Which place is cheaper, La Fortuna or Salto?
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 Salto or La Fortuna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Salto 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: Salto or La Fortuna?
Salto
Salto is in the citrus growing region of Northern Interior Uruguay, on the east bank of the Rio Uruguay. It is closely connected to the neighboring Argentinian city of Concordia that lies across the river on the western bank. Salto is Uruguay's second-largest city and the most northerly crossing point to Argentina. Salto is a very picturesque city that has a relaxing feel the entire year. However, people mostly come here for the nearby hot springs and the recreation area above the enormous Salto Grande hydroelectric dam.
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 Uruguay, The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica.
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Salto Prices
Uruguay PricesLa Fortuna Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySalto $86La Fortuna $123
The average daily cost (per person) in Salto is $86, 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 Salto and La Fortuna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalto $29La Fortuna $51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalto $58La Fortuna $102
Compare Hotels in Salto and La Fortuna
Looking for a hotel in Salto 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: Salto Hotel Prices and La Fortuna Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salto $21La Fortuna $21
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 Salto or La Fortuna?
Prices for flights to both La Fortuna and Salto 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 daySalto $41La 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.Salto $17La Fortuna $44
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 daySalto $13La 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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salto and La Fortuna, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Salto much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Salto is in South America and La Fortuna is in Central 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 Salto would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salto 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 Salto.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salto Expensive? and Is La Fortuna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Salto or La Fortuna?
Salto has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of Salto 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 Salto or La Fortuna?
Salto has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but La Fortuna experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Salto or La Fortuna in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Salto and La Fortuna. La Fortuna attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In January, Salto is generally cooler than La Fortunain July. Daily temperatures in Salto average around 25°C (77°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
In Salto, it's very sunny this time of the year. Salto usually receives more sunshine than La Fortuna during summer. Salto gets 262 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 164 hours of full sun in the summer.
La Fortuna receives a lot of rain in the summer. Salto gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Salto usually receives less rain than La Fortunain July. Salto gets 116 mm (4.6 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySalto 25°C (77°F)La Fortuna 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Salto or La Fortuna in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Salto as well as La Fortuna. The warm climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
Salto is cooler than La Fortuna in the autumn. The daily temperature in Salto averages around 19°C (65°F) in April, and La Fortuna fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in October.
In the autumn, Salto often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortunain October. Salto gets 182 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 169 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in La Fortuna. Salto receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Salto usually gets less rain in April than La Fortunain October. Salto gets 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of 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.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSalto 19°C (65°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Salto or La Fortuna in the Winter?
Both La Fortuna and Salto are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to La Fortuna because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the winter, Salto is much colder than La Fortuna. Typically, the winter temperatures in Salto in July average around 12°C (54°F), and La Fortuna averages at about 27°C (81°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in La Fortuna. Salto usually receives less sunshine than La Fortuna during winter. Salto gets 158 hours of sunny skies, while La Fortuna receives 264 hours of full sun in the winter.
In July, Salto usually receives more rain than La Fortunain January. Salto gets 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySalto 12°C (54°F)La Fortuna 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Salto or La Fortuna in the Spring?
Both La Fortuna and Salto during the spring are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to La Fortuna year-round.
In October, Salto is generally much colder than La Fortunain April. Daily temperatures in Salto average around 18°C (64°F), and La Fortuna fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
In La Fortuna, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Salto. In the spring, Salto often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Fortunain April. Salto gets 243 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Fortuna receives 255 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Salto. Salto usually gets more rain in October than La Fortunain April. Salto gets 117 mm (4.6 in) of rain, while La Fortuna receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year. December to April is the dry season in La Fortuna. Also, May to November in La Fortuna is the hurricane season.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSalto 18°C (64°F)La Fortuna 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for La Fortuna and Salto
| Salto | La Fortuna | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 127 mm (5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 22°C (71°F) | 155 mm (6.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 19°C (65°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (54°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (54°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (56°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (59°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (64°F) | 117 mm (4.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 20°C (69°F) | 127 mm (5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (74°F) | 119 mm (4.7 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.