Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Saint John?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Saint John or Tamarindo?
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 Saint John and Tamarindo. 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: Saint John or Tamarindo?
Saint John
With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.
This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint John $192Tamarindo $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint John is $192, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $121. 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 Saint John and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint John $106Tamarindo $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint John $212Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in Saint John and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Saint John or Tamarindo? 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: Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint John $49Tamarindo $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Airport Transfer from Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo Hyatt (Round Trip): $163
- Flamingo/Tamarindo to Liberia Airport(LIR)- Departure Transfer: $38
- From Hotel Transfer to Liberia Guanacaste Airport: $62
- Guanacaste Airport transfer to Jw Marriott Guanacaste: $130
- Liberia Airport Private Transfer To Gulf of Papagayo Costa Rica: $125
- Liberia Airport To Tamarindo Private Transfer: $55
- Monteverde: Transfer to Tamarindo: $65
- Playa Conchal & Flamingo From Liberia Airport, Transfer Service: $168
- Playa Grande to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $31
- Private Airport Transfer from Liberia to Tamarindo beaches Areas & surrounding : $140
- Private Liberia airport transfer: $200
- Private Transfer - Liberia Airport & Riu Hotel: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint John or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Saint John 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 daySaint John $56Tamarindo $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Saint John $23Tamarindo $17
Tours and Activities in Saint John
Here are a few actual costs in Saint John for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- USVI: Island & Beach Tours in St. Thomas & St. John (2 Days): $199
- St. John: A Private Island Adventure Tour & Trunk Bay Beach: $627
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Costa Rica: tour in electric car (only best view locations): $2.00
- Sea turtle watching tour near playa grande: $44
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $44
- Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
- Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour: $50
- ATV Beach and Mountain Tour!: $62
- Tamarindo Estuary: Howler Monkey Mangrove Kayaking Tour: $65
- Hiking Tour of La Leona Waterfall with Lunch: $65
- ATV and UTV Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo and Conchal Beach: $67
- ATV Tour through the Flamingo Potrero and Brasilito Area: $70
- Zipline Canopy Tour from Guanacaste: $70
- Tamarindo Kayaking Tour with Snorkeling at Captain Island: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint John $44Tamarindo $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint John and Tamarindo, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is Tamarindo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint John is in Caribbean Islands and Tamarindo is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Tamarindo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tamarindo 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 Saint John would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John than you might in Tamarindo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint John Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Saint John or Tamarindo?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Saint John or Tamarindo in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint John and Tamarindo. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John year-round. Tamarindo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Tamarindo receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Saint John usually receives less rain than Tamarindo. Saint John gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In the summer, Saint John is around the same temperature as Tamarindo. Typically, the summer temperatures in Saint John in July average around 29°C (83°F), and Tamarindo averages at about 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySaint John 29°C (83°F)Tamarindo 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Saint John or Tamarindo in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Saint John as well as Tamarindo. Saint John attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Tamarindo throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Tamarindo. Saint John receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Saint John usually gets less rain in October than Tamarindo. Saint John gets 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
In October, Saint John is generally around the same temperature as Tamarindo. Daily temperatures in Saint John average around 28°C (82°F), and Tamarindo fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSaint John 28°C (82°F)Tamarindo 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Saint John or Tamarindo in the Winter?
Both Tamarindo and Saint John are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Tamarindo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Saint John usually receives more rain than Tamarindo. Saint John gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
Saint John is around the same temperature as Tamarindo in the winter. The daily temperature in Saint John averages around 26°C (78°F) in January, and Tamarindo fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySaint John 26°C (78°F)Tamarindo 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Saint John or Tamarindo in the Spring?
Both Tamarindo and Saint John during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Tamarindo year-round.
Saint John usually gets more rain in April than Tamarindo. Saint John gets 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the spring, Saint John is around the same temperature as Tamarindo. Typically, the spring temperatures in Saint John in April average around 27°C (80°F), and Tamarindo averages at about 29°C (85°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSaint John 27°C (80°F)Tamarindo 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Tamarindo and Saint John
| Saint John | Tamarindo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
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.