Which place is cheaper, Tena or La Fortuna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Fortuna or Tena?
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 Tena. 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 Tena?
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.
Tena
Tena is the capital of the Napo Province, an attractive and quiet city in the Amazon rainforest, and is known as the "cinnamon capital" of Ecuador. Tena has a friendly population, lots of backpacker infrastructure, a gorgeous setting surrounded by jungle-covered hills and a high concentration of surrounding rivers where white-water lovers from around the world come to paddle and kayak. The town provides a gateway to exploration into Ecuador's most accessible part of the great Amazon rainforest, which does not leave visitors disappointed. Beyond being a base for discovering the jungle and its wildlife, Tena is also a hub for adventure sports which are abundant in the area. Tena is a charming place where many travelers find themselves hanging around quite happily before or after a trip into the rainforest.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Fortuna $104Tena $51
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $104, while the average daily cost in Tena is $51. 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 Tena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Fortuna $51Tena $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Fortuna $102Tena $48
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Tena
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Tena? 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 $21Tena $17
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 : $63
- Arenal lake boat transfer from to Monteverde from La Fortuna: $60
- Costa Rica Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) -Arrival Private Transfer: $189
- Direct Transfer From La Fortuna to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $153
- From La Fortuna/La Palma: Private Transfer to Tamarindo: $280
- From Lake Arenal Kayaking Trip with Transfer: $90
- From Monteverde: 2 Day Hike in Fortuna with Hotel Transfer: $160
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Guapiles: $213
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $187
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Manuel Antonio or Quepos: $320
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tena:
- Transfer in Private Car from Bucaramanga Palonegro Airport (BGA) to Bucaramanga: $15
- Round trip transfer in Private Car from-to Palonegro Airport(BGA) to Bucaramanga: $29
- San Andres hotels to San Andres Airport (ADZ) Departure Transfer: $36
- Transfer in private minivan Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $42
- Roundtrip transfer in private minivan Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $84
- Private Transfer from Villavieja to San Agustín: $150
- Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
- Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or Tena?
Prices for flights to both Tena 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 $27Tena $15
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Fortuna $44Tena $15
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 Tena
Here are a few actual costs in Tena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Full Day Adventure Laguna Negra-Páramo de Ocetá from Mongua: $20
- 4-Hour Private Walking Tour along Ruta de Las Flores: $42
- Unique experience flying paragliding: $50
- Gastronomic Private Walking Tour in Popayán: $50
- Private 2-hour Diving Experience with Instructor: $65
- Private Guided Tour to Piedra Colgada and Indian Face and Lagoon: $75
- Tour 5 Rosario Islands: $94
- Scuba Diving Private Tour in San Andres: $130
- Enjoy a Coffee Tour & Santa Fe de Antioquia Colonial Town!!: $135
- Popayán Tour from Cali: $216
- Popayan and Silvia Town Private Tour from Cali: $240
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Fortuna $11Tena $10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Tena, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Tena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Tena 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 Tena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tena 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 Tena.
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 Tena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Tena?
La Fortuna has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Tena. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Tena, 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.