Which place is cheaper, Iquique 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 Iquique?
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 Iquique. 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 Iquique?
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.
Iquique
Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.
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.
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La Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica PricesIquique Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Fortuna $123Iquique $121
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $123, while the average daily cost in Iquique is $121. 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 Iquique in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Fortuna $51Iquique $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Fortuna $102Iquique $86
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Iquique
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Iquique? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Fortuna $21Iquique $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Puerto Viejo de Limon: Transfer to La Fortuna de Arenal: $400
- Private VIP Transfer La Fortuna to Tamarindo, Flamingo & Conchal: $299
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $295
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $290
- Private One-Way Transfer from/to La Fortuna to Papagayo Peninsula: $289
- Private Transfer from Arenal La Fortuna to San Jose Airport: $255
- Private Transfer to/from Liberia Airport to La Fortuna Area (Arenal Volcano): $250
- Private Transfer La Fortuna to (SJO)Airport – 1–6 Passengers: $249
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Int. Airport Liberia From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- One-Way Private Transfer from La Fortuna (Arenal) to Liberia Guanacaste Airport: $241
- Transfer from Arenal to SJO Airport or Hotels for up to 5 passengers ( One way) : $240
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique
Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $75
Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or Iquique?
Prices for flights to both Iquique 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 $47Iquique $59
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Fortuna $44Iquique $27
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- La Fortuna's 3 Essentials Private Tour: $280
- Sky Adventures Arenal : Zipline - Sky Tram & Sky Walk (guided): $260
- 12-Cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over Waterfalls: $111
- 3-In-1 Río Celeste: Tubing, Natural Pool and Jungle Night Tour.: $80
- 7 Nights Costa Rica Fully Guided Adventure: $1,850
- 7-Cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over La Fortuna Waterfall: $91
- ARENAL DISCOVERY ADVENTURE (1): Volcano Hike, Waterfall & Lunch: $179
- ARENAL DISCOVERY ADVENTURE (3):Hanging Bridges, Waterfall & Lunch: $191
- ATV Tour Discovery Adventure Double : $170
- ATV Tour Experience in Parque Ecologico Volcan Arenal : $130
- ATV adventure Tour in La Fortuna: $95
- Adventure Pass: $167
Tours and Activities in Iquique
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.
- City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $55
- City Tour in Iquique: $89
- Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
- Red Lagoon Tour: $639
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Fortuna $11Iquique $20
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 comparing the travel costs between La Fortuna and Iquique, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though La Fortuna is in Central America and Iquique is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
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 Iquique Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Iquique?
Iquique has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Iquique, 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.