Which place is cheaper, Banos or Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Banos can help you decide which place is right for you.
Situated in the Golfo Dulce, Puerto Jiminez has grown from a logging and gold mining town in the 1960s to become the largest town on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula. Today, it serves as a main gateway to Corcovado National Park, a last stopping point before visitors enter the park. Puerto Jiminez also has a lively night life, a beach, and easy access to a number of outdoors activities.
Banos (de Agua Santa) is a small city in the Andean highlands of Ecuador under volcano Tungurahua. Its name, which is Spanish for "Baths (of sacred water)," comes from the famous hydrothermal springs in the area. It's equally popular with foreigners as with Ecuadorians, and is known as the adventure capital of Ecuador. The streets are lined with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, and tour agencies. Although it is very touristy, lots of people love it, more for the activities and surroundings than for the city itself. It is an important hub for outdoor sports and jungle tours.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Wildlife Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Ecuador.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is $115, while the average daily cost in Banos is $46. 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Banos in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Banos? 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.
Prices for flights to both Banos and Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) 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.
Some typical examples of dining costs in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Banos:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:
Here are a few typical costs in Banos for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Here are a few actual costs in Banos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Banos from other travelers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Banos, we can see that Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is more expensive. And not only is Banos much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is in Central America and Banos is in South 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 Banos would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Banos 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) than you might in Banos.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) Expensive? and Is Banos Expensive?.