Which place is cheaper, Cajamarca or La Fortuna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for La Fortuna and Cajamarca. 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.
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.
Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.
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.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $104, while the average daily cost in Cajamarca is $69. 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 Cajamarca in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Cajamarca? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
Prices for flights to both Cajamarca 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Cajamarca, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Cajamarca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca.
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 Cajamarca Expensive?.
Cajamarca has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Cajamarca, 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.