Which place is cheaper, Cajamarca or La Fortuna?
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 La Fortuna or Cajamarca?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for La Fortuna and Cajamarca. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: La Fortuna or Cajamarca?
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.
Cajamarca
Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
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La Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica PricesCajamarca Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Fortuna $123Cajamarca $95
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $123, while the average daily cost in Cajamarca is $95. 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 La Fortuna and Cajamarca in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Fortuna $51Cajamarca $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Fortuna $102Cajamarca $52
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Cajamarca
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Cajamarca? 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.La Fortuna $21Cajamarca $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Tabacón Arenal: $39
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To La Fortuna: $40
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Arenal La Fortuna: $42
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $42
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $49
- One-Way Transfer from La Fortuna to Monteverde through Arenal Lake: $57
- From San Jose: One way shared transfer to La Fortuna: $74
- Guided Tour to Arenal Mistico Hanging Bridges with Transfer: $79
- Private Transfer from La Fortuna to Juan Santa Maria Airport: $110
- One Way Private Transfer - La Fortuna to your Selected Location: $128
- Transfer from Arenal or Fortuna to Papagayo: $170
- Private Transfer La Fortuna To Juan Santamaria Airport From 7to10: $180
Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or Cajamarca?
Prices for flights to both Cajamarca and La Fortuna 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 dayLa Fortuna $47Cajamarca $52
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.La Fortuna $44Cajamarca $28
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
Tours and Activities in Cajamarca
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:
- Tour to the Pre Inca Otuzco Necropolis, Botanical Garden and Hacienda: $28
- From Porcón Farm and Huambocancha Workshops Tour: $28
- Namora Valley Tour + Guitar Workshop & San Nicolas Lagoon: $28
- La Colpa, Llacanora & Baños del Inca Tour: $34
- Tour to Hacienda La Colpa and Baños del Inca: $35
- Pocon and Otuzco farm tour: $39
- Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolas Lagoon: $40
- Cajamarca in its Splendor: San Nicolas Lagoon Tour: $40
- Cajamarca Valley Tour – San Nicolas Lagoon: $40
- || Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolás lagoon ||: $45
- From City Tour Cajamarca: $47
- Guided tour of the city + pick-up: $48
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Fortuna $11Cajamarca $17
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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Cajamarca, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Cajamarca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cajamarca 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 La Fortuna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Fortuna than you might in Cajamarca.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Fortuna Expensive? and Is Cajamarca Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Cajamarca?
Cajamarca has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Cajamarca, 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.