A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers La Fortuna vs. David for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit La Fortuna or David?

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 David. 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 David?

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.

David

In the Pacific West of Panama, David is the capital city of Chiriqui province. The city's population of almost 150,000 is among the wealthiest in the country. There is a well established middle class and unemployment remains low in the area. The area has grown rapidly in recent years with growing commercial and banking sectors. The city is well connected to the rest of the country by the Pan American Highway.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama, and The Best Budget Tours to Panama.


Which place is cheaper, David or La Fortuna?

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 David is $32. 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 David in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    La Fortuna $51
    David $12
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    La Fortuna $102
    David $24
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and David

Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or David? 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.

Hotels in La Fortuna


Hotels in David


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 David Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    La Fortuna $21
    David $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:

  • La Fortuna or Monteverde: One-Way Boat Transfer: $39
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Arenal La Fortuna: $42
  • White Water Tubing Tour with Guide and Transfers: $55
  • Scenic Transfer to Monteverde via Arenal Lake: $56
  • One-Way Transfer from La Fortuna to Monteverde through Arenal Lake: $57
  • Arenal lake boat transfer from to Monteverde from La Fortuna: $60
  • Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $64
  • Sloth Watching Tour with Transfer and Snacks: $68
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $70
  • Transfer Fortuna - Monteverde with Coffee Tour on The Way: $150
  • Direct Transfer From La Fortuna to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $155
  • La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $187

Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or David?

Prices for flights to both David 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    La Fortuna $28
    David $10

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.

  • Cooking Class and Sugar Cane Experience: $35
  • Sloth Tour in La Fortuna and Tortillas Cooking Class: $35
  • Skip the Line: Mineral Hot Springs Full Day Ticket w/ Optional Lunch or Dinner: $42
  • Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $45
  • Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
  • Costa Rica Cooking, El Fogon de Chela: $50
  • cooking class la fortuna: $50
  • Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $63
  • Rainforest Night Walk and Authentic Costa Rican Dinner from La Fortuna: $65
  • 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $68
  • Costa Rican Cooking Class+Dinner+Night Frog Tour: $72
  • Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    La Fortuna $44
    David $4.39

Tours and Activities in La Fortuna

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:

  • Two Destinations Tour - La Fortuna Top Destinations : $20
  • Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
  • Hiking Experience to Volcano Base Arenal Park: $20
  • Hiking Experience to Volcano Base Arenal Park: $23
  • Arenal Observatory Trails Admission Ticket: $29
  • Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
  • Excellent Wildlife Tour in Bijagua de Upala: $30
  • Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $30
  • Rainforest Chocolate Tour from La Fortuna: $30
  • 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $30
  • arenal fortuna city tour: $30
  • Sloth Tour: $30

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    La Fortuna $11
    David -


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and David, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is David much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to David would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in David 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 David.

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 David Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or David?

David has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and David, 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.