Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Kingston?
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 Kingston or La Fortuna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston 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: Kingston or La Fortuna?
Kingston
Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
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Kingston Prices
Jamaica PricesLa Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKingston $123La Fortuna $123
The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $123, while the average daily cost in La Fortuna is $123. 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 Kingston and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKingston $62La Fortuna $51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKingston $124La Fortuna $102
Compare Hotels in Kingston and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in Kingston 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: Kingston Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kingston $28La Fortuna $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- From Kingston Airport: One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston: $19
- From One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston Airport: $19
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $24
- Private Transfer from Kingston's Airport: $32
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Kingston International Airport (KIN): $34
- Kingston Airport Transfers Private Taxi Service***: $37
- Private Transfer To & From New Kingston to Norman Manley Airport: $40
- Kingston Norman Manley Airport (KIN) to Kingston - Arrival Private Transfer: $42
- From One Way Shared Transfer to Port Antonio: $47
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport Across Jamaica: $49
- Private Arrival Transfer: Kingston International Airport to Hotel: $53
- From One Way Shared Transfer to Montego Bay: $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $42
- Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $211
- From San Jose Airport To Arenal - La Fortuna - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $295
- From San Jose: One way shared transfer to La Fortuna: $74
- Guided Tour to Arenal Mistico Hanging Bridges with Transfer: $79
- La Fortuna Private Transfer to San Jose Airport : $231
- One Way Private Transfer - La Fortuna to your Selected Location: $128
- One-Way Private Transfer from La Fortuna (Arenal) to Liberia Guanacaste Airport: $241
- One-Way Private Transfer from La Fortuna (Arenal) to San Jose, CR Intl Airport: $218
- One-Way Transfer from La Fortuna to Monteverde through Arenal Lake: $57
- Private One-Way Transfer from/to La Fortuna to Papagayo Peninsula: $289
- Private Transfer Arenal / La Fortuna town to San Jose Airport (SJO): $200
Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Kingston 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 dayKingston $44La Fortuna $47
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- Farm to Table Cooking Class : $43
- Skip the Line: Mineral Hot Springs Full Day Ticket w/ Optional Lunch or Dinner: $47
- Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
- Costa Rican cuisine Cooking Class at Rancho Don Lelo: $54
- Costa Rica The Chela Cooking Experience : $55
- Costa Rican Cooking Class: $57
- Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $63
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
- Rainforest Night Walk and Authentic Costa Rican Dinner from La Fortuna: $71
- Horseback Riding and Cooking Class with Lunch : $72
- Cooking and Salsa Dance Lesson Combo : $74
- Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kingston $12La Fortuna $44
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Art Walk Sunday Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $9.78
- Walking Tour with Mural Exploration: $26
- Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
- Kingston Creative: Mural Art Walking Tour: $31
- Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
- Mural Tours in the Downtown Kingston Art District, Jamaica: $40
- Reggae Legend - Bob Marley Museum Tour Tickets: $41
- Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios : $62
- Devon House Heritage Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $63
- Devon House Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $64
- Private Bob Marley Tour Experience: $65
- Kingston City Guided Tour - Classic: $69
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Petting Zoo Interactive Farm Experience: $20
- Three hours walking tour around the deep Tropical Rain Forest: $20
- Café Experience in Bijagua : $25
- Frog Sanctuary Tour at Night : $29
- Birdwatching Tour in La Fortuna: $29
- Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
- Excellent Wildlife Tour in Bijagua de Upala: $30
- Guaranteed Red eyed Tree Frog & Amphibians Tour: $30
- Guaranteed Sloth Watching Tour: $30
- Sloth and Monkey Wild Life Tour : $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKingston $11La Fortuna $11
Sample the Local Flavors in La Fortuna
Also in La Fortuna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine Tasting Experience : $135
When comparing the travel costs between Kingston and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Kingston is in Caribbean Islands and La Fortuna is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kingston Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kingston or La Fortuna?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 310 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and La Fortuna, 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.
When is the best time to visit Kingston or La Fortuna?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Kingston or La Fortuna in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Kingston and La Fortuna. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kingston year-round. La Fortuna attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
La Fortuna receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Kingston usually receives less rain than La Fortuna. Kingston gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In Kingston, it's very sunny this time of the year. Kingston usually receives more sunshine than La Fortuna during summer. Kingston gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 164 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Kingston is generally around the same temperature as La Fortuna. Daily temperatures in Kingston average around 29°C (83°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKingston 29°C (83°F)La Fortuna 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Kingston or La Fortuna in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Kingston as well as La Fortuna. Kingston attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
Also, December to April in La Fortuna is the dry season. Keep in mind that May to November is the hurricane season in La Fortuna. It's quite rainy in La Fortuna. Kingston receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Kingston usually gets less rain in October than La Fortuna. Kingston gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Kingston this time of the year. In the autumn, Kingston often gets more sunshine than La Fortuna. Kingston gets 229 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 169 hours of full sun.
Kingston is around the same temperature as La Fortuna in the autumn. The daily temperature in Kingston averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and La Fortuna fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKingston 28°C (82°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Kingston or La Fortuna in the Winter?
Both La Fortuna and Kingston are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kingston throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to La Fortuna because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Kingston usually receives more rain than La Fortuna. Kingston gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
It's quite sunny in La Fortuna. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kingston. Kingston usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortuna during winter. Kingston gets 257 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 264 hours of full sun in the winter.
In the winter, Kingston is around the same temperature as La Fortuna. Typically, the winter temperatures in Kingston in January average around 26°C (79°F), and La Fortuna averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKingston 26°C (79°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Kingston or La Fortuna in the Spring?
Both La Fortuna and Kingston during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Kingston because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to La Fortuna year-round.
December to April is the dry season in La Fortuna. Also, May to November in La Fortuna is the hurricane season. Kingston usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as La Fortuna. Kingston gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In La Fortuna, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Kingston. In the spring, Kingston often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortuna. Kingston gets 251 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 255 hours of full sun.
In April, Kingston is generally cooler than La Fortuna. Daily temperatures in Kingston average around 26°C (80°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKingston 26°C (80°F)La Fortuna 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for La Fortuna and Kingston
| Kingston | La Fortuna | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
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.