Which place is cheaper, San Jose 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 San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Punta Cana or San Jose? 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 San Jose?
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.
San Jose
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is likely to be your first and last stop in a visit to the country. The city is situated in the Central Valley and is surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, making for a beautiful flight in. The city has an elevation of 1200 meters and sits on a plateau with a beautiful backdrop of lush green forest. Half of the people in Costa Rica reside in the country's capital city. You are likely to stay only a day or two, but there are a handful of things to do and see including museums and markets. You will also find many embassies, as well as the University of Costa Rica in San Jose.
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 PricesSan Jose Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta Cana $170San Jose $103
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta Cana is $170, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $103. 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 San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta Cana $95San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta Cana $190San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or San Jose? 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 San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta Cana $6.39San Jose $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:
- private transfer from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo airport (sdq): $156
- YC VIP Transfers: $50
- Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana - Airport Transfer - Round Trip: $137
- VIP Uvero Alto Private Transfer Suburban from Punta Cana: $60
- VIP Transfers in Luxury SUVs - Punta Cana: $19
- 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 From Punta Cana Int. Airport to Punta Cana / Bavaro: $120
- VIP Suburban Transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Bavaro Hotels: $47
- VIP SUV Suburbans Transfer Punta Cana Airport & Hotels : $35
- VIP SUV Airport Transfer from Punta Cana/Bavaro: $60
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO$25
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Local Bus$2.72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: San José Airport to Puerto Viejo / Cahuita : $275
- Private Transfer: San José Hotels to SJO Airport: $95
- Airport transfer from SJO Airport to Los Sueños Marriott: $185
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport SJO to Arenal by Minivan: $205
- Braulio Carrillo 6 in 1 Full Day Pass with Optional Transfer: $112
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Cahuita, English Speaking Driver: $262
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Limon, English Speaking Driver: $209
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Monteverde, English Speaking Driver: $196
- Direct transfer from San Jose to La Fortuna, English Speaking Driver: $167
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Arrival Private Transfer: $143
- Juan Santamaria Intl Airport (SJO) to San Jose - Private Transfer: $76
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to Puntarenas city- Arrival Private Transfer: $105
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose 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 $64San Jose $31
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
- Taste of DR Street Food Tour: $125
- Sunset Buggies Adventure with Dinner from Punta Cana: $130
- Punta Cana Night Tour Polaris Ride Dinner Music and Open Bar: $169
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Jose
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour including Markets: $29
- San Jose Cooking Classes visit Central Market: $52
- San Jose By Night: Farm to Table Dinner, Cooking & Cocktail Class: $59
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $78
- San Jose By Night: Sights & Culture Tour with Local Dinner : $80
- Dinner + Typical dance show at the best viewpoint in San José: $92
- Street Food Tour in San Jose with a Local Guide: $113
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $185
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta Cana $30San Jose $21
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$51
Tours and Activities in Punta Cana
Here are a few actual costs in Punta Cana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Adventure:4x4 ATV Cave and Dominican Culture At Punta Cana: $40
- Enjoy Our Tours Higuey City Cultural : $45
- Explore Punta Cana Buggy or ATV Adventure in Macao: $59
- Full Day Tour to Santo Domingo with Lunch.: $70
- Full Experience Hacienda – 6 Exciting Adventures: $90
- Full-Day Boat Tour of Los Haitises National Park: $165
- Full-Day Santo Domingo City Tour: $89
- Half Day Higuey City Tour from Punta Cana with Pick Up: $82
- Macao Beach private horseback tour in punta cana : $55
- Private ATV Tour from Punta Cana : $250
- Tours Parasailing Punta Cana: $99
- Tours Ziplines Punta Cana : $99
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self Guided Audio Walking Tour of San Jose Highlights: $4.62
- Hiking Experience in El Quetzal Private Reserve: $26
- Private Guided Tour of Cheese in Canaan de Rivas: $30
- Sarapiqui Frog Experience: Night Experience in the Jungle.: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- Poas Volcano National Park - Admission Ticket: $32
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- San Jose ART Walking Tour - small groups, creative experience: $35
- Historical Tour and Old Houses by Dota: $35
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $35
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- Sarapiqui Rainforest Night Walk : Wildlife & Adventure.: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta Cana $10San Jose $16
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
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Exclusive Pub Crawl in San Jose : $30
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $39
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta Cana and San Jose, we can see that Punta Cana is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Punta Cana is in Caribbean Islands and San Jose 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 San Jose.
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 San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta Cana or San Jose?
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Punta Cana. When comparing the sizes of Punta Cana and San Jose, 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.