Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Fort-de-France?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Fort-de-France vs. Santa Elena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Fort-de-France 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 Fort-de-France 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: Fort-de-France or Santa Elena?
Fort-de-France
As the largest city and capital of Martinique, Fort-de-France serves as the main entryway for visitors traveling to the island. It is a busy city with a significant population, which creates an atmosphere bustling with traffic amidst its historic and cultural sights.
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%.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFort-de-France €152Santa Elena €82
The average daily cost (per person) in Fort-de-France is €152, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is €82. 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 Fort-de-France and Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFort-de-France €79Santa Elena €49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFort-de-France €158Santa Elena €98
Compare Hotels in Fort-de-France and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Fort-de-France 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Fort-de-France Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Fort-de-France €16Santa Elena €9.91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fort-de-France
Also for Fort-de-France, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Martinique Airport (FDF) to Fort de France - Round-Trip Transfer: $129
- Private transfer Fort de France Airport to and from Les Trois Ilets: $101
- Private Transfer from Fort de France Port to Fort de France: $70
- Private Transfer from Fort de France Port to Martinique Airport: $70
- Private Transfer from Martinique Airport to Fort de France Port: $70
- Private Transfer from Fort de France to Fort de France Port: $70
- Martinique Airport (FDF) to Fort de France - Arrival Transfer: $65
- Fort de France to Martinique Airport (FDF) - Departure Transfer: $65
- Transfer a Small group South Les Salines Beach Break: $59
- Transfer for a Half South Caribbean Les Salines: $57
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 La Fortuna From 11 to 15 passengers: $402
- One way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Jaco up to 5 passengers.: $320
- Private Transfer Service From Monteverde To Arenal La Fortuna: $305
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 7 to 10 passengers: $268
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $211
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $210
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $177
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Shuttle Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Fort-de-France or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena and Fort-de-France 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 dayFort-de-France €58Santa Elena €21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fort-de-France
For Fort-de-France, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ti Punch & Accras Cooking class: $48
- cooking class with a local: $85
- Food tour in the rainforest and St Pierre - Pile et Face: $102
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Farm Tour & Farm to Table Dinner: $50
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Fort-de-France €31Santa Elena €27
Tours and Activities in Fort-de-France
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fort-de-France.
- 1/2 Day Panoramic Tour: $86
- Admission Ticket Balata's Garden: $18
- Atypical circuit and bivouac Wilder experience: $194
- Authentic Tour of Southern Martinique: $74
- Beachcombing in Paradise South Caribbean V.I.P Tour: $290
- Boat trip and cruise on a sailboat: $114
- Fort-de-France Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour: $63
- Fort-de-France Private 2-Hour Walking Tour: $26
- Full Day Private Historic Tour of Rum Production in Martinique: $117
- Full Day Tour of Martinique's Diverse Produce Industries: $106
- Habitation Clement - entrance ticket: $15
- Half Day Tour Anywhere in Martinique: $70
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges Treetops Tour : $20
- Curi-field Bird-Watching tour semi private: $40
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $20
- 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
- 5-Hour Birdwatching and Photography Tour in Monteverde: $100
- 5-in-1 Monteverde Cloud Forest Experience with Ziplining and Hanging Bridges: $232
- Admission Ticket to Las Pumas Rescue Center : $20
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Adventure Park High Ropes Course : $69
- Bird Watching Tour in Monteverde: $75
- Bird-Watching private tour: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFort-de-France €10Santa Elena €5.54
Sample the Local Flavors in Fort-de-France
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Fort-de-France:
- Small-Group Tour: Unmissable Martinique with Rum Distillery, Ruins, and More: $74
- North Tour: rainforest, rum distillery, black sand beach etc: $97
- Salines Beach with a Rum-Distillery Stop : $380
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fort-de-France and Santa Elena, we can see that Fort-de-France is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Fort-de-France 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 Fort-de-France would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fort-de-France than you might in Santa Elena.
Related Articles for Santa Elena
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.
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