As I sit here watching the snow pile up outside my window, it’s got me thinking about warm, sunny destinations. There are plenty of great choices in and around the United States, which sometimes makes it difficult to decide which one is right.
While we can’t decide for you, we can review a couple of popular locations to help you. In this article we will compare two beautiful winter vacation destinations, Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico. These are both great choices for a winter vacation, so it just comes down to finding out which one is best for you.
Reminder: Covid restrictions are constantly changing, so you will want to stay updated on protocols in any country you plan to visit to avoid issues.
What we cover in our comparison:
Getting There
Travel arrangements are easy to make for a Costa Rica or Puerto Rico vacation. Both locations are well traveled and have international airports. Whether you use a travel agent or book the flights yourself, it should be easy to find affordable flights. The main difference is that you need to go through customs when entering Costa Rica and returning to the US. You will have to present a valid passport upon entry.
When visiting Puerto Rico, US citizens will not need a passport since it is a U.S. territory. This makes the trip a little easier since you will be able to just grab your bag and get to your vacation.
One of the deciding factors might be the flight time. If you are traveling from the eastern side of the USA, Puerto Rico is closer, whereas Costa Rica might be a shorter flight if you’re on the western side of the country.
Search for cheap flights with Skyscanner here.
Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico: Beaches
Costa Rica is full of great beaches on either the Pacific Ocean or Caribbean Sea side of the country. Both coasts offer great surfing, diving, and more. Guanacaste is a popular region to stay on the Pacific side of the country. It includes great beaches like Conchal, Flamingo, and Tamarindo. Another great location on the Pacific side is the Manuel Antonio National Park. There is a great beach and rainforest within the park giving you a chance to see a variety of wildlife.
Alternatively, Puerto Viejo has more of a laid back vibe on the Caribbean side. It has great surfing and to the north you’ll find Cahuita National Park, which includes a protected coral reef.
Puerto Rico has great beaches as well, and many of them can be reached easily from San Juan. Surfers often go to Puerto Rico’s west coast to experience top notch surfing. Also, beach bums have solid options in, or near, San Juan with beaches like Isla Verde, Atlantic Beach, or Ocean Park. A day trip to Flamenco Beach is worthwhile if you’re looking for a larger, more photogenic beach.
Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico: Food
This is another category where it’s really hard to judge, because they both offer such delicious cuisine.
Costa Rican food is similar to other Latin American countries as it keeps some of the staples like rice and beans. It’s known for a lot of fresh ingredients and utilizes a lot of fruits. Due in part to increased travel, and the growing expat population there are many more Americanized options than before.
Puerto Rican food, like other Caribbean islands, is typically a little more mild and includes things like plantains, arroz con pollo, and empanadas. One of my favorite side dishes in Puerto Rico is mofongo (see picture). It’s a mashed plantain dish that tastes wonderful.
It is considered safe to drink tap water in Puerto Rico as they use similar purification standards as the US. People have differing opinions on whether or not it’s ok to drink tap water in Costa Rica. The general consensus seems to be that tap water in urban areas is treated and tends to be safe, but rural areas are more hit or miss. If you’re ever unsure about the water where you’re staying, regardless of the country you’re in, it might be best to stick to bottled water. Better safe than sorry!
Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico: Activities
The activities available to you will vary greatly depending on where you stay in either of these destinations. Most of the resorts or tourist cities in Costa Rica will have activities other than just the beach nearby. If you’re in the right area they may have rainforests, local shops, deep sea fishing, and more.
A few of the top Costa Rica sightseeing destinations are Arenal Volcano, Tabacon Hot Springs, and hiking in one of the great national parks like Corcovado, Manuel Antonio, and Tortuguero.
Puerto Rico offers a tremendous variety of activities and everything is really accessible. You can relax on the beach, fish, scuba dive, tour the Bacardi rum distillery, or even hike in the rainforest. Puerto Rico is home to El Yunque National Forest, which is the only tropical rainforest managed by the United States National Forest Service. It’s only an hour drive from San Juan, so it’s perfect for a day trip especially if you’ve never seen a rainforest.
See our El Yunque Visitor’s guide for more information.
The ease of renting a car and navigating Puerto Rico on your own definitely make it stand out since you can do self guided activities. We always feel very safe and comfortable exploring new areas, while still using common sense of course.
Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico: Price
It’s possible to find cheap flights and hotels for both of these destinations. We’ll break down the cost of travel a little for each destination below. Keep in mind prices vary based on several factors including quality of hotel, if it’s the busy season or not, personal travel preferences, etc.
Puerto Rico Vacation Price
The sample pricing below is based on our previous travels during peak season and might be different based on a number of factors. It should just be used as a rough outline to start forming a cost of travel budget. This pricing is based on a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico Hotel Cost: The quality of the hotel is going to be a determining factor in the nightly rate. An average hotel for a couple costs between $150-200 per night in San Juan during the busy season. Depending on the neighborhood you can find something cheaper, or much more expensive. Budget travelers that don’t mind hostels can find rooms for $20-30 per night.
We use Airbnb when we go to Puerto Rico. It’s typically been cheaper than a hotel and we get the perk of using the host’s knowledge of local attractions and restaurants. On our last trip we stayed in a San Juan Airbnb in Condado, right next to the beach, for $107 per night. It was right next to a bunch of great restaurants, a grocery store, and it was more spacious than a hotel room.
Puerto Rico Food Cost: Plan to spend around $20-30 per day, per person at modest restaurants. You can save money by grocery shopping and making some of your own meals, or you can spend much more by going to high end restaurants.
Puerto Rico Transportation Cost: If you use Uber, taxis, or public transportation estimate to spend around $10 per day. We love walking as a great way to get to know a city and it helps save money. That or you can rent a car for reasonable rates in San Juan.
Costa Rica Vacation Price
Again, this sample pricing should just be used as a rough outline to start forming a travel budget. Pricing will fluctuate greatly depending on if you’re in a touristy area, as well as the time of year you travel. The pricing below is mostly based on staying in mainstream hotels and resorts. You can definitely make the trip much cheaper if you stay away from hotel chains or all inclusive resorts.
Costa Rica Hotel Cost: The quality of the hotel is going to be a determining factor in the nightly rate. All inclusive resorts are going to have a higher price and tend to be around $150-250 per night, per person. However, if you stay at regular hotels you can get a room for closer to $90-150 per night.
You can definitely find more expensive resorts if you want to splurge, or less expensive options. We recommend you do a quick search for hotels around the dates you expect to travel to get a better idea of the actual costs.
Costa Rica Food Cost: Food prices vary a lot in Costa Rica depending on if you’re eating at smaller restaurants, or an American themed restaurant that cater more to expats and tourists. Depending on your eating habits, consider budgeting $30-50 per day, per person. This cost can be greatly reduced if breakfast is included at your hotel, you eat like a local, or grocery shop to make some of your meals.
Costa Rica Transportation Cost: Price conscious travelers can opt for public transportation as a cost friendly option. Buses are the popular choice to cut down on cost. Taxis can add up if you plan to sight see a lot, so renting a car might be the most cost effective option. Car rentals will vary, but tend to be around $40-75 per day.
Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico Price Conclusion
As a whole, the cost comparison will depend on your preferences. Both can have very similar pricing depending on your hotel, transportation, and food choices. If you travel during peak season and stay in high end all-inclusive resorts the prices might be high. Alternatively, if you are willing to hunt for deals and make some of your own meals, both can be very affordable vacation options.
See our answers to frequently asked questions and additional guides before your next Puerto Rico visit here.
Conclusion
You should have a great trip whether you pick Costa Rica or Puerto Rico for your winter getaway. For us, the variety of things to do, combined with the island’s culture, makes Puerto Rico our perfect winter vacation destination. The ease of travel and closer proximity to the eastern side of the US are added benefits. Plus, not having to deal with customs or bring a passport makes the trip a breeze. Both destinations have a lot to offer.
The determining factor might come down to where you are traveling from. A shorter flight time may make one of these destinations more enticing than the other. Either way you’ll find a little reprieve from the cold winter waiting back at home.