A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Roatan vs. Jaco for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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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.

Which city is cheaper, Jaco or Roatan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $31, while the average daily cost in Jaco is $71. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Roatan and Jaco in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Roatan $8.99
    Jaco $46
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Roatan $18
    Jaco $92
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.

Hotels in Roatan


Hotels in Jaco


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Roatan $15
    Jaco -
Typical Local Transportation prices in Roatan

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:


  • Water Taxi
    $4.28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:

  • bus & Taxi Uber Roatan transfer to the beach customize your tour: $26

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco

Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer TO or FROM Jaco Beach Area to SJO Airport: $95
  • Jaco to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) - Departure Private Transfer: $112
  • Jacó Private Transfer to San Jose Airport for 1 to 5 People: $146
  • Jaco Airport Transfers: $149
  • Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $152
  • Private Departure Transfer: Jaco Beach to Juan Santamaría International Airport: $153
  • Transfer from Jaco to Monteverde up to 5 passengers: $210

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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Roatan $7.57
    Jaco $14

Typical Food prices in Jaco

For Jaco, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Hermosa BeachLlunch
    $3.67
  • Taco Bar Dinner
    $8.38
  • Pizza & Smoothie Lunch
    $5.87
  • Ice Cream
    $5.50
  • Breakfast Taco Bar
    $3.11
  • Fruit Plate
    $2.75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco

For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traveling Spoon Ceviche Private Online Cooking Class: $27
  • Online Costa Rican Cooking Class with cookbook author Melissa Guzman: $35
  • Costa Rican cooking class with cookbook author Melissa Guzman: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Roatan $22
    Jaco $45

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-Hour East Side Roatan Private Guided Tour with Canoe Ride: $85
  • AJ's Monkey/Sloth Family Experience, City Tour and Chocolate Tasting: $55
  • ATV East & West End Tour: $107
  • Cruise Ship Multiple Snorkeling, Snacks, Music & Private Vehicle: $85
  • Do It Your Way Roatán Free Style Tour.: $32
  • Garifuna Village plus Daniel Johnson Monkey and Sloth and Mangrove Tunnel Tour.: $82
  • Good Samaritan Tour: $51
  • Island tour in Roatan: $49
  • Island tour sightseeing +sanctuary and beach: $60
  • Mangrove tunnel and Garifuna culture tour: $90
  • Mayan Jungle Canopy & Zip-line Tour, Monkey Business & West Bay Beach!: $127

Typical Entertainment prices in Jaco

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Jaco's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Dance Class
    $9.13
  • Surf Lesson
    $46
  • Bike Rental
    $9.13
  • Tortuga Island Tour
    $91
  • Massage
    $41

Tours and Activities in Jaco

For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • High Ropes Course Adventure in Jaco: $30
  • 4x4 Land Cruiser Ride to the Waterfalls Tour: $33
  • Jungle Crocodile Safari and Bird Watching Tour: $35
  • Costa Rica: 2-Hour Chocolate Experience and Plantation Tour: $43
  • Rainforest Costa Rica Sunset Tour: $46
  • Guided Motorcycle Tour of Jaco: $50
  • Chocolate Experience by CRHR: $53
  • ATV Tour in Jaco: $54
  • Jacó beach horseback riding experience: $57
  • Chocolate Experience: $60
  • Jungle Waterfall and River Crossing ATV Tour at Jaco: $64
  • Waterfall Rappelling, Zipline and Trek Adventure from Jaco: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Roatan $5.68
    Jaco $24

Typical Alcohol prices in Jaco

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Jaco:


  • Wine
    $14
  • Night at the Bar
    $25

About these numbers

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.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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Roatan vs. Jaco Travel Comparison

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