Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Eagle Beach?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Eagle Beach or Santa Marta?
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 Marta, 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 Marta?
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 Marta
Santa Marta is a city in the Magdalena Department of Colombia's Costa Norte. Over the last decade, security has steadily been replacing the shadow of the Colombia's violent past. One destination in Colombia's northeast region is now attracting more international visitors: the coastal Caribbean area of Santa Marta. Established in 1525 by the Spanish as a base of conquest, Santa Marta sits at the foot of the world's highest coastal mountain range, the towering Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is South America's oldest European-founded town and the second most important colonial city on Colombia's Caribbean coast. While many travelers complain about Santa Marta's horrible traffic and unsightly urban sprawl, the city holds a numerous amounts of great hotels, bars and restaurants and holds a few fantastic destinations nearby to which you can go during the daytime.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEagle Beach $341Santa Marta $32
The average daily cost (per person) in Eagle Beach is $341, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is $32. 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 Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEagle Beach $227Santa Marta $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEagle Beach $454Santa Marta $28
Compare Hotels in Eagle Beach and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Eagle Beach or Santa Marta? 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: Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Eagle Beach $33Santa Marta $5.27
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
- VIP Luxury Sedan Airport Transfer: $105
- VIP Luxury SUV Airport Transfer: $120
- Transfers & Pickups: $67
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Aruba Reina Beatrix Airport (AUA)- Aruba: $25
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Aruba Airport (AUA) - Aruba: $55
- Round-Trip Aruba Airport Transfer: $22
- Round Trip Private Airport Transfer: $120
- Private Transfer from Reina Beatrix Airport to Oranjestad Aruba: $45
- Private Transfer from Oranjestad Queen Airport to Oranjestad Port: $36
- Private Transfer from Oranjestad Port to Oranjestad Queen Airport: $36
- Private Transfer from Oranjestad Cruise Port to Oranjestad city: $36
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santa Marta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Marta:
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Gas$5.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 1.Transfer to TAYRONA park from Cartagena Private or Viceversa.: $256
- Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simón Bolívar Airport: $14
- Barranquilla / Santa Marta Transfer: $236
- Cartagena / Santa Marta Transfer: $328
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $141
- Exclusive transfer Santa Marta - Cartagena: $229
- Private Airport Transfer: From Santa Marta Airport to Hotel in Santa Marta: $25
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simon Bolivar Airport (One Way): $12
- Private Transfer Santa Marta to Palomino (or vice versa): $121
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Airport SMR to Santa Marta Port: $32
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta Port: $28
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Cartagena hotels: $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Eagle Beach or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta 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 $68Santa Marta $10
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
Typical Food Prices in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$3.14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Marta Walking Food Tour: $40
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day : $66
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $74
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Eagle Beach $121Santa Marta $14
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
- 2-Hour Horseback Riding Tour to Little Natural Bridge in Aruba: $116
- 2-Seater UTV Island Tour in Aruba: $99
- Adventure Kayak & Snorkeling at Reef Island Aruba: $130
- Amazing UTV Island Tour around Aruba!: $200
- Antilla Shipwreck Seabob Tour: $120
- Art, Facts & Baby Beach UTV Adventure by Fofoti: $235
- Aruba ATV Adventure: Off-Road Tour in Single and Double Seaters: $109
- Aruba ATV Rentals For Off-Road Adventure - Single & Double-Seater: $96
- Aruba Baby Beach Express Tour: $49
- Aruba Beach and Cave Island Tour : $78
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Old Town, Harbour & Highlights Self-guided Tour: $6.31
- Skip the Line: Santa Marta Marine World Aquarium Admission Ticket and Guide: $6.67
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: the Pearl of America: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino : $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Botanical Garden: $10
- Musical Experience "Live Musicaribe": $11
- Cultural Heritage Tour Santa Marta: $15
- Santa Marta Bike Tour: $16
- BE RELAX TOUR - Bahia Concha: $22
- Full Day Tour to Bahía Concha and Tayrona Park with Pickup: $25
- Horse Riding at La Mello Adventure Lodge: $35
- City tour con todo incluido!: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEagle Beach $31Santa Marta $6.71
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Marta
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santa Marta from other travelers:
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Beer$0.58
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Beer$2.36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eagle Beach and Santa Marta, we can see that Eagle Beach is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eagle Beach is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Marta 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 Santa Marta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Marta 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 Marta.
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 Marta 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.