Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Basse-Terre?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Basse-Terre or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Basse-Terre or Santa Marta? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Basse-Terre or Santa Marta?
Basse-Terre
In Guadeloupe there is Basse Terre the city and Basse-Terre the island - the city is the capital of Guadeloupe, and the island is Guadeloupe's western half of the main island. As a whole, the place is very green, featuring lush vegetation and a mountainous landscape with a sulfuric volcano.
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is a city in the Magdalena Department of Colombia's Costa Norte. Over the last decade, security has steadily been replacing the shadow of the Colombia's violent past. One destination in Colombia's northeast region is now attracting more international visitors: the coastal Caribbean area of Santa Marta. Established in 1525 by the Spanish as a base of conquest, Santa Marta sits at the foot of the world's highest coastal mountain range, the towering Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is South America's oldest European-founded town and the second most important colonial city on Colombia's Caribbean coast. While many travelers complain about Santa Marta's horrible traffic and unsightly urban sprawl, the city holds a numerous amounts of great hotels, bars and restaurants and holds a few fantastic destinations nearby to which you can go during the daytime.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBasse-Terre €151Santa Marta €30
The average daily cost (per person) in Basse-Terre is €151, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is €30. 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 Basse-Terre and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBasse-Terre €90Santa Marta €13
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBasse-Terre €180Santa Marta €26
Compare Hotels in Basse-Terre and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Basse-Terre or Santa Marta? 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: Basse-Terre Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Basse-Terre €8.00Santa Marta €4.84
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santa Marta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Marta:
-
Gas€4.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simon Bolivar Airport (One Way): $12
- Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simón Bolívar Airport: $14
- Transfer in Private Car from Santa Marta Airport (SMR) to Santa Marta city: $14
- Transfer in Private Car from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Airport (SMR): $14
- Transfer in private minivan from Santa Marta Airport (SMR) to Santa Marta city: $21
- Private Airport Transfer: From Santa Marta Airport to Hotel in Santa Marta: $25
- Round trip transfer in Private Car from-to Santa Marta Airport(SMR) to City: $28
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta Port: $28
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Santa Marta Airport: $28
- Transfers SANTA MARTA AIRPORT TO HOTEL IN SANTA MARTA: $31
- Santa Marta to Santa Marta Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $32
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Santa Marta Airport SMR: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Basse-Terre or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Basse-Terre 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
-
Food Meals for one dayBasse-Terre €46Santa Marta €9.20
Typical Food Prices in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Breakfast€2.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Marta Walking Food Tour: $40
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day : $66
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $74
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $75
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Basse-Terre €47Santa Marta €13
Tours and Activities in Basse-Terre
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Basse-Terre are as follows:
- Full day tour: the best of the island w/photos drone sunset: $214
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Old Town, Harbour & Highlights Self-guided Tour: $6.31
- Skip the Line: Santa Marta Marine World Aquarium Admission Ticket and Guide: $6.67
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: the Pearl of America: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino : $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Botanical Garden: $10
- Musical Experience "Live Musicaribe": $11
- Cultural Heritage Tour Santa Marta: $15
- Santa Marta Bike Tour: $16
- Full Day Tour to Bahía Concha and Tayrona Park with Pickup: $25
- Horse Riding at La Mello Adventure Lodge: $35
- City tour con todo incluido!: $37
- Guided Walking Food Experience: $39
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayBasse-Terre €13Santa Marta €6.17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Marta
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santa Marta from other travelers:
-
Beer€0.53
-
Beer€2.17
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Basse-Terre and Santa Marta, we can see that Basse-Terre is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Basse-Terre is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Marta 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 Santa Marta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Marta 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 Basse-Terre would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Basse-Terre than you might in Santa Marta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Basse-Terre Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Basse-Terre or Santa Marta?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Basse-Terre. When comparing the sizes of Basse-Terre and Santa Marta, 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.