Which place is cheaper, Montanita or Quepos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Quepos or Montanita?
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 Montanita can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Quepos or Montanita?
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.
Montanita
Montanita is a small village located on Manglaralto parish along the southern coast of Ecuador. The Pacific Coast of Ecuador is lined with beach towns, either small villages with local fisherman or larger towns more set up for foreign travellers like Montanita. With one of the best beaches in Ecuador, one of the best surf breaks in the region, and a great laid-back atmosphere Montanita is a great little getaway, especially for the hippies of the world. It has also become a popular weekend destination for English teachers and Spanish students coming from Guayaquil and Quito. The beachfront village of Montanita has a laid-back atmosphere and steady stream of cosmopolitan backpackers, with as many South Americans as gringos.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuepos $117Montanita $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $117, while the average daily cost in Montanita is $96. 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 Montanita in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuepos $77Montanita $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuepos $154Montanita $82
Compare Hotels in Quepos and Montanita
Looking for a hotel in Quepos or Montanita? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quepos $9.56Montanita $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Manuel Antonio/Quepos : $300
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Monteverde: $276
- Manuel Antonio & Quepos one way transfer to SJO hotels - Airport up to 5 people.: $274
- Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $209
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $125
- Private Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to San Jose City Hotels: $91
- Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Quepos or Montanita?
Prices for flights to both Montanita 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 $30Montanita $28
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
- 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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quepos $17Montanita $31
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 10 in 1 Tour! Zip Lines, Rappels, Tarzan Swing, Waterfalls & More: $130
- 2-Hour Boat Tour in Quepos: $55
- ATV Tour Half Day Trip From Manuel Antonio: $90
- All Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure from Manuel Antonio: $83
- All-Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure with Lunch: $93
- All-Inclusive Full-Day Nauyaca Waterfall and Beach Town Tour: $142
- Beach Day Experience in Manuel Antonio: $20
- Birding at El Rey. (Marshes,rice fields,canals) Private Birding Tour : $120
- Birdwatching Tour: $130
- Catamaran Adventure From Manuel Antonio: $116
- Chocolate Tour Manuel Antonio: $60
- Chocolate and Coffee Tour Manuel Antonio: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuepos $15Montanita $7.86
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and Montanita, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is Montanita much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos is in Central America and Montanita is in South 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 Montanita would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Montanita 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 Montanita.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quepos Expensive? and Is Montanita Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Quepos or Montanita?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Quepos or Montanita in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Quepos and Montanita. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Quepos year-round. Montanita attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Quepos gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Quepos usually receives more rain than Montanita. Quepos gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
Quepos usually receives more sunshine than Montanita during summer. Quepos gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Montanita receives 107 hours of full sun in the summer.
Quepos is around the same temperature as Montanita in the summer. The daily temperature in Quepos averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Montanita fluctuates around 25°C (78°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyQuepos 28°C (82°F)Montanita 25°C (78°F)
Should I visit Quepos or Montanita in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Quepos as well as Montanita. Quepos attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montanita throughout the year.
Quepos receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Quepos usually gets more rain in October than Montanita. Quepos gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the autumn, Quepos often gets more sunshine than Montanita. Quepos gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montanita receives 117 hours of full sun.
In the autumn, Quepos is around the same temperature as Montanita. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Quepos in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Montanita averages at about 26°C (78°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberQuepos 27°C (81°F)Montanita 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Quepos or Montanita in the Winter?
Both Montanita and Quepos are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Quepos throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Montanita because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Quepos usually receives less rain than Montanita. Quepos gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Quepos. Quepos usually receives more sunshine than Montanita during winter. Quepos gets 264 hours of sunny skies, while Montanita receives 88 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Quepos is generally around the same temperature as Montanita. Daily temperatures in Quepos average around 27°C (81°F), and Montanita fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryQuepos 27°C (81°F)Montanita 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Quepos or Montanita in the Spring?
Both Montanita and Quepos during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Quepos because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montanita year-round.
Quepos usually gets less rain in April than Montanita. Quepos gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
It's quite sunny in Quepos. In the spring, Quepos often gets more sunshine than Montanita. Quepos gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montanita receives 133 hours of full sun.
Quepos is around the same temperature as Montanita in the spring. The daily temperature in Quepos averages around 29°C (85°F) in April, and Montanita fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilQuepos 29°C (85°F)Montanita 27°C (81°F)
Typical Weather for Montanita and Quepos
| Quepos | Montanita | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 26 mm (1 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 15 mm (0.6 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.