Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Jose?
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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Jose. 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: Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Jose?
Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)
An island of the Caribbean Netherlands, St. Eustatius, sometimes called Statia, is a small, relatively unknown destination to the greater tourist areas of the Caribbean. As a result, however, it is its own treasure consisting of a dormant volcano known as the Quill and featuring a lush rainforest, narrow volcanic beaches, many dive sites, and a quaint harbor town.
San Jose
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is likely to be your first and last stop in a visit to the country. The city is situated in the Central Valley and is surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, making for a beautiful flight in. The city has an elevation of 1200 meters and sits on a plateau with a beautiful backdrop of lush green forest. Half of the people in Costa Rica reside in the country's capital city. You are likely to stay only a day or two, but there are a handful of things to do and see including museums and markets. You will also find many embassies, as well as the University of Costa Rica in San Jose.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $188San Jose $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is $188, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $90. 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $92San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $184San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Jose? 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: San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $70San Jose $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius):
- St. Kitts & Nevis Airport Hotel & Boat Shared/Private Transfers: $45
- St. Christophe Harbour Transfers: $67
- Shared or Private St Kitts Airport Roundtrip Transfer : $32
- ST Kitts private Luxury Air Port Transfer: $300
- Private Transfer from St. Kitts Airport to Park Hyatt: $55
- Private Airport Transfers to Park Hyatt & water taxi: $45
- Late Night & Early Morning Transfers (Reconfirm 48hrs): $53
- Catamaran Party Cruise to Nevis from St Kitts with Transfer from Frigate Bay: $150
- Beach Transfer Frigate Bay Beach: $26
- St. Kitts Hotel Transfers: $80
- International Airport/Private Jet Terminal Transfers: $67
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO$25
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Local Bus$2.72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer San José Airport - La Fortuna: $180
- Airport transfer from SJO Airport to Los Sueños Marriott: $170
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport SJO to Arenal by Minivan: $177
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport to Manuel Antonio by Minivan: $158
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Cahuita, English Speaking Driver: $239
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Monteverde, English Speaking Driver: $179
- Direct transfer from San Jose to La Fortuna, English Speaking Driver: $152
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Arrival Private Transfer: $67
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $135
- Juan Santamaria Intl Airport (SJO) to San Jose - Private Transfer: $70
- Juan Santamaria Intl Airport(SJO) to Puntarenas city-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $165
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Arrival Private Transfer: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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 dayOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $51San Jose $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Jose
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bites and Sights: Walking Food Tour in San Jose : $34
- Tropical Cooking Classes: $52
- San Jose By Night Tour: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktails Classes: $57
- San Jose Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and visit Gold Museum : $60
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $76
- Explore San Jose By Night: Food and Culture Tour with Local Dinner: $80
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $37San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)
Here are a few actual costs in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3 Hour St. Kitts Open Air Safari Exotic Tour: $75
- 3 Hours Private Royal Highlight Tour in St. Kitts: $260
- 3.5hr Private Power Catamaran Snorkel and Beach Experience: $155
- 5hr Private Powered Catamaran Snorkel and Beach Experience with Lunch: $178
- A Scenic, Historical and Guided Rainforest Tour: $80
- ATV Tour of St Kitts: $110
- Basseterre Food and Walking Tour: $77
- Basseterre Plantation Private Half Day Tour: $60
- Beach Adventure Tour: $93
- Best of St. Kitts Highlight Tour.: $250
- Best of St. Kitts Private Half Day Tour: $240
- Best of St. Kitts Tour: $135
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Entrance Ticket to the Farm of Hacienda Orosi: $11
- Entrance ticket to the Hacienda Orosi: $21
- Hiking Experience in El Quetzal Private Reserve: $26
- Private Roasting and Cupping Coffee Experience: $30
- Visit a Butterfly Chapel, Gardens, Coffee Tour with Typical Lunch: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- 2-Hour Downtown San Jose Walking Tour: $33
- Private Custom Guided Tour in San Jose: $33
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $33
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- San Jose Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
- Historical Tour and Old Houses by Dota: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $26San Jose $17
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $38
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Jose, we can see that Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is in Caribbean Islands and San Jose 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) than you might in San Jose.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Jose?
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 310 times larger than the population of Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius). When comparing the sizes of Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Jose, 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.