Which place is cheaper, Cali or San Jose?
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 San Jose or Cali?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Jose or Cali, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: San Jose or Cali?
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.
Cali
Cali is Colombia's third largest city. Founded in 1536, can be explored on foot: walk under the shade of trees along the riverbank, admire the architecture of churches and other national monuments, and visit the city's many museums. Being the salsa capital of the world, Cali is primarily a destination for salsa and party but it also offers some great days out in the nearby natural surroundings. In Cali, travelers can enjoy music festivals, learn about sugarcane farming, and take in the mountainous landscapes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Colombia.
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San Jose Prices
Costa Rica PricesCali Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Jose $103Cali $31
The average daily cost (per person) in San Jose is $103, while the average daily cost in Cali is $31. 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 San Jose and Cali in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Jose $49Cali $6.02
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Jose $98Cali $12
Compare Hotels in San Jose and Cali
Looking for a hotel in San Jose or Cali? 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: San Jose Hotel Prices and Cali Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Jose $19Cali $5.62
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO$25
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Local Bus$2.72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers to Occidental Papagayo - Secrets Resort, Round-Trip: $111
- Transfer one way from San Jose or Airport to Hotel RIU Guanacaste : $295
- Transfer from San Jose Int'l Airport to San Jose City (Roundtrip): $120
- Transfer from San Jose Airport CR (SJO) to Arenal La Fortuna Hotels: $279
- Transfer from SJO Airport to Jaco or vice versa: $125
- Transfer from SJO Airport or surrounding to Manuel Antonio: $229
- Transfer TO or FROM SJO Airport to Esterillos - Bejuco Not Shared: $180
- Transfer SJO Airport to La Fortuna or hotels: $225
- Transfer 1 to 3 Pax Juan Santamaria Airport to SJO Hotels : $60
- Shared transfer to Manuel Antonio: $70
- San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Limon: Private Transfer : $299
- San Jose to Manuel Antonio: Private Transfer : $219
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cali
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cali:
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Short Taxi Ride$1.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cali
Also for Cali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Hotel Zone to Cali Airport: $39
- Transfer Airport Private- Hotels North: $36
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport : $20
- Departure Private Transfer from Cali City to Cali Airport CLO by Minivan: $71
- Departure Private Transfer from Cali City to Cali Airport CLO by Minibus: $171
- City Highlights Private Bus Tour with Transfer: $183
- Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airpot One Way Transfer: $20
- Cali/Palmira to Alfonso B.Aragon Airport (CLO) - Private Transfer: $46
- Cali to or from Coffee Region Private Transfer: $136
- Cali to Popayan Private Transfer: $272
- Cali to Popayan Private Transfer: $272
- Cali Tour Privado x5 horas con Transfers: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into San Jose or Cali?
Prices for flights to both Cali and San Jose 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 daySan Jose $31Cali $15
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 including Markets: $29
- San Jose Cooking Classes visit Central Market: $52
- San Jose By Night: Farm to Table Dinner, Cooking & Cocktail Class: $59
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $78
- San Jose By Night: Sights & Culture Tour with Local Dinner : $80
- Dinner + Typical dance show at the best viewpoint in San José: $92
- Street Food Tour in San Jose with a Local Guide: $113
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $185
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cali
For Cali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour: $23
- Street Food Tour: $29
- Cali tastes good! Authentic street food tour through the salsa capital: $53
- Alameda Market Food Tour: $55
- Traditional Colombian Meal Cooking Class: $67
- Street Food Tour - Live A Unique Gastronomic Experience: $67
- Flavors of Food tour at the local market: $73
- Food Tour San Antonio: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Jose $21Cali $11
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 in 1 Volcano Irazu + San Jose City Tour: $187
- 2-Hour Orosi Nocturnal Tour: $33
- 3-Hour Downtown San Jose Walking Tour: $40
- A taste of Aquiares - 2 hours Coffee Tour: $42
- ATV Off Road Poas Volcano Adventure and Hiking for two persons.: $130
- Action Packed Class 4 Rafting Adventure : $95
- Adventure Park: $190
- Adventure Zip Lining at the Cloud Forest from San José: $138
- Airtime Zipline Adventure in Arenal: $60
- Arenal Combo Experience: Canopy & Rapell + Thermals: $65
- Arenal Hanging Bridges and Hot Springs Private Tour from San Jose: $295
- Arenal Volcano & Baldi Hot Springs one day tour from San Jose: $199
Tours and Activities in Cali
For Cali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Walking Tour through Cali : $68
- A day to enjoy nature and have an adventure in the Jordan river: $65
- Afro Walking Tour. The colors of Cali.: $40
- Birdwatching and Botany Tour at KM18: $140
- Cali ATV tours - Take your adrenaline to the maximum on the road: $179
- Cali Birdwatching and Botany Tour at KM18: $160
- Cali City Tour: $202
- Cali Downtown Walking Tour: $56
- Cali Private City Tour with Salsa Lesson, Museums or Food: $107
- Cali River Waterfall Tour (4 hours): $59
- Cali River Waterfall Tour (Pance): $59
- Cali Salsa Tour: Dance & Play instruments: $78
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Jose $16Cali $8.48
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Exclusive Pub Crawl in San Jose : $30
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $39
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
Sample the Local Flavors in Cali
Also in Cali, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Cali, Colombia: $25
- Craft Beer Pub Crawl in Cali: $40
- Salsa Pub Crawl in Cali: $45
- Paragliding + Wine tasting + Hacienda El Paraiso + Saint Helena: $210
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Jose and Cali, we can see that San Jose is more expensive. And not only is Cali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Jose is in Central America and Cali is in South 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 Cali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cali 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 Cali.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Jose Expensive? and Is Cali Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Jose or Cali?
Cali has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of San Jose and Cali, 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.