A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Manama vs. Tamarindo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Manama or Tamarindo?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Manama and Tamarindo can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Manama or Tamarindo?

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 Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.


Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Manama?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Manama is $190, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $161. 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 Manama and Tamarindo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Manama $67
    Tamarindo $56
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Manama $134
    Tamarindo $112
Compare Hotels in Manama and Tamarindo

Looking for a hotel in Manama 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.

Hotels in Manama


Hotels in Tamarindo


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: Manama Hotel Prices and Tamarindo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Manama $30
    Tamarindo $77

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:

  • Costa Rica Private Guanacaste Airport (LIR) Departure transfer: $5.00
  • Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Waldorf Astoria Hotel: $16
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Mangroove Hotel: $16
  • Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Secret Papagayo: $20
  • Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Waldorf Astoria Hotel: $20
  • Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Hotel Luna Llena: $21
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Swiss Captain: $22
  • Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Hotel Luna Llena: $22
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Hotel Arco Iris: $22
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Selina Tamarindo: $24
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Capitan Suizo, Tamarindo: $24
  • Private Transfer from Liberia/Tamarindo Guanacaste Airport: $24

Is it cheaper to fly into Manama or Tamarindo?

Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Manama 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Manama $97
    Tamarindo $62

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
  • Tamarindo : Traditional Cooking Class: $95
  • Discover Tamarindo's Blue Zone: Healthy Cooking Class: $154

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Manama $34
    Tamarindo $19

Tours and Activities in Tamarindo

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:

  • UNICO Luxury 1-Hour Boat Tour and Flamingo: $30
  • Paintball Experience near Tamarindo: $32
  • Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $41
  • Boat Sightseeing Tour of Las Baulas Marine Park, Mangroves and Nature: $42
  • Tamarindo Estuary Boat Tour with Naturalist Guide: $45
  • Boat adventure with wildlife viewing in Tamarindo: $45
  • Mangrove Sightseeing Tour and Wildlife Experience: $45
  • Mangrove tour, crocodiles , monkeys birds nature Boat or Kayak: $45
  • Tamarindo Mangrove Tour: $46
  • Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
  • Tamarindo Estuary Boat Tour: $47
  • Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour: $48

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Manama $11
    Tamarindo $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Tamarindo

Also in Tamarindo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Tamarindo Bar Crawl – #1 Nightlife Experience: $20
  • Puro Vino - Tamarindo's Wine Tour Ride: $85


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Manama and Tamarindo, we can see that Manama is more expensive. And not only is Tamarindo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Manama is in Middle East 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 Tamarindo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tamarindo 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 Manama would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manama than you might in Tamarindo.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Manama Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.