How much does it cost to travel to Copan?
You should plan to spend around $90 (L2,213) per day on your vacation in Copan. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $21 (L523) on meals
- $78 (L1,929) on local transportation
- $45 (L1,109) on hotels
A one week trip to Copan for two people costs, on average, $1,261 (L30,988). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Copan has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Copan expensive to visit?
Prices in Copan are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within Central America, Copan is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to San Jose or Santa Elena.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Copan Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Copan?
The average Copan trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Copan travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
L1,109
($45)
|
Local Transportation 1
|
L1,929
($78)
|
Food 2
|
L523
($21)
|
Entertainment 1
|
L623
($25)
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
L6 -
19
($0 - 1)
|
Alcohol 2
|
L89 -
267
($4 - 11)
|
Accommodation Budget in Copan
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Copan is $23 (L555). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Copan is $45 (L1,109). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Copan? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Copan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Copan is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $78 (L1,929) per person, per day, on local transportation in Copan.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$78
L1,929
How much does it cost to go to Copan? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Copan will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Copan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Copan can vary, the average cost of food in Copan is $21 (L523) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Copan should cost around $8.51 (L209) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Copan is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$21
L523
Entertainment Budget in Copan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Copan typically cost an average of $25 (L623) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$25
L623
Tips and Handouts Budget in Copan
Calculated from travelers like you
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Alcohol Budget in Copan
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $7.23 (L178) on alcoholic beverages in Copan per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$7.23
L178
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Copan On a Budget
Copan, Honduras
If you are a lover of history, or just really want to tap into your inner Indiana Jones, a trip to Copan, Honduras is right up your alley. Located in western Honduras, the cobblestone lined streets and white adobe buildings topped with red roofs provide the beautiful backdrop to this once powerful city.
Occupied by the Maya for 2,000 years, Copan was the ruling city in the southern Mayan kingdom. Settled nicely in a fertile river valley among rolling hills, this city is absolutely fascinating and the perfect place to explore history.
Sights
Hands down, the highlight of Copan is Las Copan Ruinas. The core of this ancient city is 600 by 300 meters of stunning archaeological discoveries. Between the carved constellations and preserved hieroglyphics, there is no shortage of things to see. There are smaller structures and, of course, the Acropolis. Once the royal complex, the Acropolis consists of two plazas and extensive, hieroglyphic-lined tunnels running underneath.
The Hieroglyphic Stairway is believed to represent the most important rulers in the dynastic history of the site. With a total of 62 steps, the stairway is covered in 2200 glyphs that form the longest known Maya hieroglyphic text. And, the Ballcourt is a sculpture built in the year 738, and is dedicated to the great macaw deity.
The Altar Q is the most famous monument at Las Copan Ruinas. The Copan dynasty is carved around its side. Each king is depicted seated on his own name glyph and the order of the carvings visually portrays the political succession of early classic Maya culture.
The Motmot Capstone is a memorial to the first two kings of the Copan dynasty. The inscribed stone placed over a tomb names mythological locations underneath the feet of the two kings – thereby putting them in a supernatural realm.
Take a visit to the Mayan Museum for a deeper look into the history that surrounds you. The museum houses a reconstructed temple and fantastic artifacts.
A word of warning, try to get to Las Copan Ruinas early in the morning as it gets very hot by midday. Also, if you're there near the opening hours, you might catch the guards feeding the macaws. While history buffs can easily make two days last in Las Copan Ruinas, but many people can see the whole place in 2 - 4 hours.
Neighborhoods
The town that encompasses the ruins is located to the west of the park area, and is home to many restaurants, hotels, and other tourist amenities. Almost everything is a short walk from the center of town.
Activities
After you have explored all you can find in the ruins, there are lots of other things to do in Copan.
The Macaw Mountain is a fascinating bird sanctuary set in a gorgeous backdrop of Honduran jungle. There is a swimming hole for a quick chance to cool down, and the birds are brought out for tourists to hold, providing the perfect photo opportunity, around 3 pm.
If the swimming holes just were not enough for you, head over to Luna Jaguar Aguas Termales for the natural hot springs spa. There are several pools of differing temperatures to please any tourist. Be sure to bring your own food!
It wouldn't be Central America without at least one zip-line trip. Copan is a great spot for the zip-lining adventurer given that it has one of the world's longest sip-lines. At 1,000 meters long, this zip-line should be on the top of every thrill-seeker's bucket list.
Or you could take an afternoon to enjoy a leisurely horseback ride from La Pintada to Maya Chorti to Los Sapos – a small ruin not included in the Los Copan Ruinas.
Food and Dining
While you will find many places with traditional, tropical dishes, you'll also find plenty of "North American" meals. At most restaurants you'll find the Plato tipico de Honduras which includes beef strips, beans, fried plantains, tortillas, cabbage and sour cream.
Also, don't miss out on licuados – a water or milk-based fruit smoothie that is well worth the money you'll spend on it every morning.
Transportation
The city of Copan is very small so getting around is not really a concern. The area is completely walk-able and safe. If the cobblestones make you nervous, or you'd rather not walk, there is a Honduran version of a rickshaw called mototaxis. They'll take you in anywhere in town and are fairly inexpensive.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.