Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or La Serena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Serena or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between La Serena and Tamarindo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Serena or Tamarindo?
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Serena $87Tamarindo $121
The average daily cost (per person) in La Serena is $87, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo 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 Serena and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Serena $42Tamarindo $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Serena $84Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in La Serena and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in La Serena or Tamarindo? 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 Serena Hotel Prices and Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Serena $20Tamarindo $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Transfers Riu Palace or Guanacaste from Airports Round trip: $158
- Transfer from Westin Conchal Hotel to Liberia Airport (LIR): $140
- Transfer from JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa to Liberia Airport (LIR): $148
- Transfer To/From Liberia Airport To/ From JW Marriott Guanacaste: $195
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Reserva Conchal: $143
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Planet Hollywood Costa Rica: $92
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Four Seasons Papagayo: $98
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Hacienda Pinilla Guanacaste: $175
- Transfer to Liberia or LIR Airport: $120
- Transfer to La Fortuna de Arenal: $307
- Shuttle Transfer From Liberia Airport To Tamarindo Beach - Costa Rica: $145
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Riu Guanacaste Hotel: $181
Is it cheaper to fly into La Serena or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and La Serena 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 Serena $27Tamarindo $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Serena $24Tamarindo $17
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Ecologic farming Sloth tour Hiking & Chocolate -Coffee tour: $260
- Premium Tour: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Adventure Combo Tour: $220
- Premium Tour: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano and Waterfall Hiking: $170
- Premium Tour:Sloths and Río Celeste y Cortez Waterfalls (Tenorio Volcano Park): $220
- Private ATV or Buggy Tour from Riu Hotels: $85
- Sloth Farm Watching Tour & Amazimg Waterfall: $185
- Wildlife Tour at Palo Verde National Park: $199
- 1,5 Hours Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $80
- 2-Hour Guided Tour by ATV near Playa Conchal: $130
- 3 Hour ATV Secluded Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal & Grande: $125
- 3-in-1 Rincon de la Vieja National Park Nature Day Tour: $300
- 5-Hour Guided Sunset Boat Tour in Tamarindo Costa Rica: $95
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Serena $22Tamarindo $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Serena and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Serena is in South America and Tamarindo is in Central 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo than you might in La Serena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Serena Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit La Serena or Tamarindo?
La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Tamarindo experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit La Serena or Tamarindo in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to La Serena as well as Tamarindo. The warm climate attracts visitors to Tamarindo throughout the year.
In the summer, La Serena is much colder than Tamarindo. Typically, the summer temperatures in La Serena in January average around 18°C (64°F), and Tamarindo averages at about 28°C (82°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Serena this time of the year. In the summer, La Serena often gets more sunshine than Tamarindoin July. La Serena gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Tamarindo receives 164 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Tamarindo. La Serena usually gets less rain in January than Tamarindoin July. La Serena gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Serena 18°C (64°F)Tamarindo 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit La Serena or Tamarindo in the Autumn?
Both Tamarindo and La Serena are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Tamarindo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, La Serena is generally much colder than Tamarindoin October. Daily temperatures in La Serena average around 15°C (59°F), and Tamarindo fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
La Serena usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Tamarindo during autumn. La Serena gets 159 hours of sunny skies, while Tamarindo receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Tamarindo. In April, La Serena usually receives less rain than Tamarindoin October. La Serena gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Serena 15°C (59°F)Tamarindo 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit La Serena or Tamarindo in the Winter?
Both Tamarindo and La Serena during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Tamarindo year-round.
La Serena is much colder than Tamarindo in the winter. The daily temperature in La Serena averages around 12°C (54°F) in July, and Tamarindo fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in January.
In Tamarindo, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, La Serena often gets less sunshine than Tamarindoin January. La Serena gets 160 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Tamarindo receives 264 hours of full sun.
La Serena usually gets less rain in July than Tamarindoin January. La Serena gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Serena 12°C (54°F)Tamarindo 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit La Serena or Tamarindo in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Serena and Tamarindo. Tamarindo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, La Serena is much colder than Tamarindo. Typically, the spring temperatures in La Serena in October average around 14°C (57°F), and Tamarindo averages at about 29°C (85°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Tamarindo this time of the year. La Serena usually receives less sunshine than Tamarindo during spring. La Serena gets 190 hours of sunny skies, while Tamarindo receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, La Serena usually receives less rain than Tamarindoin April. La Serena gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Serena 14°C (57°F)Tamarindo 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Tamarindo and La Serena
| La Serena | Tamarindo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
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.