Which place is cheaper, Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia. 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.
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, and The Best Eco Tours in 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 Ushuaia is $11. 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 Ushuaia in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Ushuaia? 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 Ushuaia are as follows:
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Ushuaia 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ushuaia:
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ushuaia are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Ushuaia, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia.
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 Ushuaia Expensive?.
Ushuaia has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Ushuaia, 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.
Ushuaia has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but La Fortuna experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
The summer brings many poeple to La Fortuna as well as Ushuaia. La Fortuna attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, La Fortuna is generally much warmer than Ushuaiain January. Daily temperatures in La Fortuna average around 28°C (82°F), and Ushuaia fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
In the summer, La Fortuna often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Ushuaiain January. La Fortuna gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ushuaia receives 169 hours of full sun.
La Fortuna receives a lot of rain in the summer. La Fortuna usually gets more rain in July than Ushuaiain January. La Fortuna gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both Ushuaia and La Fortuna are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
La Fortuna is much warmer than Ushuaia in the autumn. The daily temperature in La Fortuna averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Ushuaia fluctuates around 6°C (43°F)in April.
La Fortuna usually receives more sunshine than Ushuaia during autumn. La Fortuna gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while Ushuaia receives 74 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in La Fortuna. In October, La Fortuna usually receives more rain than Ushuaiain April. La Fortuna gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
Both Ushuaia and La Fortuna during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to La Fortuna because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Ushuaia can be very cold during winter. In the winter, La Fortuna is much warmer than Ushuaia. Typically, the winter temperatures in La Fortuna in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Ushuaia averages at about 2°C (36°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in La Fortuna. In the winter, La Fortuna often gets more sunshine than Ushuaiain July. La Fortuna gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ushuaia receives 61 hours of full sun.
La Fortuna usually gets less rain in January than Ushuaiain July. La Fortuna gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Fortuna and Ushuaia. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to La Fortuna year-round.
In April, La Fortuna is generally much warmer than Ushuaiain October. Daily temperatures in La Fortuna average around 29°C (85°F), and Ushuaia fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).
In La Fortuna, it's very sunny this time of the year. La Fortuna usually receives more sunshine than Ushuaia during spring. La Fortuna gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Ushuaia receives 156 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, La Fortuna usually receives around the same amount of rain as Ushuaiain October. La Fortuna gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
La Fortuna | Ushuaia | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |