Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Eagle Beach?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Eagle Beach or Santa Elena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Eagle Beach or Santa Elena, 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 Santa Elena?
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.
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 G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Eagle Beach Prices
Aruba PricesSanta Elena Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEagle Beach $391Santa Elena $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Eagle Beach is $391, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $121. 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 Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEagle Beach $227Santa Elena $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEagle Beach $454Santa Elena $120
Compare Hotels in Eagle Beach and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Eagle Beach 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.Eagle Beach $33Santa Elena $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eagle Beach
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eagle Beach:
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Round-trip Bus Ticket$2.22
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One Day Scooter Rental$40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Eagle Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Eagle Beach:
- VIP luxury limousine airport transfer one way!: $190
- Private Transfer for Small and Mid-Sized Groups and Families: $180
- Private Guided Beach Meditation & Hike + Transfer: $165
- Private Sea Glass Island Kayak Morning + Transfer: $155
- Round Trip Private Airport Transfer: $120
- VIP Luxury Sedan Airport Transfer: $105
- Premium Airport Transfers in Aruba: $100
- Private One-Way Transfer from Aruba To Reina Beatrix Airport: $83
- Private One-Way Transfer Reina Beatrix Airport to Aruba: $83
- Aruba Queen Airport(AUA) to Aruba Island - Round-Trip Transfer: $79
- Private Round - Trip Airport Transfer in Aruba Luxury SUV: $69
- Transfers & Pickups: $67
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $195
- Monteverde to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) - Departure Transfer: $219
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $231
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to your Destination: $260
- Shuttle Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal: $30
- Shuttle Transfer from Monteverde to Tamarindo area: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Eagle Beach or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena 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
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Food Meals for one dayEagle Beach $117Santa Elena $45
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: Aruba Dinner Cruise with Open Bar by Catamaran: $119
- Tropical Sailing Experience with BBQ Lunch or BBQ Dinner in Aruba: $135
- Caribbean Cooking Class in Aruba: $160
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Eagle Beach $121Santa Elena $33
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:
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Full Day Bike Rental$25
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Kayak & Snorkeling Tour$98
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Horseback Riding Tour$70
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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:
- Aruba Semi-Submarine Cruise from Oranjestad: $60
- Discover Snorkeling Tour Mangel Halto & Baby Beach: $115
- Explore Aruba Coastline with Kayaking Tour: $115
- 2-Hour Horseback Riding Tour to Little Natural Bridge in Aruba: $116
- 2-Seater UTV Island Tour in Aruba: $99
- Action-Packed Half Day Aruba UTV Tour and Arashi Beach: $210
- Adventure Kayak & Snorkeling at Reef Island Aruba: $105
- Adventurous Clear Kayak And Snorkeling Tour At Mangel Halto: $105
- Alto Vista Chapel and Arashi Beach Adventure: $77
- Antilla Shipwreck Seabob Tour: $120
- Arikok Sunrise Hiking Tour to Natural Pool + Transportation: $110
- Art, Beach and Culture Island Tour with Kini Kini: $95
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- High Ropes "Day Pass Adventure" an activity for families and friends: $25
- Monteverde Night Experience: $25
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $27
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $27
- Shore Excursion Mix Adventure Zip Line Day for Families and Friends: $29
- Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $30
- Adventure dans la forêt nuageuse de Monteverde: $30
- Cloud Forest Adventure: Hike the Mystical Canopy!: $30
- Wildlife Refuge Monteverde Night Walking Tour: $33
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve Tour: $35
- Guided Tour in Monteverde with a Local Guide and Binoculars: $35
- Monteverde Night Tour Unique Experience: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEagle Beach $31Santa Elena $6.85
Sample the Local Flavors in Eagle Beach
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Eagle Beach:
- Aruba Happy Hour Party Bus Pub Crawl: $82
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eagle Beach and Santa Elena, we can see that Eagle Beach is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eagle Beach is in Caribbean Islands 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 Santa Elena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena.
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 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.