Which place is cheaper, Salta 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 Salta. 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.
Located in the heart of the famous Northwest region of Argentina, at 1200m of elevation and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo, Salta is the largest city of the region and perhaps the most beautiful colonial city of Argentina. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish, Salta was an important stop for merchants who followed the usual trade road through Bolivia and Peru. Argentines call this city nestled in the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by mountains, of just over half a million inhabitants, Salta La Linda (Salta the Beautiful) and it's easy to see why. Young and traditional at the same time, Salta and its renowned museums, plaza side cafes and live musica folklorica of its bustling penas, is a sophisticated and lively city day and night.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.
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 Salta is $9.62. 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 Salta in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Salta? 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 typical examples of transportation costs in Salta are as follows:
Also for Salta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Salta 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.
For Salta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Salta's activities, tours, and tickets:
For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Salta are as follows:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Salta, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Salta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Salta 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 Salta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salta 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 Salta.
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 Salta Expensive?.
Salta has a larger population, and is about 170 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Salta, 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.