Which place is cheaper, Quepos or Piriapolis?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Piriapolis or Quepos?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Piriapolis or Quepos, 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: Piriapolis or Quepos?
Piriapolis
Piriapolis is a small beach town between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. It is a more laid back version of Punta del Este with fewer fancy restaurants and clubs but it has perhaps more charm, with its grand old hotel and beachfront promenade backed by small mountains. The rather old-school coastal resort is vaguely reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach town.
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPiriapolis $67Quepos $117
The average daily cost (per person) in Piriapolis is $67, while the average daily cost in Quepos is $117. 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 Piriapolis and Quepos in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPiriapolis $27Quepos $77
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPiriapolis $54Quepos $154
Compare Hotels in Piriapolis and Quepos
Looking for a hotel in Piriapolis or Quepos? 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: Piriapolis Hotel Prices and Quepos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Piriapolis $31Quepos $9.56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Manuel Antonio & Quepos one way transfer to SJO hotels - Airport up to 5 people.: $274
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Monteverde: $276
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Manuel Antonio/Quepos : $300
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $125
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
- Private Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to San Jose City Hotels: $91
- Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
- Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $209
Is it cheaper to fly into Piriapolis or Quepos?
Prices for flights to both Quepos and Piriapolis 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 dayPiriapolis $23Quepos $30
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$15
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $59
- 3 Hour Cooking Class and Medical Plants Garden: $77
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Piriapolis $5.89Quepos $17
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Beach Day Experience in Manuel Antonio: $20
- Manuel Antonio National Park tour : $27
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park Group Guided Tour: $30
- Guided Tour in Manuel Antonio National Park!: $35
- Manuel Antonio Jungle Night Tour with pick up included: $39
- Guided hiking Tour by the Mystic Ebano Rainforest in Costa Rica: $40
- Manuel Antonio: Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $45
- Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPiriapolis $8.11Quepos $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Piriapolis and Quepos, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is Piriapolis much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Piriapolis is in South America and Quepos 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 Piriapolis would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Piriapolis 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos than you might in Piriapolis.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Piriapolis Expensive? and Is Quepos Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Piriapolis or Quepos?
Piriapolis has a larger population, and is about 2% larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Piriapolis and Quepos, 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 Piriapolis or Quepos?
Piriapolis has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Quepos experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Piriapolis or Quepos in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Piriapolis as well as Quepos. The warm climate attracts visitors to Quepos throughout the year.
Piriapolis is cooler than Quepos in the summer. The daily temperature in Piriapolis averages around 23°C (73°F) in January, and Quepos fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Piriapolis this time of the year. In the summer, Piriapolis often gets more sunshine than Queposin July. Piriapolis gets 296 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Quepos receives 164 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Quepos. Piriapolis usually gets less rain in January than Queposin July. Piriapolis gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyPiriapolis 23°C (73°F)Quepos 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Piriapolis or Quepos in the Autumn?
Both Quepos and Piriapolis are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Quepos because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Piriapolis is much colder than Quepos. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Piriapolis in April average around 17°C (63°F), and Quepos averages at about 27°C (81°F)in October.
Piriapolis usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Quepos during autumn. Piriapolis gets 171 hours of sunny skies, while Quepos receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Quepos. In April, Piriapolis usually receives less rain than Queposin October. Piriapolis gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberPiriapolis 17°C (63°F)Quepos 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Piriapolis or Quepos in the Winter?
Both Quepos and Piriapolis during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Quepos year-round.
In July, Piriapolis is generally much colder than Queposin January. Daily temperatures in Piriapolis average around 10°C (50°F), and Quepos fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
In Quepos, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Piriapolis often gets less sunshine than Queposin January. Piriapolis gets 135 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Quepos receives 264 hours of full sun.
Piriapolis usually gets more rain in July than Queposin January. Piriapolis gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryPiriapolis 10°C (50°F)Quepos 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Piriapolis or Quepos in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Piriapolis and Quepos. Quepos attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Piriapolis is much colder than Quepos in the spring. The daily temperature in Piriapolis averages around 16°C (61°F) in October, and Quepos fluctuates around 29°C (85°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Quepos this time of the year. In Piriapolis, it's very sunny this time of the year. Piriapolis usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Quepos during spring. Piriapolis gets 248 hours of sunny skies, while Quepos receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Piriapolis usually receives more rain than Queposin April. Piriapolis gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilPiriapolis 16°C (61°F)Quepos 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Quepos and Piriapolis
| Piriapolis | Quepos | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 23°C (73°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 22°C (72°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 14°C (57°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 11°C (52°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 10°C (50°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 11°C (52°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 67 mm (2.6 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.