Should you visit San Ignacio or Jaco?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Ignacio or Jaco, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
San Ignacio
So you want a tropical getaway, but also don't want to lay around with nothing to do. You want an adventure! You want relaxation and exploration.
You want to visit the small town of San Ignacio, Belize.
This section of the Cayo region is really more of a jungle than a typical Belize beach getaway. Located close the ancient Mayan ruins on the western and inland side of Belize, this town is most popular for its many outdoor adventures including hiking, climbing, and caving!
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.
Which city is cheaper, Jaco or San Ignacio?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in San Ignacio is $57, while the average daily cost in Jaco is $62. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for San Ignacio and Jaco in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in San Ignacio is about $30 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
The prices for places to stay in Jaco can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $40, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $80.
Food
The average traveler spends about $16 per day in San Ignacio for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
The average traveler spends about $12 per day in Jaco for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
San Ignacio $16
Jaco $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Ignacio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Ignacio.
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Xunantunich & Food Tour from San Ignacio:
$135
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
$3.20
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Taco Bar Dinner
$7.32
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Pizza & Smoothie Lunch
$5.13
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Ice Cream
$4.81
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Breakfast Taco Bar
$2.72
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Fruit Plate
$2.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Traveling Spoon Ceviche Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
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Online Costa Rican Cooking Class with cookbook author Melissa Guzman:
$35
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Costa Rican cooking class with cookbook author Melissa Guzman:
$70
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around San Ignacio is $2.48 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Ignacio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Ignacio:
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Shared Departure Transfer: San Ignacio Hotels to Belize International Airport:
$70
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Shared Departure Transfer: San Ignacio Hotel to Belize International Airport:
$60
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Shared Arrival Transfer: Belize International Airport to San Ignacio Hotels:
$70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco
Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Jaco Airport Transfers:
$149
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Jaco to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) - Departure Private Transfer:
$112
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Jacó Private Transfer to San Jose Airport for 1 to 5 People:
$146
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Private Departure Transfer: Jaco Beach to Juan Santamaría International Airport:
$153
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Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport:
$152
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Transfer TO or FROM Jaco Beach Area to SJO Airport:
$95
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Transfer from Jaco to Monteverde up to 5 passengers:
$210
Is it cheaper to fly into San Ignacio or Jaco?
Prices for flights to both Jaco and San Ignacio 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.
Entertainment
San Ignacio's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $80 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Jaco can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $39 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in San Ignacio
Here are a few actual costs in San Ignacio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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ATM Cave Tour from San Ignacio:
$141
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ATV, Zipline and Cave Tubing Tour from San Ignacio:
$250
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Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic:
$140
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Actun Tunichil Muknal with Local Tour guide & Belizean Lunch:
$115
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Barton Creek Tour:
$87
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Belize Cave Tubing Adventure from San Ignacio:
$72
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Caracol Maya Ruin Tour:
$118
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Caracol Maya Ruins Tour Including Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave and a Picnic Lunch:
$109
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Caracol Maya Site & Pools with Local Tour guide & Belizean Lunch:
$115
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Cave Canoeing with Local Tour Guide:
$100
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Cave Tubing Adventure:
$93
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Cave Tubing and Zip line Adventure from San Ignacio:
$160
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
$7.98
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Surf Lesson
$40
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Bike Rental
$7.98
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Tortuga Island Tour
$79
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Massage
$36
Tours and Activities in Jaco
For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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High Ropes Course Adventure in Jaco:
$30
-
4x4 Land Cruiser Ride to the Waterfalls Tour:
$33
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Jungle Crocodile Safari and Bird Watching Tour:
$35
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Rainforest Costa Rica Sunset Tour:
$46
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Guided Motorcycle Tour of Jaco:
$50
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Chocolate Experience by CRHR:
$53
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ATV Tour in Jaco:
$54
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Jacó beach horseback riding experience:
$57
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Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Pacific Aerial Tram:
$60
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Chocolate Experience:
$60
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Jungle Waterfall and River Crossing ATV Tour at Jaco:
$64
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Waterfall Adventure Prohiker:
$65
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting San Ignacio may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $14 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Jaco spend on average $21 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
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
$12
-
Night at the Bar
$22
When comparing the travel costs between San Ignacio and Jaco, we can see that Jaco is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Central America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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