Should you visit Columbia or Santa Fe?
Should I visit Columbia or Santa Fe? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Columbia
Both the largest and capital city of South Carolina, Columbia is literally the center of everything. Geographically it is located in the middle of the state, and it is the home to the University of South Carolina, the Army's Fort Jackson, as well as a variety of museums that celebrate the city's art, history, and culture.
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 Columbia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Columbia is $0.00, 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 Columbia and Santa Fe in more detail.
Accommodation
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
The price of a meal in Columbia can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $4.02 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $1.61 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Columbia $4.02
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
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 Santa Fe
Also for Santa Fe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Santa Fe Airport (SAF):
$62
-
Private Departure Transfer to Santa Fe Airport SAF:
$125
Is it cheaper to fly into Columbia or Santa Fe?
Prices for flights to both Santa Fe and Columbia 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 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 Santa Fe
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Fe.
-
Santa Fe Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
Small-Group Canyon Road Art Tour:
$37
-
Beer and Art Tour:
$40
-
Land Tour | Bantayan Island - Sightseeing - Guided Tour:
$46
-
Walk Granada's Skyline Tour:
$49
-
Search for The Story-Documentary Film School Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$52
-
Santa Fe Architectural Walking Tour:
$115
-
Small-Group E-Bike Adventure Tour through Hidden Santa Fe:
$155
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: Private Walking Tour of Santa Fe:
$170
-
Bantayan Island Day Tour From Cebu:
$173
-
The Best of Santa Fe Walking Tour:
$498
-
Guided Tour: 'Love Stories of Santa Fe":
$498
Alcohol
The average person spends about $70 on alcoholic beverages in Columbia per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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 Columbia and Santa Fe, we can see that Santa Fe is more expensive. And not only is Columbia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Columbia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Columbia 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 Fe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Fe than you might in Columbia.
Related Articles for Columbia
Related Articles for Santa Fe
