A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Eagle Beach vs. Salento for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Eagle Beach or Salento?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Eagle Beach or Salento, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Eagle Beach or Salento?

Eagle Beach

Aruba, only fifteen miles north of Venezuela, is a top Caribbean tourist destination. It's a small island, only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide, and is an autonomous dependency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. One of the most popular and beautiful beaches on the island is Eagle Beach. It's a popular beach with the locals, and a common destination for many who are looking for a party. The beach is particularly crowded on Easter weekend. The sand is a sugary white and the waters are a stunning crystal blue color. The beach itself is quite flat and the ocean is so calm it's like swimming in a pool. There are a handful of palm trees if you're seeking shade, but otherwise it's the ideal place to soak up some rays. You'll find some shaded picnic areas as well if you're hoping to enjoy a casual lunch.

Salento

Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Salento or Eagle Beach?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Eagle Beach is $341, while the average daily cost in Salento is $33. 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 Eagle Beach and Salento in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Eagle Beach $227
    Salento $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Eagle Beach $454
    Salento $22
Compare Hotels in Eagle Beach and Salento

Looking for a hotel in Eagle Beach or Salento? 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.

Hotels in Eagle Beach


Hotels in Salento


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: Salento Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Eagle Beach $33
    Salento $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eagle Beach

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eagle Beach:


  • Round-trip Bus Ticket
    $2.22
  • One Day Scooter Rental
    $40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Eagle Beach

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Eagle Beach:

  • Round-Trip Aruba Airport Transfer: $22
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Aruba Reina Beatrix Airport (AUA)- Aruba: $25
  • Aruba Private Airport Transfer: Personalized Arrival: $31
  • Private One-Way Transfer from Aruba To Reina Beatrix Airport: $32
  • Private Transfer from Oranjestad Cruise Port to Oranjestad city: $36
  • Private Transfer from Oranjestad Queen Airport to Oranjestad Port: $36
  • Private Transfer from Oranjestad Port to Oranjestad Queen Airport: $36
  • Aruba Queen Beatrix Airport(AUA) to Aruba Island-Arrival Transfer: $39
  • Aruba Island to Aruba Queen Airport(AUA) Departure Transfer: $39
  • Aruba Island to Aruba Queen Airport (AUA) - Departure Transfer: $39
  • 2 Ways Private Transfers: $45
  • Private Transfer from Reina Beatrix Airport to Oranjestad Aruba: $45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:

  • Pereira Airport Private Transfer Service: $55

Is it cheaper to fly into Eagle Beach or Salento?

Prices for flights to both Salento and Eagle Beach 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 day
    Eagle Beach $68
    Salento $9.56

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Eagle Beach

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Eagle Beach.

  • Noord, Aruba: Exclusive Private Dinner aboard the Aqua Donut: $90
  • Aruba Caribbean Dinner Sail Experience: $92
  • Sunset Sail Cruise to Boca Catalina with BBQ Dinner: $110
  • Sunset Sail: Aruba Dinner Cruise with Open Bar by Catamaran: $119
  • Caribbean Cooking Class in Aruba: $160

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salento.

  • Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Eagle Beach $121
    Salento $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Eagle Beach

Here are a few typical costs in Eagle Beach for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Full Day Bike Rental
    $25
  • Kayak & Snorkeling Tour
    $98
  • Horseback Riding Tour
    $70
  • 4 Hr Snorkel Trip
    $74

Tours and Activities in Eagle Beach

Here are a few actual costs in Eagle Beach for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Champagne and Diamond Shopping Experience in Aruba: $5.00
  • Aruba Mangel Halto and Baby Beach Snorkeling Guided Tour: $37
  • Scenic Aruba Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $40
  • Aruba Downtown Historic and Cultural Walking Tour: $40
  • Explore Aruba Party Bus Tour: $41
  • Aruba Countryside Tour: $41
  • The Whole Story Tour + A Ride: $45
  • Half-Day Aruba Animal Sanctuary Guided Tour : $45
  • Half-Day Aruba Island Tour from Oranjestad: $49
  • Aruba Baby Beach Express Tour: $49
  • Colorful Beach Bus Sightseeing Tour of Aruba: $54
  • Aruba Jet Ski Rentals — Exciting Water Adventures Await: $58

Tours and Activities in Salento

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Salento are as follows:

  • City tour + Nature: $25
  • Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $28
  • Santa Rita Waterfall and Salento Hike Tour: $49
  • Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $62
  • Private Colombian Coffee Farm Tour with Tastings in Armenia: $78
  • Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour: $79
  • Coffee Tour at Finca El Ocaso: $84
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $87
  • Coffe Experience: Daily departure from Salento: $89
  • Pereira: Cocora Valley and Salento Guided Hiking Tour: $89
  • Private birding tour for beginners and intermediate: $90
  • Coffee Tour and Salento Walking Tour with lunch: $94

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Eagle Beach $31
    Salento $12


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eagle Beach and Salento, we can see that Eagle Beach is more expensive. And not only is Salento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eagle Beach is in Caribbean Islands and Salento 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 Salento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salento 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 Eagle Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Eagle Beach than you might in Salento.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Eagle Beach Expensive? and Is Salento Expensive?.