Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Quepos?
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 Quepos or San Carlos de Bariloche?
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 Quepos and San Carlos de Bariloche can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Quepos or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
San Carlos de Bariloche
Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.
No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.
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Quepos Prices
Costa Rica PricesSan Carlos de Bariloche Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuepos $139San Carlos de Bariloche $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $139, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $86. 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 Quepos and San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuepos $76San Carlos de Bariloche $70
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuepos $152San Carlos de Bariloche $140
Compare Hotels in Quepos and San Carlos de Bariloche
Looking for a hotel in Quepos or San Carlos de Bariloche? 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: Quepos Hotel Prices and San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quepos $9.55San Carlos de Bariloche $2.77
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: SJO Airport to/from Manuel Antonio (One Way): $99
- Private Transfer: SJO Airport to Manuel Antonio with Scenic Stop.: $203
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San José (Airport SJO): $220
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $229
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:
- Shared Transfer Airport Bariloche Downtown : $25
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bariloche Airport: $29
- Private Transfer from Villa Mascardi to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $80
- Private Transfer from Tom Wesley to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $60
- Private Transfer from Playa Bonita to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $50
- Private Transfer from Pampa Linda to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $200
- Private Transfer from Lago Moreno to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $50
- Private Transfer from Hotel Tronador to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $179
- Private Transfer from Hotel Llao Llao to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $144
- Private Transfer from Hotel Catedral to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $50
- Private Transfer from El Casco Art Hotel to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $60
- Private Transfer from Downtown Bariloche to the Airport: $43
Is it cheaper to fly into Quepos or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche and Quepos 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 dayQuepos $51San Carlos de Bariloche $6.11
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$15
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Class in Manuel Antonio with Medicinal Plants Garden Visit: $77
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
- Local Flavor Cooking Experience: $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Carlos de Bariloche
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Carlos de Bariloche.
- Bariloche: Snowmobile ride with dinner 4 steps: $537
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quepos $17San Carlos de Bariloche $33
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $25
- Quepos Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $26
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $27
- Manuel Antonio Park: Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $27
- 2-3-Hour Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $29
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour : $29
- Guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park: $29
- Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio with Mauro / Tickets not Included! : $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park: Guided Tour with Beach Time: $30
Tours and Activities in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
- 2-Day Bariloche Experience with Optional Airfare: $430
- 4-Hour Guided Tour of the Small Circuit: $90
- Adventure to Cerro Tronador and Black Ventisquero from Bariloche: $140
- Bariloche Chocolate Tour: Patagonian Flavors on Foot: $52
- Bariloche Craft Beer Sensory Experience: $285
- Bariloche Horseback Riding & Traditional Argentine Barbecue Tour: $204
- Bariloche San Martin de los Andes and Seven Lakes Road Tour: $135
- Bariloche Tour Route of the 7 Lakes to San Martin de los Andes : $80
- Bariloche: Beer Tour through 3 breweries: $240
- Bariloche: Boat Tour to Victoria Island and Arrayanes Forest: $120
- Bariloche: Cerro Catedral Tour: $36
- Bariloche: Cerro Catedral guided tour: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuepos $15San Carlos de Bariloche $8.76
Sample the Local Flavors in San Carlos de Bariloche
Also in San Carlos de Bariloche, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bariloche: Patagonian Experience wine tasting: $95
- Bariloche: Wine Tasting Winehouse Experience: $110
- Patagonian WineHouse in Bariloche: Cheese and Wine Tasting: $125
- Bariloche: Bar Crawl. Patagonian Bar Crawl: $160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos is in Central America and San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos than you might in San Carlos de Bariloche.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quepos Expensive? and Is San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quepos or San Carlos de Bariloche?
San Carlos de Bariloche has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Quepos and San Carlos de Bariloche, 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.