarindo