Which place is cheaper, Salta or Quepos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Quepos or Salta?
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 Salta can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Quepos or Salta?
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.
Salta
Located in the heart of the famous Northwest region of Argentina, at 1200m of elevation and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo, Salta is the largest city of the region and perhaps the most beautiful colonial city of Argentina. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish, Salta was an important stop for merchants who followed the usual trade road through Bolivia and Peru. Argentines call this city nestled in the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by mountains, of just over half a million inhabitants, Salta La Linda (Salta the Beautiful) and it's easy to see why. Young and traditional at the same time, Salta and its renowned museums, plaza side cafes and live musica folklorica of its bustling penas, is a sophisticated and lively city day and night.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuepos $117Salta $9.62
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $117, while the average daily cost in Salta is $9.62. 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 Salta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuepos $77Salta $3.47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuepos $154Salta $6.94
Compare Hotels in Quepos and Salta
Looking for a hotel in Quepos or Salta? 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 Salta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quepos $9.56Salta $4.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $209
- Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
- Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
- Private Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to San Jose City Hotels: $91
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $125
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Manuel Antonio/Quepos : $300
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- 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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Salta
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Salta are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$0.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta
Also for Salta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Yungas : full day with gauchos - transfer inc. from Salta: $240
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $5.50
- Salta Airport Private Transfer: $47
- Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $20
- Round Trip Shared Transfer Salta Airport/Downtown Hotel: $13
- Full Day Tour Cafayate + Humahuaca + Transfer in/out: $169
- From Salinas and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $99
- From Cafayate and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $88
Is it cheaper to fly into Quepos or Salta?
Prices for flights to both Salta 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 $30Salta $3.27
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
Typical Food Prices in Salta
For Salta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Emplanadas$0.01
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Ice Cream$0.01
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Lunch$0.67
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Coffee$0.14
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quepos $17Salta $3.40
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Salta
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Salta's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Gondola Ride$0.02
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Pool$0.06
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Wine and Cheese night$4.15
Tours and Activities in Salta
For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- From City Tour and San Lorenzo on a half-day tour: $18
- Full-Day Tour to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca From Salta: $41
- 2-Day Tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $57
- 4 Day Tour to Cafayat Cachi Salinas and Humahuaca: $95
- Best of Guided City Tour: $27
- Bungee Jumping Adrenaline Experience on Cabra Corral Dam: $107
- Cachi Full Day Tour from Salta: $58
- Cafayate, Vineyards and Calchaquies Valleys Tour from Salta: $57
- Exclusive day-long private tour of Cafayate vineyards: $276
- From Cachi and Los Cardones National Park Tour: $34
- From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $18
- From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuepos $15Salta $1.37
Typical Alcohol Prices in Salta
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Salta are as follows:
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Beer$0.01
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Alcohol$0.35
Sample the Local Flavors in Salta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:
- From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $30
- Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $30
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $33
- Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $123
- Full-Day Private Calchaquí Valley & Cafayate Wine Tour from Salta: $201
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and Salta, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is Salta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos is in Central America and Salta 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 Salta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salta 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 Salta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quepos Expensive? and Is Salta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quepos or Salta?
Salta has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Quepos and Salta, 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.