Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Punta del Este?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Punta del Este or La Fortuna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Punta del Este or La Fortuna, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Punta del Este or La Fortuna?
Punta del Este
Punta del Este with its many beaches, elegant seaside homes, yacht harbor, high-rise apartment buildings, pricey hotels, ardent night scene and glitzy restaurants is a chic beach resort town in Uruguay. Many tourists come from Brazil and Argentina, on the other side of the Rio de la Plata, to get some nice sun and lay on the beach for a weekend getaway. Punta del Este is more expensive than other areas in Uruguay and has been called the Monaco of South America. Tourist season varies wildly from totally deserted in the winter to very crowded in the summer.
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 Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
-
Punta del Este Prices
Uruguay PricesLa Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta del Este $116La Fortuna $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta del Este is $116, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $138. 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 del Este and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta del Este $52La Fortuna $57
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta del Este $104La Fortuna $114
Compare Hotels in Punta del Este and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in Punta del Este 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 del Este Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta del Este $21La Fortuna $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta del Este
Also for Punta del Este, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer to Punta del Este Airport: $60
- Punta del Este Airport Private Transfer: $60
- Private Transfer - Carrasco Airport (MVD) to Punta Del Este Port: $115
- Private Transfer - Punta Del Este Port to Carrasco Airport (MVD): $115
- Private Transfer from Montevideo to Punta Del Este Cruise Port: $166
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Cruise Port to Montevideo: $166
- Private Transfer to Punta del Este Special Art Icons Tour: $185
- Bodega Garzon Wine Experience with Private Transfer: $200
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Port to Carrasco Airport MVD: $273
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- La Fortuna de Arenal: Transfer to Puerto Viejo de Limon: $500
- Private Transfer: San José Airport (SJO) ↔ La Fortuna: $300
- Private VIP Transfer La Fortuna to Tamarindo, Flamingo & Conchal: $299
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $295
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- Private Transfer to Manuel Antonio & Crocodiles: $295
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Juan Santamaria Airport From 7to10: $293
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Arenal La Fortuna: $290
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna: $285
- From Private Transfer to Tamarindo & Conchal: $279
- San Jose Airport: Private transfer from/to La Fortuna: $270
- Private Transfer from Arenal La Fortuna to San Jose Airport: $255
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta del Este or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Punta del Este 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
-
Food Meals for one dayPunta del Este $51La Fortuna $53
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- Traditional cooking lesson with a local family: $37
- Sloth Tour in La Fortuna and Tortillas Cooking Class: $38
- Farm to Table Cooking Class: $45
- Traditional cooking class with local family: $50
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $50
- Costa Rican Cooking Class: $57
- Costa Rica The Chela Cooking Experience: $60
- 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $68
- Arenal Boat Tour & Pirate Hot Springs Dinner: $69
- Sloth Tour with Cane Juice and Cooking Class: $70
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
- Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $70
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta del Este $10La Fortuna $49
Tours and Activities in Punta del Este
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta del Este.
- City Highlights and Hidden Gems Guided Tour: $10
- Guided Tour of the Winery Viña Edén: $19
- Guided Tour of Vineyards: $33
- Punta del Este Classic City Tour with Sunset at Casapueblo: $40
- Punta del Este Full-Day Guided Tour: $43
- Discovering Half-Day City Tour: $47
- Punta del Este Sightseeing Tour: $50
- Punta del Este City Tour for Cruisers: $50
- Shore Excursion for Cruisers: $59
- Punta del Este Shore Tour for Cruise Passengers: $59
- From Montevideo: Punta del Este Full-Day City Tour: $62
- Punta del Este city tour: $75
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- 12-Cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over Waterfalls: $115
- 2-in-1 Arenal Coffee and Chocolate Tour: $75
- 3-Hour Arenal Lake Flexi Pass Adventure In Costa Rica: $73
- 5-Day Pura Vida Adventure: Volcano and Jungle in Costa Rica: $1,099
- 7 Nights Costa Rica Fully Guided Adventure: $1,850
- 7-Cable Zipline Adventure: Fly Over La Fortuna Waterfall: $84
- 7-Cable Zipline Canopy Tour Over La Fortuna Waterfall: $95
- A day of Arenal Adventure 1968 and Spring: $96
- ARENAL FORTUNA CITY TOUR .: $30
- ATV Tour near Arenal Volcano, Jungle, and River Crossing: $165
- ATV Tour: Adventure tour in La Fortuna: $161
- Adventure Pass: $167
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta del Este $7.38La Fortuna $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Punta del Este
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Punta del Este:
- Wine Tasting: $42
- Wine Lovers - Fun Wine Tasting outside Punta del Este!: $199
Sample the Local Flavors in La Fortuna
Also in La Fortuna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine Tasting in Costa Rica: $55
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta del Este and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Punta del Este much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Punta del Este is in South America 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 Punta del Este would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Punta del Este 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 La Fortuna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Fortuna than you might in Punta del Este.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Punta del Este Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta del Este or La Fortuna?
Punta del Este has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Punta del Este 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.
When is the best time to visit Punta del Este or La Fortuna?
Punta del Este has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but La Fortuna experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Punta del Este or La Fortuna in the Summer?
Both La Fortuna and Punta del Este during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to La Fortuna year-round.
In January, Punta del Este is generally cooler than La Fortunain July. Daily temperatures in Punta del Este average around 23°C (73°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
It's quite sunny in Punta del Este. In the summer, Punta del Este often gets more sunshine than La Fortunain July. Punta del Este gets 296 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 164 hours of full sun.
La Fortuna gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Punta del Este usually gets less rain in January than La Fortunain July. Punta del Este gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyPunta del Este 23°C (73°F)La Fortuna 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Punta del Este or La Fortuna in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Punta del Este and La Fortuna. La Fortuna attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Punta del Este is much colder than La Fortuna in the autumn. The daily temperature in Punta del Este averages around 17°C (63°F) in April, and La Fortuna fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in October.
Punta del Este usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortuna during autumn. Punta del Este gets 171 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
La Fortuna receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Punta del Este usually receives less rain than La Fortunain October. Punta del Este gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn. December to April in La Fortuna is the dry season. The hurricane season in La Fortuna is May to November.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberPunta del Este 17°C (63°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Punta del Este or La Fortuna in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Punta del Este as well as La Fortuna. The warm climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
In the winter, Punta del Este is much colder than La Fortuna. Typically, the winter temperatures in Punta del Este in July average around 10°C (50°F), and La Fortuna averages at about 27°C (81°F)in January.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Fortuna. In the winter, Punta del Este often gets less sunshine than La Fortunain January. Punta del Este gets 135 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 264 hours of full sun.
Punta del Este usually gets more rain in July than La Fortunain January. Punta del Este gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryPunta del Este 10°C (50°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Punta del Este or La Fortuna in the Spring?
Both La Fortuna and Punta del Este are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to La Fortuna because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In October, Punta del Este is generally much colder than La Fortunain April. Daily temperatures in Punta del Este average around 16°C (61°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
It's quite sunny in La Fortuna. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Punta del Este. Punta del Este usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortuna during spring. Punta del Este gets 248 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, Punta del Este usually receives more rain than La Fortunain April. Punta del Este gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring. The dry season in La Fortuna is December to April. May to November is the hurricane season in La Fortuna.
-
Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilPunta del Este 16°C (61°F)La Fortuna 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for La Fortuna and Punta del Este
| Punta del Este | La Fortuna | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 23°C (73°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 22°C (72°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 14°C (57°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 11°C (52°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 10°C (50°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 11°C (52°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
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.