Which place is cheaper, Rosario Islands or Quepos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Quepos or Rosario Islands?
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 Rosario Islands can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Quepos or Rosario Islands?
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.
Rosario Islands
The Rosario Islands, also referred to as Coral Islands of Rosario, is an archipelago located off the coast of Colombia, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Cartagena. The Rosario Islands are integrated by 28 islands and all of them form one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia, created to protect one of the most important coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Only three of these islands are property of the Colombian state. Before establishing the national park in 1977, wealthy families used this natural paradise to build their summer houses, but then the government allowed them to keep their properties, only if they paid annual rent and taxes to be there, and complied with certain rules to preserve the ecosystem of the islands. People can visit the national park area of the islands, and tours are available. Isla Rosario has an aquarium and open-sea oceanarium that people can visit. Activities on the Rosario Islands include swimming, snorkeling and fishing, among others. The best time to visit Colombia in general, and especially the Rosario Islands is the dry-season months from December to March. These uninterrupted sunny days are just perfect for a Caribbean coastal experience and to enjoy all the activities it has to offer.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Luxury Tours to Colombia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuepos $117Rosario Islands $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $117, while the average daily cost in Rosario Islands is $89. 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 Rosario Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuepos $77Rosario Islands $34
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuepos $154Rosario Islands $68
Compare Hotels in Quepos and Rosario Islands
Looking for a hotel in Quepos or Rosario Islands? 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 Rosario Islands Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quepos $9.56Rosario Islands $47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 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
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Manuel Antonio/Quepos : $300
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $125
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
- Private Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to San Jose City Hotels: $91
- Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
- Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $209
Is it cheaper to fly into Quepos or Rosario Islands?
Prices for flights to both Rosario Islands 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 $30Rosario Islands $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 $17Rosario Islands $14
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: $20
- Manuel Antonio National Park tour : $27
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park Group Guided Tour: $30
- 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: Manuel Antonio National Park Tour: $45
- Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $45
Tours and Activities in Rosario Islands
Here are a few actual costs in Rosario Islands for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- One-day tour to Playa Blanca by land Popular sector: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuepos $15Rosario Islands $6.12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and Rosario Islands, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is Rosario Islands much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos is in Central America and Rosario Islands 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 Rosario Islands would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rosario Islands 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 Rosario Islands.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quepos Expensive? and Is Rosario Islands Expensive?.
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.