A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers La Fortuna vs. Pereira for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit La Fortuna or Pereira?

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 Pereira. 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 Pereira?

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.

Pereira

Situated in a small valley in the western Andes, Pereira is the capital city of Risaralda, Colombia. The city is surrounded by coffee producing agriculture and sits in the middle of a triangle of cities including Bogota, Medillin and Cali, each of which is about a three to five hour drive away.

The city itself is very much student oriented, as there are many universities around town and at least one quarter of the population is made up of students. There is also a very European vibe to the city and you will find the area beautiful with many parks and museums.

Pereira's economy is based on government, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, trade, commerce, and tourism. Agricultural products include sugarcane, cacao, rubber, cereals, coffee, and livestock. Apparel is the main manufacturing product, along with aluminium goods, motorcycles and telecommunications technology.

Pereira is found in a warm moorland area with an average temperature of around 72 degrees. The temperatures remain relatively consistent throughout the year with highs in the high 70s Fahrenheit to low 80s Fahrenheit. Low temperatures are usually in the low 60s Fahrenheit. Rain is heaviest during the months of April and May as well as October and November.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Pereira 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.

The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $123, while the average daily cost in Pereira is $81. 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 Pereira in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    La Fortuna $51
    Pereira $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    La Fortuna $102
    Pereira $52
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Pereira

Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna or Pereira? 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.

Hotels in La Fortuna


Hotels in Pereira


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 and Pereira Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    La Fortuna $21
    Pereira $20

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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pereira

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Pereira are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pereira

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pereira:

  • Arrival or Departure Transfer Matecaña International Airport: $11
  • Manizales Arrival or Departure Transfer La Nubia Airport: $20
  • Manizales Arrival or Departure Transfer: Matecaña Intl Airport: $41
  • Arrival or Departure Transfer El Éden International Airport: $42
  • One way transfer Pereira to Santa Rosa Hot Springs: $88
  • PEREIRA/ARMENIA: FULLDAY TRANSFER SALENTO+ FILANDIA + COCORA VALLEY: $144

Is it cheaper to fly into La Fortuna or Pereira?

Prices for flights to both Pereira 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    La Fortuna $47
    Pereira $40

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

Typical Food Prices in Pereira

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Pereira:


  • Hamburger
    $1.66

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    La Fortuna $44
    Pereira $18

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 Pereira

Here are a few actual costs in Pereira for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • PRIVATE TOUR OF MAIN SQUARES, HISTORICAL SITES + LOOKOUT POINT: $56
  • Tour to hot springs of Santa Rosa from Pereira, Armenia or Salento: $84
  • Eco-Park Recinto del Pensamiento Tour: $84
  • Manizales City Tour with Cable Car and Chipre Viewpoint : $87
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour: $89
  • Private Tour to the Coffee Park from Pereira or Armenia: $115
  • Tour Santa Rosa hot springs from Pereira, Armenia or Salento: $116
  • Private Tour to Salento and Cocora Valley from Pereira or Armenia: $131
  • Tour to San Vicente hot springs from Pereira, Armenia or Salento: $132
  • Coffee Farm and Santa Rosa Hot Springs Tour from Pereira or Armenia: $149
  • Salento and Cócora Tour plus Coffee Farm from Pereira or Armenia: $158
  • Salento, Cocora and Filandia Tour from Pereira or Armenia: $160

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    La Fortuna $11
    Pereira $14

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 Pereira, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Pereira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna is in Central America and Pereira 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 Pereira would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pereira 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 Pereira.

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 Pereira Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Pereira?

Pereira has a larger population, and is about 150 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna and Pereira, 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.