Which place is cheaper, Bonaire 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 Bonaire?
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 Bonaire. 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 Bonaire?
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.
Bonaire
An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and Curaçao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
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La Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica PricesBonaire Prices
Caribbean Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Fortuna $123Bonaire $299
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $123, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Bonaire in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Fortuna $51Bonaire $155
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Fortuna $102Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Bonaire
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Bonaire? 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 Bonaire Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Fortuna $21Bonaire $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To La Fortuna: $40
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Arenal San Carlos: $41
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Arenal La Fortuna: $42
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $49
- One-Way Transfer from La Fortuna to Monteverde through Arenal Lake: $57
- From San Jose: One way shared transfer to La Fortuna: $74
- Guided Tour to Arenal Mistico Hanging Bridges with Transfer: $79
- Private Transfer from La Fortuna to Juan Santa Maria Airport: $110
- Transfer from Arenal or Fortuna to Papagayo: $170
- La Fortuna Arenal Volcano Hotels to SJO Airport Private Transfer: $185
- Transfer International ATO to Fortuna or return one way: $200
- Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $210
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:
- Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address : $40
- Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
- Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
- Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or Bonaire?
Prices for flights to both Bonaire 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 $47Bonaire $101
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
- 2 Hours Private Cooking Class in La Fortuna: $45
- 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
- Cooking and Salsa Dance Lesson Combo : $74
- Ceviche & Empanadas Cooking Class: $77
- Cooking with a Costa Rican family: $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.
- Dinner at Sea: $95
- Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Fortuna $44Bonaire $40
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
- Petting Zoo Interactive Farm Experience: $20
- Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Arenal Park Self-Guided Experience: $24
- Café Experience in Bijagua : $25
- Guaranteed Sloth Watching Tour: $30
- Guaranteed Red eyed Tree Frog & Amphibians Tour: $30
- Sloth and Monkey Wild Life Tour : $30
- Tarzan Swing Adventure: $32
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $32
- Night tour through the Tropical Forest at Tifakara : $34
- Local Chocolate Tour Experience: $35
Tours and Activities in Bonaire
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:
- Semi Submarine Boat Experience to Klein Bonaire: $33
- Walking Tours & Private Tours on Bonaire: $36
- 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
- Half-Day Bonaire Island Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $46
- Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
- Walking Tour with Lunch & Ice Cream: $55
- Yacht tour with local guide & snorkeling activities: $57
- Highlights of Bonaire & Cultural Experience: $59
- Clearbottom Mangrove Kayak & Snorkel tour: $59
- Tour in North and South Bonaire Guided : $63
- Small-Group Guided North & South Tour of Bonaire with Pick Up: $65
- Explore North & South Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Fortuna $11Bonaire $33
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is La Fortuna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Bonaire is in Caribbean Islands, 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 La Fortuna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Fortuna 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in La Fortuna.
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 Bonaire Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Bonaire?
Bonaire has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Bonaire, 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.