Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna 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 La Fortuna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Punta Cana or La Fortuna? 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 La Fortuna?
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.
La Fortuna
La Fortuna is in San Carlos, in the province of Alajuela. It is the closest town to Arenal Volcano, and the area is often simply refered to as Arenal. The volcano itself is active and has been constantly erupting since 1968. It erupts on average 41 times a day. This area of northern Costa Rica is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
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Punta Cana Prices
Dominican Republic PricesLa Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta Cana $179La Fortuna $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta Cana is $179, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $124. 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 La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta Cana $100La Fortuna $51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta Cana $200La Fortuna $102
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or La Fortuna? 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 La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta Cana $6.72La Fortuna $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:
- Transfer from Punta Cana Airport to hotels - from Rep Dom: $6.40
- Bavaro|Veron: PUJ Airport to Bavaro|Veron Private Transfer: $7.00
- PUJ Airport to Punta Cana City Private Transfer: $7.00
- One Way Shared Transfer from Punta Cana : $9.34
- Private Transfers Punta Cana Airport and Hotels.: $10
- 1-way Private Transfer: $10
- Private Airport Transfer from Punta Cana safety & Comfort: $12
- Private airport transfer from punta cana to hotel in bavaro: $13
- Efficient & Private Airport Transfer Service: $13
- Private Airport Transfers, Shuttles and Taxis To Hotels in Dominican Republic: $13
- Punta Cana Airport Private Transfers to Hotels: $14
- Private Transfer Punta Cana Airport PUJ - Punta Cana Bavaro Veron: $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $42
- Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $199
- Direct Transfer From La Fortuna to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $159
- From Fortuna: 2 Day Hike to Monteverde with Hotel Transfer: $160
- From Lake Arenal Kayaking Trip with Transfer: $90
- From One way shared transfer to Monteverde: $74
- From Private Transfer to Tamarindo & Conchal: $279
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- From San Jose: One way shared transfer to La Fortuna: $74
- La Fortuna Arenal Hotels TO SJO Airport Private Transfer One Way: $189
- La Fortuna Private Transfer to San Jose Airport : $231
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Puerto Viejo de Limon: $400
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna 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 $67La Fortuna $48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Punta Cana
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Punta Cana.
- Origen Tasting Adventure Dinner or Lunch of 8 Courses Dom Cuisine: $85
- 'Chillo al Coco' Cooking Class & Taino Concept store: $98
- Buggy Ride, Dinner and Taino Party: $118
- Punta Cana Buggy Ride, Dinner and Taino Party: $125
- Sunset Buggies Adventure with Dinner from Punta Cana: $139
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- Sloth Tour in La Fortuna and Tortillas Cooking Class: $35
- 2 Hours Private Cooking Class in La Fortuna: $45
- Skip the Line: Mineral Hot Springs Full Day Ticket w/ Optional Lunch or Dinner: $47
- Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
- Costa Rican Breakfast & Cooking Experience in La Fortuna: $50
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $50
- Costa Rica The Chela Cooking Experience : $55
- Costa Rican Cooking Class: $57
- Costa Rican cuisine Cooking Class at Rancho Don Lelo: $60
- Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $63
- 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $68
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta Cana $31La Fortuna $44
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$53
Tours and Activities in Punta Cana
Here are a few actual costs in Punta Cana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Souvenir Shopping Tour with Traditional Tastings: $2.00
- Shopping Tour to WorldMart Souvenirs Store: $5.00
- Guided Shopping Tour - Rum tasting, chocolate factory, Cigar factory: $5.00
- Guided Shopping Tour to WordMart Souvenirs Store: $5.00
- Guided Shopping Tour at BellaMare Souvenirs Mall: $5.00
- Shopping Tour In Don Lucas Cigar Factory, Rum tasting, Cocoa factory, Souvenirs : $5.00
- Guided Tour to Don Lucas Cigar Factory & Souvenirs Store: $5.00
- Shopping Tour in Punta Cana with Round Trip Transportation: $5.00
- Guided Tour of WordMart Souvenir Store in Punta Cana: $5.00
- Adventure Buggy Punta Cana:Cave Macao Beach: $5.00
- Tour de Compras: Chocolate, Café y Artesanías en Punta Cana.: $5.00
- Guided Tour to Don Lucas Cigar Factory: Round-trip transport: $5.00
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Three hours walking tour around the deep Tropical Rain Forest: $20
- Arenal Volcano Hike Experience (not guide included): $23
- Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
- arenal fortuna city tour: $30
- Sloth and Monkey Wild Life Tour : $30
- San Carlos: The Art of Chocolate Making Tour at Don Olivo: $30
- Ticket to Rio Celeste Waterfall & Tenorio Volcano National Park: $32
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour from La Fortuna: $32
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $32
- Night tour through the Tropical Forest at Tifakara : $34
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta Cana $11La Fortuna $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Punta Cana
Also in Punta Cana, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bar Crawl in Punta Cana: $35
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta Cana and La Fortuna, we can see that Punta Cana is more expensive. And not only is La Fortuna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Punta Cana is in Caribbean Islands and La Fortuna 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 La Fortuna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Fortuna 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 La Fortuna.
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 La Fortuna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta Cana or La Fortuna?
Punta Cana has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Punta Cana and La Fortuna, 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.