Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or La Serena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 La Serena can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or La Serena?
Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)
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.
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $115La Serena $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is $115, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $87. 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 La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $49La Serena $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $98La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or La Serena? 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: Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) Hotel Prices and La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -La Serena $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $35La Serena $27
Typical Food Prices in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:
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Dinner at Finca Exotica$54
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $119La Serena $24
Tours and Activities in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:
- 30-minute Corcovado National Park Tour by Plane: $256
- 4 Hour Private Guided Tour in Osa Jungle : $120
- Bio-Luminescence and Sunset Kayak Tour: $62
- Corcovado day tour- Sirena Station With Lunch- Small Group : $160
- Day tours Corcovado Total Adventure: $150
- Kayak experience on Playa Blanca in Puerto Jiménez: $65
- One Day Tour To Caño Island From Drake Bay: $125
- One Day Tour to Corcovado (La Leona Station) From Puerto Jiménez: $299
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -La Serena $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and La Serena, we can see that Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is in Central America and La Serena 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 La Serena.
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 La Serena 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.