Which place is cheaper, Jaco or Santo Domingo?
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 Santo Domingo or Jaco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Santo Domingo and Jaco can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Santo Domingo or Jaco?
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is a vibrant city that seamlessly blends history, culture, and modernity. Known for being the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, Santo Domingo offers a wealth of experiences that cater to every type of traveler.
Traveling to Santo Domingo on a budget is entirely achievable with some strategic planning. Accommodations range from luxury hotels to budget-friendly hostels and guesthouses. The Zona Colonial, the historic district, offers several affordable lodging options that provide easy access to major attractions. Hostels offer comfortable accommodations and a chance to meet fellow travelers, too. Eating on a budget is also feasible in Santo Domingo. Local eateries, known as "comedores," serve traditional Dominican dishes at reasonable prices.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Santo Domingo Prices
Dominican Republic PricesJaco Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanto Domingo $106Jaco $131
The average daily cost (per person) in Santo Domingo is $106, while the average daily cost in Jaco is $131. 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 Santo Domingo and Jaco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanto Domingo $43Jaco $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanto Domingo $86Jaco $148
Compare Hotels in Santo Domingo and Jaco
Looking for a hotel in Santo Domingo or Jaco? 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: Santo Domingo Hotel Prices and Jaco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santo Domingo $4.88Jaco -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santo Domingo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santo Domingo:
- VIP Suburban Private Transfer from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana: $170
- VIP Private Transfer from Las Americas Airport AILA To Punta Cana: $172
- Uvero Alto to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Transfer from the Americas Inter. Airport to Punta Cana: $235
- Transfer from Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) to Samana Cruise Port: $122
- Transfer from Airport to Hotel throughout Santo Domingo Dom Rep: $45
- Transfer Private Airport SDQ to your Hotel in Santo Domingo: $65
- Taxi & Transfer From And To Punta Cana International Airport: $20
- Experience at the Museo del Ron Dominicano, Private Transfer.: $28
- Bahía de las Águilas w/ Private Transfer: $250
- Santo Domingo transfer to downtown (one-way private): $106
- Santo Domingo to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Departure Transfer: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco
Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Cobano Puntarenas: $63
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Playa Jaco Puntarenas: $72
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Jaco Beach Puntarenas: $72
- Private Transfer SJO Airport to Jaco & Los Sueños – Safe Reliable: $80
- Jaco / Los Sueños Marriott Hotels to SJO Airport Private Transfer: $140
- Jaco to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) - Departure Private Transfer: $142
- Shuttle & transfer rides to SJO Airport Costa Rica: $155
- One-Way Private Transfer from Jaco to Juan Santa Maria Airport: $175
- Jaco/Monteverde to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer: $201
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Los Sueños Resort/Marriot: $204
- Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $219
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Uvita: $249
Is it cheaper to fly into Santo Domingo or Jaco?
Prices for flights to both Jaco and Santo Domingo 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 daySanto Domingo $57Jaco $40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santo Domingo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santo Domingo.
- Cooking Class in Santo Domingo:6 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $42
- Food Tour & Paradise Beach Day with Drinks: $140
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$4.34
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Tsunami Sushi Dinner$19
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Taco Bar Dinner$9.92
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Pizza & Smoothie Lunch$6.95
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Ice Cream$6.51
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Breakfast Taco Bar$3.68
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Fruit Plate$3.26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $65
- Night Walk Tour and Jungle Dinner in Jaco: $89
- Taste of Costa Rica: Traditional Food Tour in Jaco: $99
- TICO Private Walking Food Tour: $107
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santo Domingo $15Jaco $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Santo Domingo
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Santo Domingo are as follows:
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Snorkeling Tour$44
Tours and Activities in Santo Domingo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santo Domingo are as follows:
- 6 Hours Private Cultural Tour in Santo Domingo: $190
- Cabarete Caves & Nature Adventure: $128
- Cacao trail and making of chocolate tour from Santo Domingo: $190
- City Tour Historico Santo Domingo: $55
- Colonial Zone: Historical Tour with Visit to Columbus Lighthouse and Los Tres Ojos Park: $90
- Cumayasa Private Buggies Tour from Santo Domingo: $135
- Dominican Food, Rum, and Beer Tasting Experience: $35
- Experience the Three Eyes Park and Columbus Lighthouse: $45
- From Punta Cana: Full-Day Santo Domingo City Tour: $70
- From Punta Cana: Sightseeing Tour of Santo Domingo, Zona Colonial, and Three Eyes: $85
- From Catalina Island Day Tour: $85
- From Full day Historical Tour with Lunch: $75
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$11
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Surf Lesson$54
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Bike Rental$11
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Tortuga Island Tour$108
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Massage$49
Tours and Activities in Jaco
For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cold Plunge Experience in Jaco: $35
- Jungle Crocodile Safari and Bird Watching tour/Tarcoles River CR: $40
- Adventure in the jungle river and crocodiles: $45
- Tarcoles River Crocodile Adventure Tour: $45
- Jurassic Park Adventure - HIKE -10 Waterfalls + Pools & Much More: $50
- Chocolate Experience in Jaco Beach and Los Suenos: $50
- Exclusive Massage Experience in Playa Jaco Costa Rica: $59
- Guided City Bike Tour in Jaco Costa Rica: $59
- Coffee Farm Tour and Sugarcane Juicing: $60
- Personalized Beach Adventure Near Jaco: $60
- Uvita Chocolate Tour: $60
- Jaco Party Safari Tractor Tour with Waterfall – Day & Night: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanto Domingo $8.03Jaco $35
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$16
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Night at the Bar$30
Sample the Local Flavors in Jaco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Jaco:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown Jaco: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santo Domingo and Jaco, we can see that Jaco is more expensive. And not only is Santo Domingo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santo Domingo is in Caribbean Islands and Jaco is in Central 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 Santo Domingo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santo Domingo 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 Jaco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jaco than you might in Santo Domingo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santo Domingo Expensive? and Is Jaco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santo Domingo or Jaco?
Santo Domingo has a larger population, and is about 540 times larger than the population of Jaco. When comparing the sizes of Santo Domingo and Jaco, 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.