A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Flores vs. Santa Elena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Flores or Santa Elena?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Flores and Santa Elena can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Flores or Santa Elena?

Flores

The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.

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 Tours for Seniors to Guatemala, The Best G Adventures Tours to Guatemala, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.


Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Flores?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Flores is $33, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $92. 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 Flores and Santa Elena in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Flores $8.62
    Santa Elena $55
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Flores $17
    Santa Elena $110
Compare Hotels in Flores and Santa Elena

Looking for a hotel in Flores 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.

Hotels in Flores


Hotels in Santa Elena


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: Flores Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Flores $7.87
    Santa Elena $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores

Also for Flores, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Round-Trip Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores: $137
  • Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $60
  • Transfer from Flores Guatemala to Caye Caulker Belize: $43
  • Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20
  • Private transfer Mundo Maya Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena

Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $215
  • Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
  • Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $39
  • One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Samara : $269
  • One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
  • Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $182

Is it cheaper to fly into Flores or Santa Elena?

Prices for flights to both Santa Elena and Flores 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
    Flores $13
    Santa Elena $24

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Flores $20
    Santa Elena $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Tikal Entrance (for 2)
    $39
  • Map of Tikal
    $3.22

Tours and Activities in Flores

For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
  • 2-Day Tour to Tikal and Yaxhá from Flores Island: $220
  • Admire The Sunrise In Tikal - Private Tour From Flores: $214
  • Awaken to Tikals' Sunrise Exclusive Tour: $199
  • Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
  • Discover "Crater Azul" & Its Crystal-Clear Waters On A Full-Day Tour From Flores: $220
  • 1-Day Tikal Tour Private Service From your Hotel: $185
  • From Flores Guided Tour to Tikal with transportation + lunch: $75
  • From 2-Day Tikal & Yaxhá Tour: $299
  • From Blue Crater private day tour: $160
  • From El Pucte Blue Crater Private Day Tour: $200
  • From Exclusive Tikal Group Tour: $77

Tours and Activities in Santa Elena

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.

  • Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $75
  • Curi-cancha Bird-Watching tour semi private : $50
  • Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
  • 100% Adventure Park Combo: Zipline, Superman, and Mega Tarzan Tour in Monteverde: $57
  • 3 hours of the Longest and Highest Extreme Zip line Experience in Monteverde: $80
  • Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
  • Adventure Park High Ropes Course : $69
  • Authentic experience of Coffee, Cane and Caco inside the forest: $37
  • Bird Watching Experience in Monteverde: $90
  • Bird-Watching private tour : $100
  • Birdwatching Tour in Monteverde : $85
  • Canopy Adventure From Monteverde: $72

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Flores $21
    Santa Elena $6.24
Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:


  • Two Margaritas
    $2.58


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

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