Which place is cheaper, Copacabana 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 Copacabana?
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 Copacabana. 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 Copacabana?
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.
Copacabana
Copacabana, Bolivia, is a small, bright and enchanting town located on the Bolivian shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake. Situated relatively close to the capital of La Paz, it is a popular resort mostly destination for foreign travellers, meaning that you may feel like there are more Argentinians and Americans than locals. Copacabana is the perfect jump-off point for visiting Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna and makes a pleasant stopover between La Paz and Puno or Cusco. Featuring beautiful nature walks, ancient sites, stunning sunsets and quaint little restaurants, Copacabana is a travelers' favorite destination to soak in the panoramic views, savor freshly caught trucha, and explore what the Incas believed to be the birthplace of their empire.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Budget Tours to Bolivia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Bolivia.
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La Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica PricesCopacabana Prices
Bolivia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Fortuna $123Copacabana $54
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $123, while the average daily cost in Copacabana is $54. 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 Copacabana in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Fortuna $51Copacabana $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Fortuna $102Copacabana $22
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Copacabana
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Copacabana? 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 Copacabana Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Fortuna $21Copacabana $14
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
Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or Copacabana?
Prices for flights to both Copacabana 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 $47Copacabana $30
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 Copacabana
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Copacabana:
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Lunch$3.61
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Sandwich$1.16
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Fortuna $44Copacabana $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
Tours and Activities in Copacabana
Here are a few actual costs in Copacabana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Titicaca Touristic Bus from Copacabana to La Paz_Everyday_1:00 p.m.: $12
- From La Paz: Cable car ride tour with tasting food.: $49
- CONDORIRI Mountain 5650m. 2 DAYS 1 NIGHT. TREKKING. English guide. Shared Tour: $198
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Fortuna $11Copacabana $12
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 Copacabana
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Copacabana from other travelers:
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Wine$2.89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Copacabana, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Copacabana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Copacabana 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 Copacabana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Copacabana 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 Copacabana.
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 Copacabana Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Copacabana?
Copacabana has a larger population, and is about 50% larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Copacabana, 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.