Which place is cheaper, Jaco or Roatan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Roatan or Jaco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Roatan and Jaco. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Roatan or Jaco?
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
Jaco
Jaco is a beach destination on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. This resort city is located in the county of Garabito in the Puntarenas province. It has a population of about 10,000 residents and a 2.5 mile long beach that is an excellent surfing destination.
Because Jaco is located on the coast, it's weather is influenced by the water. The climate is humid with a relative humidity of about 80%, but climbing to 90% in the month of June. The temperature is usually between 85 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit at night. There are distinct wet and dry seasons with August through early December being the rainy season and late December through early April being the dry season. Rain is irregular during the rest of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Roatan Prices
Honduras PricesJaco Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $42Jaco $131
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $42, while the average daily cost in Jaco is $131. 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 Roatan and Jaco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $10Jaco $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $20Jaco $148
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Jaco
Looking for a hotel in Roatan or Jaco? 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: Roatan Hotel Prices and Jaco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $17Jaco -
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$3.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- Ultimate West Bay Beach Day: Pass & Transfers Included: $55
- Roatan West Bay Beach Break with Roundtrip Transfer: $75
- Roatan Private Transfers: Airport, Cruise Port or Hotel: $110
- Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $62
- Roatan East End Cultural Experience, Island Lunch & Private Transfer: $99
- Roatan Buggy Adventure, Snorkeling, Beach Pass plus Private Transfer: $207
- Private Transfer from Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan Hotels: $154
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $123
- Let's Go Native Roatan City Cultural Tour, Transfer: $80
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, City Tour and Transfer: $130
- Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan -Round-Trip Transfer: $114
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco
Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Cobano Puntarenas: $63
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Playa Jaco Puntarenas: $72
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Jaco Beach Puntarenas: $72
- Private Transfer SJO Airport to Jaco & Los Sueños – Safe Reliable: $80
- Jaco / Los Sueños Marriott Hotels to SJO Airport Private Transfer: $140
- Jaco to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) - Departure Private Transfer: $142
- Shuttle & transfer rides to SJO Airport Costa Rica: $155
- One-Way Private Transfer from Jaco to Juan Santa Maria Airport: $175
- Jaco/Monteverde to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer: $201
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Los Sueños Resort/Marriot: $204
- Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $219
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Uvita: $249
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Jaco?
Prices for flights to both Jaco and Roatan 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 dayRoatan $15Jaco $40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Private Roundtrip Transfer to West End for Dinner and Nightlife: $70
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $245
Typical Food Prices in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Hermosa BeachLlunch$4.34
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Tsunami Sushi Dinner$19
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Taco Bar Dinner$9.92
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Pizza & Smoothie Lunch$6.95
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Ice Cream$6.51
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Breakfast Taco Bar$3.68
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Fruit Plate$3.26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $65
- Night Walk Tour and Jungle Dinner in Jaco: $89
- Taste of Costa Rica: Traditional Food Tour in Jaco: $99
- TICO Private Walking Food Tour: $107
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $25Jaco $66
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- 2 Hour Zip Lining Private Tour in Mahogany Bay: $65
- 4 Hours Private Tour with Snorkel Experience in Roatan: $50
- ATV & community adventure, Mangrove tour, food tasting and Beach: $139
- ATV Adventure , Zip Line , Horseback Ride Combo Tour: $175
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $132
- ATV-Off Road + Roatan City Tour: $120
- ATVS, Sloths and Monkeys, Beach Break Private Tour: $130
- Atv Island Tour: $140
- Catamaran Cruise, Open Bar, Food and Snorkeling: $165
- Crazy Clem Sloths, Monkeys & Island Adventure With a local guide: $85
- Cruise Excursion – 2 Scuba Dives with transport (for certified divers): $185
- Cruise Ship Combo: Sloths, Chocolate Factory, City Tour, Beach, Private Shuttle: $75
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jaco
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Jaco's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Dance Class$11
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Surf Lesson$54
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Bike Rental$11
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Tortuga Island Tour$108
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Massage$49
Tours and Activities in Jaco
For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cold Plunge Experience in Jaco: $35
- Jungle Crocodile Safari and Bird Watching tour/Tarcoles River CR: $40
- Adventure in the jungle river and crocodiles: $45
- Tarcoles River Crocodile Adventure Tour: $45
- Jurassic Park Adventure - HIKE -10 Waterfalls + Pools & Much More: $50
- Chocolate Experience in Jaco Beach and Los Suenos: $50
- Exclusive Massage Experience in Playa Jaco Costa Rica: $59
- Guided City Bike Tour in Jaco Costa Rica: $59
- Coffee Farm Tour and Sugarcane Juicing: $60
- Personalized Beach Adventure Near Jaco: $60
- Uvita Chocolate Tour: $60
- Jaco Party Safari Tractor Tour with Waterfall – Day & Night: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $6.56Jaco $35
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
Typical Alcohol Prices in Jaco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Jaco:
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Wine$16
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Night at the Bar$30
Sample the Local Flavors in Jaco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Jaco:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown Jaco: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and Jaco, we can see that Jaco is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Jaco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jaco than you might in Roatan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Roatan Expensive? and Is Jaco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Roatan or Jaco?
Roatan has a larger population, and is about 84% larger than the population of Jaco. When comparing the sizes of Roatan and Jaco, 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.