A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Quepos vs. Bonaire for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Quepos or Bonaire?

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 Quepos and Bonaire can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Quepos or Bonaire?

Quepos

Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.

Bonaire

An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and CuraƧao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.


Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Quepos?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $137, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Quepos and Bonaire in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Quepos $75
    Bonaire $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Quepos $150
    Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Quepos and Bonaire

Looking for a hotel in Quepos or Bonaire? 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.

Hotels in Quepos


Hotels in Bonaire


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: Quepos Hotel Prices and Bonaire Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Quepos $9.42
    Bonaire $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos

Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer: SJO Airport to/from Manuel Antonio (One Way): $113
  • Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $135
  • One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
  • Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
  • Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San José (Airport SJO): $210
  • Private Transfer: SJO Airport to Manuel Antonio with Scenic Stop.: $225
  • Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
  • Manuel Antonio & Quepos one way transfer to SJO hotels - Airport up to 5 people.: $274
  • One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Monteverde: $276
  • Private Transfer From Manuel Antonio To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $297

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:

  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk City to Kralendijk Cruise Port: $97
  • Airport Transfer Return Included: $44

Is it cheaper to fly into Quepos or Bonaire?

Prices for flights to both Bonaire and Quepos 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 day
    Quepos $50
    Bonaire $101
Typical Food Prices in Quepos

For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch
    $15
  • Seafood Dinner (for 1)
    $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos

For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $59
  • Cooking Class and Medical Plants Garden: $77
  • Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.

  • Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Quepos $17
    Bonaire $40

Tours and Activities in Quepos

For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Beach Day Experience in Manuel Antonio: $25
  • Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $27
  • Manuel Antonio National Park tour : $29
  • Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $29
  • Guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park: $29
  • Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $30
  • Manuel Antonio with Mauro / Tickets not Included! : $30
  • Manuel Antonio National Park Group Guided Tour: $30
  • 2-3-Hour Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $30
  • Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $30
  • Night Tour in Authentic Forest: $32
  • Manuel Antonio: the best tour to see sloths in Manuel Antonio Park: $35

Tours and Activities in Bonaire

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:

  • 2 Hours Private Kitesurfing Adventure: $265
  • 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
  • Bonaire CaveTour Climb, Snorkel & Explore the Hidden Gems : $83
  • Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
  • Bonaire Landsailing Adventures: $79
  • Bonaire Shore Excursion: The Bonaire Highlights Tour: $83
  • Discover Scuba Diving Experience: $148
  • Highlights Island Tour North-South-East Lunch incl.: $159
  • South Tour by Fatbike (electric Bike): $129
  • Brunch & Snorkel Catamaran Tour: $115
  • Catamaran Snorkel & BBQ Sail (cruise friendly): $105
  • Cave Adventure: Walk, Climb & Swim: $75

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Quepos $14
    Bonaire $33


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Quepos much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos is in Central America and Bonaire is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Quepos would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Quepos 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in Quepos.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quepos Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Quepos or Bonaire?

Bonaire has a larger population, and is about 71% larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Quepos and Bonaire, 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.