Which place is cheaper, San Jose or Roatan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Roatan or San Jose?
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 San Jose. 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 San Jose?
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.
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 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.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $38San Jose $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $38, while the average daily cost in San Jose is $87. 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 San Jose in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $11San Jose $47
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $22San Jose $94
Compare Hotels in Roatan and San Jose
Looking for a hotel in Roatan 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: Roatan Hotel Prices and San Jose Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $19San Jose $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
-
Water Taxi$4.25
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
- West Bay Aquarium Snorkeling, Beach, Zipline, City Tour & Transfer: $140
- Scuba Dive in the West End of Roatan with Private Transfer: $125
- Round trip transfers from airport or ferry to hotel: $40
- Roatan to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $39
- Roatan Private Sloths, Monkeys, Birds Encounters, City Tour and Transfer: $60
- Roatan Island Buggy Adventure plus Transfer: $217
- Roatan Buggy Adventure, Monkey & Sloth Park, Beach Pass plus Private Transfer: $207
- Parasailing, Beach Break, Chocolate Factory with Transfer: $155
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $77
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, Hiking, Beach Break plus Transfer Included: $130
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
-
Taxi from SJO$24
-
Local Bus$2.63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Transfer Costa Rica SJO Airport TO or FROM Hotels nearby Private : $39
- Private One-way Transfer from San Jose to Juan Santamaria Airport: $41
- Private One-way Transfer from Juan Santamaria Airport to San Jose: $41
- Private Airport and Hotel Transfer: Alajuela and San Jose: $45
- Private San José Airport Transfer to San José Hotels : $50
- Private Transfer from San Jose City to Puntarenas Cruise Port: $51
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport One Way: $56
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Round-Trip Private Transfer: $64
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Arrival Private Transfer: $69
- Shared transfer to Manuel Antonio: $70
- Juan Santamaria Intl Airport (SJO) to San Jose - Private Transfer: $71
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or San Jose?
Prices for flights to both San Jose 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 dayRoatan $9.40San Jose $17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Tiki Boat Sunset Cruise in Roatan with Snorkeling and Dinner : $120
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: $28
- San Jose By Night Tour: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $53
- San Jose Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and visit Gold Museum : $54
- 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
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $27San Jose $20
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Shore Excursion: VIP Island City Tour and Drift Snorkel : $60
- 2 Tank Roatan Fun Dive, Boat Sightseeing Tour, including ground transportation: $145
- 3 Hours ATV Adventure & food tasting all inclusive : $99
- 3-Hours Private Tour in Roatan with Pick Up: $66
- 4 Hours Private Tour with Snorkeling and West Bay Beach Break : $78
- 4-Hour East Side Roatan Private Guided Tour with Canoe Ride: $120
- 4-Hour Private Tour to Roatan Island: $65
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $99
- ATV park tour: $125
- Catamaran Cruise, Open Bar, Food and Snorkeling: $165
- Cruise Ship Combo: Sloths, Chocolate Factory, City Tour, Beach, Private Shuttle: $75
- Cruise Ship Multiple Snorkeling, Snacks, Music & Private Vehicle: $110
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
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $33
- San Jose Historical Walking Tour with a Guide: $33
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- San Jose ART Walking Tour - small groups, creative experience: $35
- San Jose City Tour and central Market with local food : $35
- Corso Lecheria Tour: $40
- Small Group Cultural Walking Tour in San Jose Costa Rica: $42
- Zipline Tour Arenal + Indigenous culture + Thermomineral pools: $48
- Sarapiqui Forest Horseback Riding Experience in Costa Rica: $49
- San Jose Private Walking Tour with a Guide: $50
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $7.05San Jose $16
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and San Jose, we can see that San Jose 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 San Jose would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Jose 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 San Jose Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Roatan or San Jose?
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan 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.
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.