Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Ocho Rios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ocho Rios or La Fortuna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ocho Rios or La Fortuna, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Ocho Rios or La Fortuna?
Ocho Rios
Ocho Rios, or "Ochi" is a town located on the northeastern shore of Jamaica and is a popular hub for cruise ships. It is a great destination for tourists as it has many resorts and beautiful beaches.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOcho Rios $77La Fortuna $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Ocho Rios is $77, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $104. 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 Ocho Rios and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOcho Rios $52La Fortuna $51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOcho Rios $104La Fortuna $102
Compare Hotels in Ocho Rios and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in Ocho Rios or La Fortuna? 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: Ocho Rios Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ocho Rios $7.60La Fortuna $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ocho Rios
Also for Ocho Rios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ocho Rios or Runaway Bay 2-Hour Shopping Transfer: $15
- Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain from Ocho Rios: $20
- Shuttle Transfer From Montego Bay Airport - Runaway Bay: $24
- Private Transfer from Ian Fleming Airport to Ocho Rios: $25
- Montego Bay Private Airport Transfers - Round Trip: $25
- AirBnB Roundtrip Shuttle / One Way MBJ Airport Transfers: $25
- Private Transfer to Konoko Falls Botanical Gardens: $27
- Relaxing Montego Bay To Ducanon and Juwel Runaway Bay Transfer: $27
- Airport Transfer Roundtrip Jamaica MBJ: $29
- Private Airport transfer from Montego Bay To Ocho Rios .: $30
- Private Airport Transfer from MBJ to Ocho Rios: $30
- Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Ocho Rios and Runnaway Bay Hotels(Private) : $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Puerto Viejo de Limon: Transfer to La Fortuna de Arenal: $400
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Puerto Viejo de Limon: $400
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Manuel Antonio or Quepos: $320
- Private One-Way Transfer to Manuel Antonio: $310
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Tamarindo: $307
- Private Transfer from la Fortuna to Puerto Viejo & Cahuita Limon: $299
- VIP Private Transfer from La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano) to Tamarindo Beach: $299
- Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Manuel Antonio From 1 to 6 passengers: $297
- Transfer from Arenal or La Fortuna to Monteverde up to 5 passengers. (One Way): $295
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- Private One-Way Transfer from/to La Fortuna to Papagayo Peninsula: $289
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $280
Is it cheaper to fly into Ocho Rios or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Ocho Rios 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 dayOcho Rios $17La Fortuna $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ocho Rios
For Ocho Rios, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- From Flavors of Jamaica Guided Food Tour: $89
- Taste of Jamaica Farm & Food Tour: $98
- Private Hillside Cooking Class Jamaican Style with Pickup : $104
- Flavors of Jamaica Food Tour from Ocho Rios: $128
- Taste of Jamaica Food Tour from Ocho Rios: $130
- Ocho Ros: Hillside Cooking Class, Jamaican Style: $130
- Taste of Jamaica Food Tour: $140
- The Jamaica School of Cooking and Ocho Rios Highlights Tour: $141
- Ocho Rios Sunset Catamaran Cruise with Dinner: $218
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- Skip the Line: Mineral Hot Springs Full Day Ticket w/ Optional Lunch or Dinner: $42
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $45
- 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
- Cooking and Salsa Dance Lesson Combo : $74
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ocho Rios $15La Fortuna $44
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ocho Rios
For Ocho Rios, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Tour of Brimmer Hall Estate$11
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Admission to Coyaba Gardens$5.47
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Tour of Prospect Plantation$18
Tours and Activities in Ocho Rios
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ocho Rios.
- Private Sightseeing Tour in Ocho Rios : $30
- Private Guided Tour To Yaaman Adventures Safari jungle park: $40
- Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios with Pickup: $40
- Private Blue hole Tour from Ocho Rios : $40
- Ocho Rios Sightseeing and Taxi from Runaway Bay & Ocho Rios: $40
- Blue Hole And Konoko Falls Combo Tour From Ocho Rios & Runaway Bay!: $43
- Private Konoko Falls and Sightseeing Tour from Ocho Rios : $45
- Private Tour From Ocho Rios To Blue Hole Secret Falls and Shopping: $50
- Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole Private Tour from Ocho Rios: $50
- Ocho Rios For A Day / Private Customizable Tours / Jamaica Dream Vacation: $50
- Private Tour From Ocho Rios To Blue Hole & Konoko Falls: $50
- Blue hole waterfalls tour from Ocho Rios : $51
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- Arenal Volcano Hike Experience (not guide included): $23
- La Fortuna's 3 Essentials Private Tour: $280
- Rio Celeste Tubing Experience: $54
- Sky Adventures Arenal : Zipline - Sky Tram & Sky Walk (guided): $260
- 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $30
- 12 cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over Waterfalls!: $101
- 2-Hour Chachagua Rainforest - Birdwatching Tour: $60
- 2-in-1 Arenal Combo Tour: Hanging Bridges + La Fortuna Waterfall: $164
- 2-in-1 Arenal Volcano Combo Tour: La Fortuna Waterfall and Volcano Hike: $170
- 3-Hour Arenal Lake Flexi Pass Adventure In Costa Rica: $69
- 7 Nights Costa Rica Fully Guided Adventure: $2,000
- 7 cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over La Fortuna Waterfall!: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOcho Rios $7.71La Fortuna $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ocho Rios and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Ocho Rios much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ocho Rios is in Caribbean Islands and La Fortuna 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 Ocho Rios would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ocho Rios Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ocho Rios or La Fortuna?
Ocho Rios has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Ocho Rios and La Fortuna, 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.
When is the best time to visit Ocho Rios or La Fortuna?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Ocho Rios or La Fortuna in the Summer?
Both La Fortuna and Ocho Rios during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Ocho Rios because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to La Fortuna year-round.
La Fortuna gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Ocho Rios usually gets less rain in July than La Fortuna. Ocho Rios gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
It's quite sunny in Ocho Rios. In the summer, Ocho Rios often gets more sunshine than La Fortuna. Ocho Rios gets 254 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 164 hours of full sun.
In July, Ocho Rios is generally around the same temperature as La Fortuna. Daily temperatures in Ocho Rios average around 29°C (83°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyOcho Rios 29°C (83°F)La Fortuna 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or La Fortuna in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Ocho Rios and La Fortuna. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ocho Rios year-round. La Fortuna attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
La Fortuna receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Ocho Rios gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Ocho Rios usually receives less rain than La Fortuna. Ocho Rios gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
In Ocho Rios, it's very sunny this time of the year. Ocho Rios usually receives more sunshine than La Fortuna during autumn. Ocho Rios gets 229 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Ocho Rios is around the same temperature as La Fortuna in the autumn. The daily temperature in Ocho Rios averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and La Fortuna fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberOcho Rios 28°C (82°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or La Fortuna in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Ocho Rios as well as La Fortuna. Ocho Rios attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
Ocho Rios usually gets more rain in January than La Fortuna. Ocho Rios gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Fortuna. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ocho Rios this time of the year. In the winter, Ocho Rios often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortuna. Ocho Rios gets 257 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 264 hours of full sun.
In the winter, Ocho Rios is around the same temperature as La Fortuna. Typically, the winter temperatures in Ocho Rios in January average around 26°C (79°F), and La Fortuna averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryOcho Rios 26°C (79°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Ocho Rios or La Fortuna in the Spring?
Both La Fortuna and Ocho Rios are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ocho Rios throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to La Fortuna because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Ocho Rios usually receives around the same amount of rain as La Fortuna. Ocho Rios gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
It's quite sunny in La Fortuna. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ocho Rios. Ocho Rios usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortuna during spring. Ocho Rios gets 251 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Ocho Rios is generally cooler than La Fortuna. Daily temperatures in Ocho Rios average around 26°C (80°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilOcho Rios 26°C (80°F)La Fortuna 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for La Fortuna and Ocho Rios
| Ocho Rios | La Fortuna | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 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.