Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or La Fortuna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit La Fortuna or Arequipa?
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 La Fortuna and Arequipa. 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: La Fortuna or Arequipa?
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.
Arequipa
Sitting in the middle of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes of Peru is the enchanting city of Arequipa. With 468 years of history, the city is full of Spanish colonial architecture. Known to locals as the "white city," the city center, Plaza de Armas, is quite the sight with buildings of sillar white stone made from the rocks of the surrounding volcanoes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
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La Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica PricesArequipa Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Fortuna $123Arequipa $60
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $123, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $60. 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 Fortuna and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Fortuna $51Arequipa $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Fortuna $102Arequipa $48
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Arequipa
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Arequipa? 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 Fortuna Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Fortuna $21Arequipa $6.36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $42
- Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $211
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- From San Jose: One way shared transfer to La Fortuna: $74
- Guided Tour to Arenal Mistico Hanging Bridges with Transfer: $79
- La Fortuna Private Transfer to San Jose Airport : $231
- One Way Private Transfer - La Fortuna to your Selected Location: $128
- One-Way Private Transfer from La Fortuna (Arenal) to Liberia Guanacaste Airport: $241
- One-Way Private Transfer from La Fortuna (Arenal) to San Jose, CR Intl Airport: $218
- One-Way Transfer from La Fortuna to Monteverde through Arenal Lake: $57
- Private One-Way Transfer from/to La Fortuna to Papagayo Peninsula: $289
- Private Transfer Arenal / La Fortuna town to San Jose Airport (SJO): $200
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$1.43
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Bus Ride$0.46
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Taxi Ride$1.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:
- Arequipa Airport Arrival Transfer: $13
- Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
- Arequipa Airport (AQP) Private Transfer to Arequipa City: $23
- Arequipa Bus Station Arrival Transfer : $25
- Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
- Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $38
- Full Day Tour to Colca including Transfer to Puno: $60
- Colca Canyon Day Trip with Transfer to Puno: $65
- Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $81
- Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno: $103
- Full Day Tour Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon: $112
- 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with optional transfer to Puno: $132
Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and La Fortuna 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 Fortuna $47Arequipa $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- Farm to Table Cooking Class : $43
- Skip the Line: Mineral Hot Springs Full Day Ticket w/ Optional Lunch or Dinner: $47
- Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
- Costa Rican cuisine Cooking Class at Rancho Don Lelo: $54
- Costa Rica The Chela Cooking Experience : $55
- Costa Rican Cooking Class: $57
- Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $63
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
- Rainforest Night Walk and Authentic Costa Rican Dinner from La Fortuna: $71
- Horseback Riding and Cooking Class with Lunch : $72
- Cooking and Salsa Dance Lesson Combo : $74
- Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75
Typical Food Prices in Arequipa
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:
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Coke$0.43
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Lunch$3.01
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Ice Cream$1.15
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Fruit$0.86
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Ice Cream$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.
- Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35
- Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $35
- Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa: $50
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $53
- Private Cooking Class in Arequipa: $57
- Food Tour Gastronomic Guided : $113
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Fortuna $44Arequipa $19
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Petting Zoo Interactive Farm Experience: $20
- Three hours walking tour around the deep Tropical Rain Forest: $20
- Café Experience in Bijagua : $25
- Frog Sanctuary Tour at Night : $29
- Birdwatching Tour in La Fortuna: $29
- Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
- Excellent Wildlife Tour in Bijagua de Upala: $30
- Guaranteed Red eyed Tree Frog & Amphibians Tour: $30
- Guaranteed Sloth Watching Tour: $30
- Sloth and Monkey Wild Life Tour : $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa
Here are a few typical costs in Arequipa for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Monastery Entry$2.87
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Salsa Class$2.87
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Movie Ticket$3.13
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Hot Springs$2.87
Tours and Activities in Arequipa
Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Countryside Tour Arequipa: $18
- 8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up: $20
- Chili River White Water Rafting Adventure with Pickup: $20
- From Salinas Lagoon Half Day Tour: $21
- Tour Colca Full Day Promotional Price: $22
- Full Day Tour Sillar Route and Culebrillas Canyon Arequipa: $23
- Arequipa City Tour and food and drinks experience: $25
- Half day Sillar Stone Tour from Arequipa: $25
- Ticket for Planetarium and Star Observatory: $27
- Pillones Waterfall Tour | Stone Forest | Arequipa: $27
- Full Day Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa: $28
- Walking tour history, legends & mysteries : $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Fortuna $11Arequipa $17
Sample the Local Flavors in La Fortuna
Also in La Fortuna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine Tasting Experience : $135
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:
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Beer$2.58
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Arequipa, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Arequipa is in South 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 Arequipa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arequipa 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 Arequipa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Fortuna Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Arequipa?
Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 280 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Arequipa, 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.