Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Rio de Janeiro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rio de Janeiro or San Jose?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Rio de Janeiro and San Jose can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Rio de Janeiro or San Jose?
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
San Jose
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is likely to be your first and last stop in a visit to the country. The city is situated in the Central Valley and is surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, making for a beautiful flight in. The city has an elevation of 1200 meters and sits on a plateau with a beautiful backdrop of lush green forest. Half of the people in Costa Rica reside in the country's capital city. You are likely to stay only a day or two, but there are a handful of things to do and see including museums and markets. You will also find many embassies, as well as the University of Costa Rica in San Jose.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRio de Janeiro $105San Jose $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $105, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $90. 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 Rio de Janeiro and San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRio de Janeiro $66San Jose $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRio de Janeiro $132San Jose $98
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro or San Jose? 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: Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rio de Janeiro $7.97San Jose $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Two Brothers Trail- one of the best views of Rio (transfer is included): $56
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Rio de Janeiro APT-HTL (SDU): $25
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Rio de Janeiro APT-HTL (GIG): $52
- Transfer to GIG or SDU International Airport in Rio de Janeiro: $40
- Transfer service from/to Rio de Janeiro-Embarkation for Ilha Grande: $87
- Transfer service from / to Rio de Janeiro / Paraty: $99
- Transfer service from / to Rio - Barra da Tijuca Airports: $26
- Transfer service from / to Porto Maravilha - Zona Sul: $19
- Transfer service from / to International Airport (GIG) - Zona Sul: $22
- Transfer service from / to Buzios / Arraial do Cabo / Cabo Frio: $78
- Transfer in Rio: $35
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro City center - Airport (GIG): $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO$25
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Local Bus$2.72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer San José Airport - La Fortuna: $180
- Airport transfer from SJO Airport to Los Sueños Marriott: $170
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport SJO to Arenal by Minivan: $177
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport SJO to San Jose City by Minivan: $35
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport to Manuel Antonio by Minivan: $158
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Cahuita, English Speaking Driver: $240
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Limon, English Speaking Driver: $192
- Direct Transfer From San Jose to Monteverde, English Speaking Driver: $180
- Direct transfer from San Jose to La Fortuna, English Speaking Driver: $153
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Arrival Private Transfer: $68
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $135
- Juan Santamaria Intl Airport (SJO) to San Jose - Private Transfer: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into Rio de Janeiro or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose and Rio de Janeiro 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 dayRio de Janeiro $20San Jose $18
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.59
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Corn on the Cob$0.78
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Hamburger$0.98
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $46
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $72
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $79
- Feijoada Food Tour in Rio de Janeiro with Hotel pick-up and drop-off: $80
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $82
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $105
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Rio: Ginga Tropical Folkloric Show & Optional Dinner: $142
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Jose
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bites and Sights: Walking Food Tour in San Jose, Costa Rica: $34
- Tropical Cooking Classes: $52
- San Jose By Night Tour: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $57
- San Jose Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and visit Gold Museum : $60
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $76
- Explore San Jose By Night: Food and Culture Tour with Local Dinner: $80
- Private Authentic Food Tour in San José: $84
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rio de Janeiro $22San Jose $21
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ilha Grande Tour Full day - Rio de Janeiro by Rio Eco Trip: $105
- 03 - Guided Tour to the Grande Rio Academics Barracão: $120
- 1 day tour Rio de Janeiro to Christ and Cable car and much more: $100
- 10-hour Private Tour Rio In One Day: Christ, Sugarloaf, Selarón, Downtown: $260
- 14 - Guided Tour to Quadra Do Salgueiro with Samba Show: $75
- 15 - Guided Tour to Santa Marta Favela: $150
- 16 - Guided Tour to Favela da Rocinha: $75
- 19 - Guided Tour to the Museum of Tomorrow and Olympic Boulevard: $90
- 2 hours Hang Gliding Paragliding Full Package experience in Rio : $175
- 25 - Full Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande: $80
- 26 - Guided Tour to Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer: $120
- 27 -Guided Tour to Christ the Redeemer and City in Rio de Janeiro: $75
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Entrance ticket to the Hacienda Orosi: $21
- Hiking Experience in El Quetzal Private Reserve: $26
- Visit a Butterfly Chapel, Gardens, Coffee Tour with Typical Lunch: $30
- Private Roasting and Cupping Coffee Experience: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- Poas Volcano National Park - Admission Ticket: $32
- 2-Hour Downtown San Jose Walking Tour: $33
- Private Custom Guided Tour in San Jose: $33
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $33
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- Historical Tour and Old Houses by Dota: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRio de Janeiro $12San Jose $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $28
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $29
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $64
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $131
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $38
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rio de Janeiro and San Jose, we can see that Rio de Janeiro is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rio de Janeiro is in South America and San Jose is in Central 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 Rio de Janeiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rio de Janeiro than you might in San Jose.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive? and Is San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rio de Janeiro or San Jose?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of Rio de Janeiro and San Jose, 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.
When is the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro or San Jose?
Rio de Janeiro has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Jose experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or San Jose in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Rio de Janeiro as well as San Jose. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Jose throughout the year.
In the summer, Rio de Janeiro is around the same temperature as San Jose. Typically, the summer temperatures in Rio de Janeiro in January average around 26°C (79°F), and San Jose averages at about 28°C (82°F)in July.
It's quite rainy in San Jose. Rio de Janeiro receives a lot of rain in the summer. Rio de Janeiro usually gets less rain in January than San Josein July. Rio de Janeiro gets 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)San Jose 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or San Jose in the Autumn?
Both San Jose and Rio de Janeiro are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to San Jose because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Rio de Janeiro is generally around the same temperature as San Josein October. Daily temperatures in Rio de Janeiro average around 25°C (77°F), and San Jose fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Jose. It's quite rainy in Rio de Janeiro. In April, Rio de Janeiro usually receives less rain than San Josein October. Rio de Janeiro gets 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)San Jose 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or San Jose in the Winter?
Both San Jose and Rio de Janeiro during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Jose year-round.
Rio de Janeiro is cooler than San Jose in the winter. The daily temperature in Rio de Janeiro averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and San Jose fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in January.
Rio de Janeiro usually gets more rain in July than San Josein January. Rio de Janeiro gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)San Jose 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or San Jose in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Rio de Janeiro and San Jose. San Jose attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, Rio de Janeiro is cooler than San Jose. Typically, the spring temperatures in Rio de Janeiro in October average around 23°C (73°F), and San Jose averages at about 29°C (85°F)in April.
In October, Rio de Janeiro usually receives more rain than San Josein April. Rio de Janeiro gets 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while San Jose receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)San Jose 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for San Jose and Rio de Janeiro
| Rio de Janeiro | San Jose | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.