Which place is cheaper, Quepos 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 Quepos?
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 Quepos. 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 Quepos?
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.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.
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Roatan Prices
Honduras PricesQuepos Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $44Quepos $140
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $44, while the average daily cost in Quepos is $140. 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 Quepos in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $11Quepos $77
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $22Quepos $154
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Quepos
Looking for a hotel in Roatan or Quepos? 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 Quepos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $18Quepos $9.62
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- West Bay Aquarium Snorkeling, Chocolate & Rum Factory, City Tour plus Transfer: $91
- Transfers, Zip Line and Monkey Park: $150
- Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $25
- South Side Horseback Riding, Beach Break & Roundway Transfer: $120
- Round trip transfers from airport or ferry to hotel: $80
- Roatan to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $56
- Roatan to Honduras Airport (RTB)-Departure Private Transfer: $56
- Roatan Zipline, Monkey, Macaws & Sloths Eco Park, Snorkeling, Transfer: $128
- Roatan Private Catamaran Shipwreck, Blue Channel and Starfish with Transfer: $90
- Roatan Island Buggy Adventure plus Transfer: $217
- North Side Blue Channel & Starfish Snorkeling, 20min JetSki, Transfer Included: $165
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $121
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Manuel Antonio: $76
- Puntarenas city to Juan Santamaria Intl Airport(SJO)-Departure Private Transfer : $102
- Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $135
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO): $162
- Private Transfer FROM or TO Manuel Antonio - Sierpe : $189
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca: $220
- Private Transfer from Quepos Port to Liberia Int Airport (LIR): $252
- Private transfer from Manuel Antonio Quepos to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $269
- Manuel Antonio & Quepos one way transfer to SJO hotels - Airport up to 5 people.: $274
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Monteverde: $276
- Private Transfer From Manuel Antonio To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $297
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Quepos?
Prices for flights to both Quepos 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 $16Quepos $51
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
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): $65
- Cooking Class and Medical Plants Garden: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $26Quepos $17
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Bay Islands ATV City Tour and Wildlife Sanctuary Visit: $128
- Jungle Atv Adventure Beach relax chocolate Rum sample: $105
- Snorkeling Adventure chocolate Rum Sample West Bay Beach Break : $75
- 2 Hour Zip Lining Private Tour in Mahogany Bay: $65
- 2 Sites Snorkeling at West Bay Beach with Eco Park Adventure : $135
- 2-Hour Private Off Road ATV and Beach Experience in Bay Islands: $90
- 4-Hour Private Tour to Roatan Island: $65
- ATV Ride and Animals Park Tour Mahogany Bay and Ports Roatan: $135
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $132
- Animal Sightings and Walking Tour at Gumbalimba Park with Addons: $90
- Atv Island Tour: $85
- Beer and Food Tasting Experience at Roatan Island Brewing Company: $100
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Night Tour in Authentic Forest: $26
- Quepos Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $26
- Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $26
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $27
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $29
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour : $29
- Manuel Antonio Park: Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $29
- Guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park: $29
- Manuel Antonio National Park Group Guided Tour: $30
- 2-3-Hour Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park: Guided Tour with Beach Time: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $6.81Quepos $15
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and Quepos, we can see that Quepos 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 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 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 Quepos Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Roatan or Quepos?
Quepos has a larger population, and is about 4% larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan and Quepos, 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.