Which place is cheaper, Ushuaia or San Jose?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Jose or Ushuaia, 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.
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.
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica, The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, and The Best Eco Tours in Argentina.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in San Jose is $90, while the average daily cost in Ushuaia is $11. 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 Ushuaia in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in San Jose or Ushuaia? 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 San Jose are as follows:
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ushuaia are as follows:
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Ushuaia 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.
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ushuaia:
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ushuaia are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Jose and Ushuaia, we can see that San Jose is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Jose is in Central America and Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia.
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 Ushuaia Expensive?.
San Jose has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Ushuaia. When comparing the sizes of San Jose and Ushuaia, 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.
Ushuaia has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Jose experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both San Jose and Ushuaia. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Jose year-round.
San Jose is much warmer than Ushuaia in the summer. The daily temperature in San Jose averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Ushuaia fluctuates around 10°C (50°F)in January.
San Jose usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Ushuaia during summer. San Jose gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Ushuaia receives 169 hours of full sun in the summer.
San Jose gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, San Jose usually receives more rain than Ushuaiain January. San Jose gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
The autumn brings many poeple to San Jose as well as Ushuaia. San Jose attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, San Jose is much warmer than Ushuaia. Typically, the autumn temperatures in San Jose in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Ushuaia averages at about 6°C (43°F)in April.
In the autumn, San Jose often gets more sunshine than Ushuaiain April. San Jose gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ushuaia receives 74 hours of full sun.
San Jose receives a lot of rain in the autumn. San Jose usually gets more rain in October than Ushuaiain April. San Jose gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both Ushuaia and San Jose are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Jose throughout the year.
It's quite cold in Ushuaia in the winter. In January, San Jose is generally much warmer than Ushuaiain July. Daily temperatures in San Jose average around 27°C (81°F), and Ushuaia fluctuates around 2°C (36°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Jose. San Jose usually receives more sunshine than Ushuaia during winter. San Jose gets 264 hours of sunny skies, while Ushuaia receives 61 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, San Jose usually receives less rain than Ushuaiain July. San Jose gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
Both Ushuaia and San Jose during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Jose because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
San Jose is much warmer than Ushuaia in the spring. The daily temperature in San Jose averages around 29°C (85°F) in April, and Ushuaia fluctuates around 6°C (43°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in San Jose. In the spring, San Jose often gets more sunshine than Ushuaiain October. San Jose gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ushuaia receives 156 hours of full sun.
San Jose usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Ushuaiain October. San Jose gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
San Jose | Ushuaia | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |