Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Buzios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Buzios or Santa Elena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Buzios or Santa Elena? 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: Buzios or Santa Elena?
Buzios
Initially a fishing village, Armação dos Buzios is a small beach resort town about three hours from Rio de Janeiro by bus. Buzios is a common weekend getaway destination for Cariocas. With 23 beaches, visitors from all over come to swim, snorkel, surf and enjoy sun and sand.
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBuzios $77Santa Elena $92
The average daily cost (per person) in Buzios is $77, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $92. 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 Buzios and Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBuzios $37Santa Elena $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBuzios $74Santa Elena $110
Compare Hotels in Buzios and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Buzios or Santa Elena? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Buzios $19Santa Elena $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Buzios
Also for Buzios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Departure Private Transfer Arraial do Cabo to GIG or SDU Airport by Sedan Car: $241
- Departure Transfer from Buzios or to Rio Airports by Minivan: $219
- Private transfer from Buzios to the GIG Airport : $186
- Private transfer Buzios in Rio to the SDU Airport : $186
- Private Transfer from GIG Airport to City Buzios in Rio : $170
- Private transfer Minivan from GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 6 pax to Buzios: $110
- Executive private transfer from GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 4 pax to Buzios: $106
- Executive private transfer from GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 3 pax to Buzios: $97
- Private Transfer Buzios to Rio de Janeiro: $91
- Private Transfer from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro: $91
- Tour in Buzios City Tour, Lunch and Transfer: $60
- Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $179
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Buzios or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena and Buzios 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 dayBuzios $24Santa Elena $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Walk in Monteverde with Dinner Included: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Buzios $27Santa Elena $30
Tours and Activities in Buzios
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Buzios.
- Buzios Trolley City Tour: $29
- 3-hour Small Group Buzios Peninsula Open Air Trolley Tour: $33
- 7 Beaches In Búzios With Photos On A Private Tour!: $34
- Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Arraial do Cabo: $128
- Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Búzios: $99
- Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Cabo Frio: $116
- Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo: $23
- Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo Panoramic City Tour in Cabo Frio: $96
- Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo from Buzios with Lunch: $60
- Buggy Ride in Buzios by Buziana Tour: $16
- Buggy Tour in Arraial do Cabo by Arraial Viagens: $31
- Cabo Frio Full-Day Tour From Buzios with Lunch: $68
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $70
- Curi-cancha Bird-Watching tour semi private : $50
- Day & Night Nature Tour in Monteverde Combo tour : $190
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- 100% Adventure Park Combo: Zipline, Superman, and Mega Tarzan Tour in Monteverde: $57
- 3 hours of the Longest and Highest Extreme Zip line Experience in Monteverde: $80
- 5-Hour Birdwatching and Photography Tour in Monteverde: $100
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Adventure Park High Ropes Course : $69
- Authentic experience of Coffee, Cane and Caco inside the forest: $37
- Bird Watching Experience in Monteverde: $90
- Bird-Watching private tour : $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBuzios $17Santa Elena $6.22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Buzios and Santa Elena, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is Buzios much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Buzios is in South America and Santa Elena 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 Buzios would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Buzios 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 Santa Elena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Elena than you might in Buzios.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Buzios Expensive? and Is Santa Elena Expensive?.
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.