Which place is cheaper, Castro 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 Castro. 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.
The capital of Chiloe, modern and dynamic, has succeeded in keeping its authenticity even though it now has many gigantic supermarkets, hotels and other touristic infrastructures. It is located on the island's eastern coast, halfway between Ancud in the north and Quellon in the south, and is a convenient base for exploring the stunning sites in the region of Chiloe Island. The tourist information is located on the town square in front of the church.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.
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 Castro is $88. 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 Castro in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Castro? 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:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Castro:
Prices for flights to both Castro 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:
Here are a few actual costs in Castro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Castro, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Castro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Castro 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 Castro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Castro 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 Castro.
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 Castro Expensive?.
Castro has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Castro, 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.