Which place is cheaper, Denver or San Jose?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Jose or Denver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Jose or Denver, 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 Denver?
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.
Denver
The capital of Colorado, Denver is commonly referred to as "The Mile-High City" because it is at an elevation of 5,280 feet (1,600 meters) above sea level. It also sits where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, giving a beautiful backdrop for this metropolitan city. The city is the largest in the Rocky Mountains with a population of more than 600,000 and nearly 3 million in the metropolitan area. Denver is a cosmopolitan city with cowboy roots. It's cultural scene is thriving, and the outdoor recreation in the area is superb. Denver is a rapidly growing city but with change comes challenges. Urban sprawl is a problem and the city's infrastructure has reached its limits. Still, efforts are in place to maintain the character and personality that Denver is known for.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica, The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Jose $89Denver $218
The average daily cost (per person) in San Jose is $89, while the average daily cost in Denver is $218. 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 Denver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Jose $48Denver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Jose $96Denver $174
Compare Hotels in San Jose and Denver
Looking for a hotel in San Jose or Denver? 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 Denver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Jose $19Denver $101
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$2.71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- San Jose to Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) – Departure Private Transfer: $32
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from SanJose Juan Santamaría Airport to SanJose City: $39
- Private One-way Juan Santamaria Airport Transfer to from San Jose: $41
- Transfer Costa Rica SJO Airport To OR From Hotels nearby Private : $45
- Private Airport and Hotel Transfer: Alajuela and San Jose: $45
- Private Transfer from San Jose City to Puntarenas Cruise Port: $50
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport (SJO) to Puntarenas Port: $50
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport One Way: $56
- Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) to San Jose – Round-Trip Private Transfer: $64
- Private transfer from SJO Intl Airport to downtown Hotels: $65
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Jaco - Arrival Private Transfer: $68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Denver
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Denver:
- Transfer in Private Car from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Downtown: $72
- Transfer in Private Car from Denver Downtown to International Airport (DEN) : $72
- Round trip transfer in private minivan from-to Denver Intl. Airport to Downtown: $173
- Private Transfer from Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Business Car: $108
- Private Transfer from Denver Airport DEN to Denver in Business Car: $108
- Private One Way Transfer From and To Denver Colorado: $200
- Private City Tour in Denver with Transfer: $130
- Departure Private Transfer: Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Luxury Van: $136
- Departure Private Transfer: Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Luxury SUV: $136
- Departure Private Transfer: Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Business Car: $108
- Denver hotel or address to Denver Airport (DEN) - Departure Private Transfer: $50
- Denver Airport Transfer To/From Aspen for 6-14 Sprinter Van: $1,950
Is it cheaper to fly into San Jose or Denver?
Prices for flights to both Denver 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 $18Denver $42
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: $34
- San Jose By Night Tour: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $57
- San Jose Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour and visit Gold Museum : $60
- 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
- Dinner + Typical Show in the best viewpoint of the City: $99
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $179
Typical Food Prices in Denver
Some typical examples of dining costs in Denver are as follows:
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Sushi Dinner (for 2)$61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Denver
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Denver.
- RiNo Arts District Food Tour: $79
- Downtown Denver Food Tour: $79
- Arts District Walking Food Tour: $79
- Mystery Puzzle Food Tour in Golden, CO: $80
- The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Denver, CO: $86
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Jose $21Denver $52
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 Farm of Hacienda Orosi: $11
- Entrance ticket to the Hacienda Orosi: $21
- Hiking Experience in El Quetzal Private Reserve: $26
- Private Roasting and Cupping Coffee Experience: $30
- Sarapiqui Frog Tour: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- Poas Volcano National Park - Admission Ticket: $32
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $33
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- San Jose Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
- San Jose ART Walking Tour - small groups, creative experience: $35
- Corso Lecheria Tour: $40
Tours and Activities in Denver
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Denver are as follows:
- Shared Golden's History Wagon Ride Tour in Colorado: $65
- Small-Group Cocktail Tour in Denver: $99
- 1.5 Hour RiNo Art District Walking Tour: $28
- 2 Hour Guided Segway Tour: $69
- 2 Hour LoDo Historic Walking Tour in Denver: $28
- Beginner Rock Climbing Tour: $200
- Best of Denver Tour: $64
- Best of Denver Tour: $30
- Bike and Booze Tour of RiNo & Downtown: $76
- Breckenridge Ultimate Full Day Mountain Tour from Denver: $139
- Cheesman Park Ghost Tour: $28
- Colorado Gold Rush Mountain and Mine Half-Day Tour from Denver: $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Jose $16Denver $5.31
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $38
- Wine Tour and Tasting: $85
- Bar Crawl in San Jose in a Deluxe Party Bus: $100
Sample the Local Flavors in Denver
Also in Denver, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Wine Tasting with Cheese, Charcuterie, and Dessert : $74
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Jose and Denver, we can see that Denver is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Jose is in Central America and Denver is in North 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 Denver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Denver than you might in San Jose.
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 Denver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Jose or Denver?
Denver has a larger population, and is about 66% larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of San Jose and Denver, 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.