Should you visit Columbus or Santa Fe?
Should I visit Columbus 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.
Columbus
The capital city of Ohio, Columbus sits at the meeting point of America's Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Plains. It is also home of Ohio State University, which is a major financial and economic force in the city. You'll likely need a car to navigate the city, although there is a bus system, COTA, which can take you to some of Columbus' highlights.
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 Columbus?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Columbus is $126, 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 Columbus and Santa Fe in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $116 in Columbus For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
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 average traveler spends about $39 per day in Columbus for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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
Columbus $39
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:
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Dinner at the Coffee Farm:
$55
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Santa Fe Railyard Arts District Food Tour:
$102
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New Mexican Flavors Food Tour of the Santa Fe Plaza:
$138
Local Transportation
To get around in Columbus, the average visitor spends $40 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
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 Columbus
Also for Columbus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) to Columbus - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$174
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Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) to Columbus - Arrival Private Transfer:
$87
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Columbus to Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) - Departure Private Transfer:
$87
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 Columbus or Santa Fe?
Prices for flights to both Santa Fe and Columbus 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
In Columbus, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $37 per person, per day.
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 Columbus
For Columbus, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Columbus Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus Ticket:
$21
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Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Columbus:
$11
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
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Beer and Art Tour:
$40
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Guided Tour: 'Love Stories of Santa Fe":
$498
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Land Tour | Bantayan Island - Sightseeing - Guided Tour:
$46
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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
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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
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Walk Granada's Skyline Tour:
$49
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Columbus spend on average $16 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 comparing the travel costs between Columbus and Santa Fe, we can see that Santa Fe is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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