Which place is cheaper, Jaco or Punta Cana?
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 Punta Cana or Jaco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Punta Cana or Jaco? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Punta Cana or Jaco?
Punta Cana
Punta Cana, located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, is renowned for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant culture. This Caribbean paradise offers a diverse range of experiences that cater to all types of travelers, whether you're on a tight budget, seeking thrilling activities, exploring local cuisine, or figuring out the best ways to get around.
Jaco
Jaco is a beach destination on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. This resort city is located in the county of Garabito in the Puntarenas province. It has a population of about 10,000 residents and a 2.5 mile long beach that is an excellent surfing destination.
Because Jaco is located on the coast, it's weather is influenced by the water. The climate is humid with a relative humidity of about 80%, but climbing to 90% in the month of June. The temperature is usually between 85 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit at night. There are distinct wet and dry seasons with August through early December being the rainy season and late December through early April being the dry season. Rain is irregular during the rest of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Punta Cana Prices
Dominican Republic PricesJaco Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta Cana $180Jaco $135
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta Cana is $180, while the average daily cost in Jaco is $135. 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 Punta Cana and Jaco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta Cana $100Jaco $76
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta Cana $200Jaco $152
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and Jaco
Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or Jaco? 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: Punta Cana Hotel Prices and Jaco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta Cana $6.75Jaco -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:
- private transfer standard and premium punta cana airport to puerto plata: $265
- private transfer standard and premium airport punta cana to hotels pta cana: $25
- YC VIP Transfers: $50
- Vip Private Transfer to Punta Cana from Santo Domingo: $153
- VIP Uvero Alto Private Transfer Suburban from Punta Cana: $60
- VIP Transfers in Luxury SUVs - Punta Cana: $32
- VIP Transfers PUJ Airport to Bavaro and Punta Cana Hotels: $72
- VIP Transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Punta Cana / Bavaro Hotel: $67
- VIP Transfer from Airport to Cap Cana Hotels: $149
- VIP Transfer Santo Domingo Las Americas Airport to Punta Cana: $153
- VIP Transfer Punta Cana Airport to Punta Cana & Bavaro Hotels (Not Uvero Alto): $70
- VIP SUV Airport Transfer From or To Uvero Alto: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco
Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Jaco / Los Sueños Marriott Hotels to SJO Airport Private Transfer: $145
- Jaco Beach / Los Suenos Marriott to Arenal Private Transfer: $290
- Jaco to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) - Departure Private Transfer: $140
- One-Way Private Transfer from Jaco to Juan Santa Maria Airport: $175
- Private Transfer From Guacaste Airport to Jaco: $81
- Private Transfer SJO Airport to Jaco & Los Sueños – Safe Reliable: $80
- Private Transfer between SJO Airport, Jaco Beach and OTHERS: $150
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Jaco Beach Puntarenas: $72
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Playa Jaco Puntarenas: $72
- Private group transfer from the airport in SJ to Playa Jaco: $270
- Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $219
- Transfer from jaco to airport γγor back to jaco area: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or Jaco?
Prices for flights to both Jaco and Punta Cana 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 dayPunta Cana $68Jaco $41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Punta Cana
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Punta Cana.
- Sunset Buggies Adventure with Dinner from Punta Cana: $145
- Dinner in the Sky Experience in Punta Cana: $149
- Punta Cana Buggy Ride and Taino Party with Dinner: $230
- Punta Cana Buggy Ride, Dinner and Taino Party: $294
Typical Food Prices in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Hermosa BeachLlunch$4.47
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Tsunami Sushi Dinner$20
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Taco Bar Dinner$10
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Pizza & Smoothie Lunch$7.16
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Ice Cream$6.71
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Breakfast Taco Bar$3.79
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Fruit Plate$3.35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $65
- Night Walk Tour and Jungle Dinner in Jaco: $89
- Taste of Costa Rica: Traditional Food Tour in Jaco: $99
- Jaco Night Jungle with Waterfall Walk, Bonfire and Dinner: $99
- TICO Private Walking Food Tour: $107
- Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Combo Tour with Lunch & Dinner: $199
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta Cana $31Jaco $68
Typical Entertainment Prices in Punta Cana
Here are a few typical costs in Punta Cana for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Dune Buggy Adventure$54
Tours and Activities in Punta Cana
Here are a few actual costs in Punta Cana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- “Saona Island Tour by Catamaran & Speedboat – Punta Cana”: $99
- 2-Hour Horseback Riding Tour at Sunset from Punta Cana: $68
- 3 Hour Punta Cana Outdoor Adventure: $65
- 3 Hours Half Day Tour Buggy Macao Beach cenote Hotel Pickup: $34
- 3 Hours Panoramic Tour in Punta Cana with Artisan Market: $35
- 3 Hours Shared Buggy Tour in Punta Cana: $55
- 3 hrs Glass Boat Tour in Punta Cana: $65
- 3-Day Ultimate Dominican Adventure: Nature, Culture & History: $190
- 3-Hour Extreme Buggy Tour of Punta Cana: $45
- 4 Hour Buggys Adventure Tour in Punta Cana: $50
- 4 Hour Speed Experience in Punta Cana: $80
- 4 Wheel Adventure Beach and River Ride with Lunch: $135
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jaco
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Jaco's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Dance Class$11
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Surf Lesson$56
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Bike Rental$11
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Tortuga Island Tour$111
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Massage$50
Tours and Activities in Jaco
For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Jaco Beach: Downtown Walking Tour with Local American Guide: $9.00
- Cold Plunge Experience in Jaco: $35
- Adventure in Los Chocuacos with all inclusive.: $36
- Tropical Food Forest Foraging Experience in Costa Rica: $40
- Jungle Crocodile Safari: Tarcoles River Crocodile Tour: $40
- Jaco Beach Horseback Riding Tour: $42
- Guided visit to Carara National Park (Ticket included): $45
- Chocolate Experience in Jaco Beach and Los Suenos: $50
- Jaco Horseback Riding Adventure Tours: $51
- Guided City Bike Tour in Jaco Costa Rica: $59
- Exclusive Massage Experience in Playa Jaco Costa Rica: $59
- Party Safari Tractor Tour with Waterfall Swim Day or Night: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta Cana $11Jaco $36
Typical Alcohol Prices in Jaco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Jaco:
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Wine$17
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Night at the Bar$30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta Cana and Jaco, we can see that Punta Cana is more expensive. And not only is Jaco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Punta Cana is in Caribbean Islands and Jaco 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 Jaco would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jaco 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 Punta Cana would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Punta Cana than you might in Jaco.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Punta Cana Expensive? and Is Jaco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta Cana or Jaco?
Punta Cana has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Jaco. When comparing the sizes of Punta Cana and Jaco, 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.
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.