Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena?
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 Santa Elena can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Santa Elena?
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.
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $111Santa Elena $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is $111, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $89. 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 Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $48Santa Elena $53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $96Santa Elena $106
Compare Hotels in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Santa Elena? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -Santa Elena $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $39
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $183
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $216
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena 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) $33Santa Elena $23
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$52
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $116Santa Elena $29
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 : $100
- Bio-Luminescence and Sunset Kayak Tour: $62
- Gold Panning Private Adventure in Puerto Jimenez: $35
- 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
- Parque Nacional Corcovado- Sirena Day tour desde Puerto Jiménez : $110
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Selvatura Park: Herpetarium Tour in Monteverde: $22
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $25
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- The Quetzal Tour In Monteverde : $29
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $30
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $30
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $30
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $30
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $33
- CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33
- Guided walk Monteverde Biological Reserve-John's Nature Tours-: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -Santa Elena $6.02
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Santa Elena, we can see that Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Elena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena.
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 Santa Elena 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.