Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Saint Thomas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Saint Thomas or Tamarindo? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.
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.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Thomas is $218, 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 Thomas and Tamarindo in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Saint Thomas 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.
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:
Also for Saint Thomas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Saint Thomas 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.
For Saint Thomas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Thomas:
Also in Tamarindo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Thomas and Tamarindo, we can see that Saint Thomas is more expensive. And not only is Tamarindo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint Thomas 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 Thomas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Thomas 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 Thomas Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Both Tamarindo and Saint Thomas during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Saint Thomas because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Tamarindo year-round.
Tamarindo gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Saint Thomas usually gets less rain in July than Tamarindo. Saint Thomas gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
It's quite sunny in Saint Thomas. In the summer, Saint Thomas often gets more sunshine than Tamarindo. Saint Thomas gets 287 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Tamarindo receives 164 hours of full sun.
In the summer, Saint Thomas is around the same temperature as Tamarindo. Typically, the summer temperatures in Saint Thomas in July average around 29°C (83°F), and Tamarindo averages at about 28°C (82°F).
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint Thomas and Tamarindo. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint Thomas year-round. Tamarindo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Tamarindo receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Saint Thomas gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Saint Thomas usually receives less rain than Tamarindo. Saint Thomas gets 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
In Saint Thomas, it's very sunny this time of the year. Saint Thomas usually receives more sunshine than Tamarindo during autumn. Saint Thomas gets 235 hours of sunny skies, while Tamarindo receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Saint Thomas is generally around the same temperature as Tamarindo. Daily temperatures in Saint Thomas average around 28°C (82°F), and Tamarindo fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
The winter brings many poeple to Saint Thomas as well as Tamarindo. Saint Thomas attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Tamarindo throughout the year.
Saint Thomas usually gets more rain in January than Tamarindo. Saint Thomas gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Tamarindo. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Saint Thomas this time of the year. In the winter, Saint Thomas often gets less sunshine than Tamarindo. Saint Thomas gets 240 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Tamarindo receives 264 hours of full sun.
Saint Thomas is around the same temperature as Tamarindo in the winter. The daily temperature in Saint Thomas averages around 26°C (78°F) in January, and Tamarindo fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
Both Tamarindo and Saint Thomas are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint Thomas throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Tamarindo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Saint Thomas usually receives more rain than Tamarindo. Saint Thomas gets 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
It's quite sunny in Tamarindo. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Saint Thomas. Saint Thomas usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Tamarindo during spring. Saint Thomas gets 272 hours of sunny skies, while Tamarindo receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
In the spring, Saint Thomas is around the same temperature as Tamarindo. Typically, the spring temperatures in Saint Thomas in April average around 27°C (80°F), and Tamarindo averages at about 29°C (85°F).
Saint Thomas | 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) |