Which place is cheaper, Jaco or Roatan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $38Jaco $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $38, while the average daily cost in Jaco is $104. 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 $11Jaco $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $22Jaco $134
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 $19Jaco -
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- West Bay Beach, Chocolate, & Rum Factory & Transfer: $67
- West Bay Aquarium Snorkeling, Chocolate & Rum Factory, City Tour plus Transfer: $91
- Transfers, Zip Line and Monkey Park: $110
- Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $15
- South Side Horseback Riding, Beach Break & Roundway Transfer: $120
- Scuba Dive in the West End of Roatan with Private Transfer: $125
- Round trip transfers from airport or ferry to hotel: $40
- Roatan Sun & Fun, Sloths & Monkeys, Beach & Private Transfer: $63
- Roatan Special Catamaran for Cruise Ship Passengers plus Transfer: $113
- Roatan Private Transfers: Airport, Cruise Port or Hotel : $107
- Roatan Private Catamaran Shipwreck, Blue Channel and Starfish with Transfer: $90
- Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco
Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer FROM Jaco Beach TO SJO Airport OR RETURN (One Way): $78
- Jaco/Monteverde to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $90
- From Tortuga Island Boat Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $135
- Jaco or Playa Hermosa: Transfer to San Jose or Alajuela: $173
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Los Sueños Resort/Marriot : $200
- Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $219
- Transfer Private From Jaco to San José or Airport up to 5 passengers (one way) : $245
- Transfer to Jaco beach from San José or the airport one way: $245
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 $9.43Jaco $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $200
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$3.94
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Tsunami Sushi Dinner$18
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Taco Bar Dinner$9.01
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Pizza & Smoothie Lunch$6.31
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Ice Cream$5.92
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Breakfast Taco Bar$3.34
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Fruit Plate$2.96
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Costa Rican cooking class with cookbook author Melissa Guzman: $85
- Taste of Costa Rica: Traditional Food Tour in Jacó: $87
- Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Combo Tour with Lunch & Dinner: $195
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $27Jaco $60
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Mangrove cruise garífuna Culture sightseeing and Lunch : $89
- Shore Excursion: VIP Island City Tour and Drift Snorkel : $60
- Sloths Sanctuary/Monkeys Play + Dune Buggy/ATV Adventure & Private Beach Resort: $139
- 2 Hour Zip Lining Private Tour in Mahogany Bay: $65
- 3 Hours ATV Adventure in Politilly Bight: $85
- 4 Hours Private Tour with Snorkel Experience in Roatan: $50
- 4-Hour East Side Roatan Private Guided Tour with Canoe Ride: $120
- 4-to-5 Hour Cruise Ship Tour, Monkeys/Sloths & West Bay Resort: $48
- 4x4 ATV tour With Lunch : $109
- Adventures of Roatan ATV Pineapple beach break: $120
- Animal Sightings and Walking Tour at Gumbalimba Park with Addons: $90
- Atv Island Tour: $85
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$9.82
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Surf Lesson$49
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Bike Rental$9.82
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Tortuga Island Tour$98
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Massage$44
Tours and Activities in Jaco
For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Guided Walking Street Art & Graffiti Tour in Jaco Costa Rica : $30
- Jungle Crocodile Safari and Bird Watching Tour: $35
- 2 Hours Private Guided Hiking Experience to El Miro in Jaco: $35
- Crocodile Man Tour THE ORIGINAL: $40
- Jason Crocodile Tours: $40
- Jaco Beach: 2-Hour Chocolate Experience Tour: $43
- Horseback Riding Pacific Experience in Tarcoles Garabito: $47
- Guided visit to Carara National Park (Ticket included): $50
- From Canopy Tour in Hacienda Nosavar: $50
- Jaco Horseback Riding Adventure Tours: $59
- Jaco Horse Tours: $60
- Chocolate Experience: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $7.07Jaco $32
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Half-Day Tour in Roatan With Brewery, Rum and Chocolate Factories visit: $46
- 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$15
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Night at the Bar$27
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.