Should you visit Arlington or Santa Fe?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Arlington or Santa Fe, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Arlington
Located just across the Potomac River from Washington DC, capital of the United States, Arlington is a city that also has many government sites and monuments that commemorate the nation's past. Two of its most famous features include Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon-the largest office building in the world.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe is the state capital of New Mexico as well as the oldest state capital in the United States, founded in 1607. It has become a popular travel destination due to the surrounding scenic beauty, its long history, cultural diversity especially with its proximity to American Indian pueblos and culture, and a rich concentration of arts, music, and food.
Which city is cheaper, Santa Fe or Arlington?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Arlington is $211, while the average daily cost in Santa Fe is $127. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Arlington and Santa Fe in more detail.
Accommodation
The prices for places to stay in Arlington can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $105, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $210.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $128 in Santa Fe For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Arlington costs travelers about $64 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
In Santa Fe travelers spend around $35 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Arlington $64
Santa Fe $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Fe
For Santa Fe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Dinner at the Coffee Farm:
$55
-
Santa Fe Railyard Arts District Food Tour:
$102
-
New Mexican Flavors Food Tour of the Santa Fe Plaza:
$138
Local Transportation
Arlington's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $39 per person, per day on transportation in Arlington.
Santa Fe's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $49 per person, per day on transportation in Santa Fe.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arlington
Also for Arlington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private transfer from or to IAD, DCA, JFK, LGA, EWR airports, MD, WDC, and NY:
$700
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Private transfer from DCA airport to Washington DC:
$250
-
Round trip transfer in private minivan from-to Ronald R Airport in Washington DC:
$160
-
Private Transfer from Washington Reagan Airport to Washington DC by Luxury SUV:
$154
-
Round trip transfer in private car from-to Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington:
$128
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Washington, DC: Private Airport Transfer: To or From: (DCA) Reagan National:
$127
-
Washington R. Reagan Airport (DCA) to Washington - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$122
-
Washington Airport Transfers: National Airport DCA to Washington in Luxury Car:
$106
-
Arrival Private Transfer Ronald Reagan Airport DCA to Washington DC by SUV:
$104
-
Private Washington DC Transfer: DCA Airport to Hotel:
$103
-
Washington Airport Transfers: National Airport DCA to Washington in Luxury SUV:
$82
-
Washington Airport Transfers: National Airport DCA to Washington in Luxury Van:
$82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Fe
Also for Santa Fe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Departure Transfer to Santa Fe Airport SAF:
$125
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Santa Fe Airport (SAF):
$62
Is it cheaper to fly into Arlington or Santa Fe?
Prices for flights to both Santa Fe and Arlington 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Arlington can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $8.50 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Santa Fe can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $13 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Arlington
For Arlington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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4 Hours Private Chauffeured DC Sight Seeing Tour / SUV & Sedan:
$428
-
Arlington Cemetery & American History Museum Guided Combo Tour - Private Tour:
$143
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Arlington Cemetery & American History Museum Guided Tour - 8ppl Max:
$143
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Arlington Cemetery Private Tour:
$359
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Arlington National Cemetery Guided Walking Tour:
$36
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Arlington National Cemetery Guided Walking Tour - 8ppl Max:
$73
-
Arlington National Cemetery Guided Walking Tour - Private Tour:
$73
-
Arlington National Cemetery Hop-On Hop-Off Tour:
$15
-
Arlington National Cemetery Private Walking Tour:
$360
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Stuck at the Airport Washington DC Tour:
$450
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Tasting & Tour:
$8.78
Tours and Activities in Santa Fe
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Fe.
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Bantayan Island Day Tour From Cebu:
$173
-
Beer and Art Tour:
$40
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Guided Tour: 'Love Stories of Santa Fe":
$498
-
Land Tour | Bantayan Island - Sightseeing - Guided Tour:
$46
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: Private Walking Tour of Santa Fe:
$170
-
Santa Fe Architectural Walking Tour:
$115
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Santa Fe Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Search for The Story-Documentary Film School Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$52
-
Small-Group Canyon Road Art Tour:
$37
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Small-Group E-Bike Adventure Tour through Hidden Santa Fe:
$155
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The Best of Santa Fe Walking Tour:
$498
-
Walk Granada's Skyline Tour:
$49
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Arlington spend on average $13 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Santa Fe, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.74.
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Fe
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Santa Fe:
-
Join-In Wine Tours:
$152
-
White Water Rafting and Wine Tour:
$217
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arlington and Santa Fe, we can see that Arlington is more expensive. And not only is Santa Fe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Fe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Fe 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 Arlington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arlington than you might in Santa Fe.
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