Although Costa Rica is considered by many cash-strapped expats to be the most expensive country in Latin America, data compiled by popular online travel site TripAdvisor indicates that the lovable city of San Jose is a bargain for tourists. Even when compared to Managua, the populous capital city of Nicaragua, San Jose still comes up cheaper. How did TripAdvisor arrive to this peculiar conclusion?

In previous articles, The Costa Rica Star has discussed the rising cost of inflation and the economic toll on tourists and expats. We have also proposed cheaper alternatives for travelers and retirees in the Americas and even one in Europe. Despite the meteoric rise in real estate as well as consumer goods and services, tourism statistics seem to inexplicably rise in tandem. To this effect, “The Next Costa Rica” seems to be an economic panacea that alternates between Nicaragua and Panama.

According to Panama’s national newspaper Critica, TripAdvisor’s methodology for this exercise in tourism frugality is based on a median calculation of the following prices:

An overnight stay at a three-star hotel in a capital such as the lovable city of San Jose

• Taxicab fare
• A bottle of water
• A bottle of beer
• The cost of a main entree at the aforementioned hotel’s restaurant

Turns out that the sum of the five travel expenses above is just $110 in La Paz, the sleepy capital of Bolivia. For just one more dollar, you can enjoy a day in San Jose, Costa Rica. It will cost you more than that in Managua, specifically $135, and if you think San Jose is a bit rough around the edges, wait until you arrive in Nicaragua and experience her bustling capital city. The ultra-modern and magnificent Panama City is a great deal at just $133, and highly recommended.

If you are a backpacker or otherwise frugal traveler, you may want to reconsider your trips to:

• Santiago, Chile $160
• Río de Janeiro, Brasil $251
• Bogotá, Colombia $259
• Caracas, Venezuela $324

You may have to save up to visit the four metropolitan centers above, but when you arrive in a breathtaking place such as Rio de Janeiro, you will realize it was all worth the effort.