Which place is cheaper, David or Quepos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Quepos or David?
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 David can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Quepos or David?
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.
David
In the Pacific West of Panama, David is the capital city of Chiriqui province. The city's population of almost 150,000 is among the wealthiest in the country. There is a well established middle class and unemployment remains low in the area. The area has grown rapidly in recent years with growing commercial and banking sectors. The city is well connected to the rest of the country by the Pan American Highway.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama, and The Best Budget Tours to Panama.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuepos $117David $32
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $117, while the average daily cost in David is $32. 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 David in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuepos $77David $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuepos $154David $24
Compare Hotels in Quepos and David
Looking for a hotel in Quepos or David? 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: Quepos Hotel Prices and David Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quepos $9.56David $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
- Private Transfer from Quepos Port to Liberia Int Airport (LIR): $87
- Private Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to San Jose City Hotels: $90
- Transfer TO or FROM Manuel Antonio, Quepos to SJO Airport - Private (ONE WAY): $105
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $125
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $209
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San José (Airport SJO): $210
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to the Sierpe: $213
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport or Hotels: $230
- Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
Is it cheaper to fly into Quepos or David?
Prices for flights to both David 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
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Food Meals for one dayQuepos $30David $10
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$15
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$20
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 in Manuel Antonio with Medicinal Plants Garden Visit: $77
- 3 Hour Cooking Class and Medical Plants Garden: $77
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
- Manuel Antonio Local Cooking Class with Botanical Garden Tour: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quepos $17David $4.39
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Manuel Antonio National Park tour : $27
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Group Guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $30
- Guided Tour in Manuel Antonio National Park!: $35
- Guided Tour in Manuel Antonio National Park: $35
- Manuel Antonio Jungle Night Tour with pick up included: $39
- Guided hiking Tour by the Mystic Ebano Rainforest in Costa Rica: $40
- Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $45
- Manuel Antonio: Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuepos $15David -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and David, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is David much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to David would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in David 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos than you might in David.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quepos Expensive? and Is David Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quepos or David?
David has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Quepos and David, 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.