Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or San Pedro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers San Pedro vs. La Fortuna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit San Pedro or La Fortuna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Pedro or La Fortuna, 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 Pedro or La Fortuna?
San Pedro
San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize. Here you can find a tropical paradise with warm weather, clear blue waters, plenty of activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving, and a host of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.
La Fortuna
La Fortuna is in San Carlos, in the province of Alajuela. It is the closest town to Arenal Volcano, and the area is often simply refered to as Arenal. The volcano itself is active and has been constantly erupting since 1968. It erupts on average 41 times a day. This area of northern Costa Rica is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro $135La Fortuna $99
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro is $135, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $99. 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 Pedro and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro $66La Fortuna $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro $132La Fortuna $98
Compare Hotels in San Pedro and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro or La Fortuna? 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: La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro $34La Fortuna $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:
- Cave Tubing Adventure Air Transfer: $255
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Shuttle Transfer Lake crossing from Arenal To Monteverde: $25
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Juan Santamaria Airport From 1 to 6 passengers: $138
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Int. Airport Liberia From 1 to 6 passengers: $158
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Juan Santamaria Airport From 7 to 10 passengers: $192
- Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Monteverde From 1 to 6 passengers: $195
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Int. Airport Liberia From 7 to 10 passengers: $211
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Arenal To Monteverde From 1 to 6 passengers: $231
- Transfer from Arenal or La Fortuna to Conchal beach up to 5 passengers: $240
- Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Monteverde From 7 to 10 passengers: $248
- Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Manuel Antonio From 1 to 6 passengers: $275
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Juan Santamaria Airport From 11 to 15 passengers: $288
- Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Manuel Antonio From 7 to 10 passengers: $289
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and San Pedro 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 Pedro $40La Fortuna $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- cooking class la fortuna: $40
- Cooking Class Including Tortilla Making in La Fortuna: $55
- 3-Course Cooking Class: $138
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro $33La Fortuna $42
Tours and Activities in San Pedro
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Pedro are as follows:
- Jungle Tour in the City - from San Jose: $45
- Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $62
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $67
- Mexico Rocks Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $67
- Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $107
- Caves Kayaking Zipline Experience from Ambergris Caye San Pedro: $142
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure: $190
- Cave Tubing and Zip line Adventure from San pedro Ambergris caye: $208
- Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from San Pedro Ambergris Caye: $220
- Crossing the highlands: From Cusco to Puno or Viceversa - Private tour: $421
- The best of San Pedro Town walking tour: $496
- The Best of San Jose Walking Tour: $509
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- Parque Ecológico Volcán Arenal Full Day Experience + THERMALS: $18
- Zipline Experience in La Fortuna with Hotel Pick Up: $30
- Sloth Watching Tour: $30
- Eden Chocolate Tour - The best chocolate tour in La Fortuna: $30
- Organic chocolate tour: $31
- Canopy Tour in Go Adventure Park: $32
- Natura Premium Tour: $34
- Mistico Park Hanging Bridges Guided Tour: $40
- 6-Hour Arenal Volcano Observatory & Lake Tour: $40
- Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park: Guided Tour: $42
- Birdwatching Tour: $46
- Night Walk Experience: $48
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro $16La Fortuna $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro and La Fortuna, we can see that San Pedro is more expensive. And not only is La Fortuna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to La Fortuna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Fortuna 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 Pedro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Pedro than you might in La Fortuna.
When is the best time to visit San Pedro or La Fortuna?
Both destinations experience a tropical climate with warm weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit San Pedro or La Fortuna in the Summer?
Both La Fortuna and San Pedro are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm tropical climate attracts visitors to San Pedro throughout the year. The warm tropical climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
It rains a lot this time of the year in La Fortuna. It's quite rainy in San Pedro. In July, San Pedro usually receives more rain than La Fortuna. San Pedro gets 243 mm (9.6 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Pedro. San Pedro usually receives more sunshine than La Fortuna during summer. San Pedro gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 164 hours of full sun in the summer.
San Pedro is around the same temperature as La Fortuna in the summer. The temperature in San Pedro is usually 28°C (82°F) in July, and La Fortuna stays around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySan Pedro 28°C (82°F)La Fortuna 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit San Pedro or La Fortuna in the Autumn?
Both La Fortuna and San Pedro during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Pedro because of the warm tropical climate that lasts throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to La Fortuna because of the warm tropical climate that lasts throughout the year.
La Fortuna gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in San Pedro. San Pedro usually gets around the same amount of rain in October as La Fortuna. San Pedro gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the autumn, San Pedro often gets more sunshine than La Fortuna. San Pedro gets 196 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 169 hours of full sun.
In the autumn, San Pedro is around the same temperature as La Fortuna. Typically, the autumn temperatures in San Pedro in October are around 26°C (80°F), and La Fortuna is about 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSan Pedro 26°C (80°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit San Pedro or La Fortuna in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both San Pedro and La Fortuna. San Pedro attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and tropical climate. La Fortuna attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and tropical climate.
San Pedro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, San Pedro usually receives more rain than La Fortuna. San Pedro gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Fortuna this time of the year. San Pedro usually receives less sunshine than La Fortuna during winter. San Pedro gets 199 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 264 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, San Pedro is generally cooler than La Fortuna. Temperatures in San Pedro average around 24°C (74°F), and La Fortuna stays around 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySan Pedro 24°C (74°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit San Pedro or La Fortuna in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to San Pedro as well as La Fortuna. The warm tropical climate attracts visitors to San Pedro throughout the year. The warm tropical climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
San Pedro usually gets more rain in April than La Fortuna. San Pedro gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Fortuna. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Pedro this time of the year. In the spring, San Pedro often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortuna. San Pedro gets 256 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 255 hours of full sun.
San Pedro is around the same temperature as La Fortuna in the spring. The temperature in San Pedro is usually 27°C (80°F) in April, and La Fortuna stays around 29°C (85°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSan Pedro 27°C (80°F)La Fortuna 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for La Fortuna and San Pedro
| San Pedro | La Fortuna | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (74°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (78°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 258 mm (10.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 243 mm (9.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 187 mm (7.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (80°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (76°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
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