Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Oranjestad?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Oranjestad or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Oranjestad or Tamarindo, 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: Oranjestad 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.
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Oranjestad Prices
Aruba PricesTamarindo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOranjestad $337Tamarindo $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Oranjestad is $337, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $159. 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 and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOranjestad $188Tamarindo $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOranjestad $376Tamarindo $110
Compare Hotels in Oranjestad and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Oranjestad 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: Oranjestad Hotel Prices and Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oranjestad $35Tamarindo $76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Oranjestad
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Oranjestad:
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Round-trip Bus Ticket$2.22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oranjestad
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oranjestad:
- Reina Beatrix Airport: Round-Trip Shared Transfer: $22
- Private Round-Trip Transfer from Aruba Airport to Hotel: $68
- Aruba Oranjestad Queen Airport (AUA): Transfer to island: $130
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Airport Transfer from Intl. Liberia (LIR) to Tamarindo- Flamingo: $170
- Airport Transfer from Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo Hyatt (Round Trip): $180
- Costa Rica Private Guanacaste Airport (LIR) Departure transfer: $5.00
- Flamingo/Tamarindo to Liberia Airport(LIR)- Departure Transfer: $121
- Guanacaste Airport transfer to Jw Marriott Guanacaste: $130
- Liberia Airport Private Transfer To And From Guanacaste Hotels: $120
- Liberia Airport Private Transfer To Gulf of Papagayo Costa Rica: $125
- Liberia Airport Private Transfer to Best Western Tamarindo: $24
- Liberia Airport To Andaz Papagayo Resort, Private Transfer: $128
- Liberia Airport To Tamarindo Private Transfer: $95
- Minivan Departure Transfer Tamarindo to San Jose Airport SJO: $293
- Monteverde: Transfer to Tamarindo: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Oranjestad or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Oranjestad 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 $108Tamarindo $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
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oranjestad $91Tamarindo $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Oranjestad
Here are a few typical costs in Oranjestad for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Full Day Bike Rental$25
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Horseback Riding Tour$70
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Golf$124
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Kayak & Snorkeling Tour$98
Tours and Activities in Oranjestad
Here are a few actual costs in Oranjestad for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Aruba: Guided Countryside Exploration Tour: $45
- 3-Hour Aruba Highlights Guided Tour: $49
- Half-Day Aruba Island Tour with Top Attractions: $55
- Aruba: Beach Hopping Snorkeling Tour: $57
- Meet the Animals of Aruba Tour: $57
- Discover the Island of Aruba: 4-Hour Bus Tour & Snorkel: $59
- Full-Day Aruba History and Landmarks Tour: $69
- Aruba Downtown Historic And Cultural Walking Tour: $75
- Sunset Party Bus tour with Champagne toast on the beach.: $77
- Aruba: Natural Pool, Caves & Baby Beach Jeep Adventure: $89
- Aruba: North Coast EZ Raider Adventure: $95
- Mangel Halto and Baby Beach Snorkeling Tour: $95
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Paintball Experience near Tamarindo: $32
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $41
- Mangrove tour, crocodiles , monkeys birds nature Boat or Kayak: $45
- Boat adventure with wildlife viewing in Tamarindo: $45
- Tamarindo Mangrove Tour: $46
- Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
- Tamarindo Estuary Boat Tour: $47
- Turtle Nesting Tour Playa Grande CR: $55
- Tamarindo wildlife Estuary boat ride tour 1 hour and 45 minutes: $62
- Prívate Beach tour at Guanacaste Province: $65
- Small-Group Zipline Canopy Tour in Tamarindo's Jungle: $65
- ATV Tour of Tamarindo: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOranjestad $31Tamarindo $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Tamarindo
Also in Tamarindo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Puro Vino - Tamarindo's Wine Tour Ride: $85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oranjestad and Tamarindo, we can see that Oranjestad is more expensive. And not only is Tamarindo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oranjestad is in Caribbean Islands 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 Oranjestad would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oranjestad 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 Oranjestad Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
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.