Which city is cheaper, Santa Fe or Columbia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Columbia vs. Santa Fe for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Columbia or Santa Fe?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Columbia or Santa Fe? 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: Columbia or Santa Fe?
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayColumbia $0.00Santa Fe $127
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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Columbia and Santa Fe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personColumbia -Santa Fe $64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomColumbia $0.00Santa Fe $128
Compare Hotels in Columbia and Santa Fe
Looking for a hotel in Columbia or Santa Fe? 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: Columbia Hotel Prices and Santa Fe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Columbia -Santa Fe $49
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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayColumbia $4.02Santa 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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Columbia -Santa Fe $13
Tours and Activities in Columbia
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Columbia are as follows:
- Cascade Locks: 1-Hour Columbia River Sightseeing Cruise: $50
- Cascade Locks: Columbia Gorge Sunday Brunch Cruise: $94
- Portland: Columbia Gorge Flight Tour: $99
- Portland: Columbia River Gorge 3-Hour Small Group Tour: $85
- Portland: Multnomah Falls Scenic Air Tour: $199
- Savannah: History & Ghosts Guided Tour with Beverage Stops: $20
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
- Canyon Road Curated Art Walking Tour: $52
- 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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayColumbia $70Santa Fe $7.74
Sample the Local Flavors in Columbia
Also in Columbia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Savannah: Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour: $30
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.
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