Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or La Fortuna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Fortuna or Puerto Vallarta?
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 Puerto Vallarta. 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 Puerto Vallarta?
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.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
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 Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Fortuna $104Puerto Vallarta $115
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $104, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $115. 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 Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Fortuna $51Puerto Vallarta $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Fortuna $102Puerto Vallarta $126
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Puerto Vallarta? 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 Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Fortuna $21Puerto Vallarta $19
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
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $42
- 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 : $63
- Sloth Watching Tour with Transfer and Snacks: $68
- From Lake Arenal Kayaking Trip with Transfer: $90
- One Way Private Transfer - La Fortuna to your Selected Location: $128
- Direct Transfer From La Fortuna to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $153
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
- Private transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport - Hotel Zone: $37
- Private Airport Transfer to Marina Vallarta: $37
- Private Airport Transfer to Hotel Zone: $40
- Shared transfer from PVR airport to Downtown: $43
- Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port to Airport PVR Departure Transfer: $44
- Arrival Transfer from Airport to Cruise Port in Puerto Vallarta: $44
- Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR)-Departure Private Transfer : $44
- Nuevo Vallarta: Private Airport Transfer to South Zone 2: $48
- Private Airport Transfer to Romantic Zone: $48
- Nuevo Vallarta:Private Airport Transfer to North Zone 3: $51
- Private Airport Transfer to Mismaloya: $51
Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta 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 $27Puerto Vallarta $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- 2 Hours Private Cooking Class in La Fortuna: $38
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $45
- Cooking Class and Sugar Cane Experience: $45
- Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
- Costa Rica Cooking, El Fogon de Chela: $50
- Costa Rican cuisine Cooking Class at Rancho Don Lelo: $60
- 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
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
- Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75
- Ceviche & Empanadas Cooking Class: $77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
- Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $59
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $59
- Signature Taco and Street Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $65
- Vallarta by Road Food Tour: $75
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $75
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Mexican Cooking Class and Tequila Tasting: $96
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Cooking Class and Market Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Fortuna $44Puerto Vallarta $19
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
- Arenal Volcano Hike Experience (not guide included): $23
- Arenal Observatory Trails Admission Ticket: $29
- San Carlos: The Art of Chocolate Making Tour at Don Olivo: $30
- 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $30
- Private Sloth and Monkey Wildlife Tour: $30
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $30
- arenal fortuna city tour: $30
- Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
- Sloth Tour: $30
- Night tour through the Tropical Forest at Tifakara : $32
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- City Tour Puerto Vallarta - Churches, Tequila Test and more: $18
- Mexico: Puerto Vallarta City Tour: $20
- Hop-On-Hop-Off City Bus Tour: $23
- Guided SUP Board Tour with Digital Photos: $23
- Private Bike City Tour with Photo Session in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Hop On Hop Off Tour with Free Stops in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Hike and Yoga Jungle Experience in Mexico: $30
- City Tour, Tequila and Coffee Factory Tour: $31
- EcoHike experience through the jungle, mountains and hidden beach: $31
- Zipline Canopy Tour: $37
- Puerto Vallarta Local-Style Walking tour: $41
- Why Jalisco is Mexico? Puerto Vallarta Tour: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Fortuna $11Puerto Vallarta $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
When comparing the travel costs between La Fortuna and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta is in North 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 Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Puerto Vallarta, 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.