Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Foz do Iguacu?
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 Foz do Iguacu or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Foz do Iguacu and Santa Marta 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: Foz do Iguacu or Santa Marta?
Foz do Iguacu
Foz do Iguacu is a larger city in Brazil that is most famous for the Iguacu Falls. The city serves as an entry point for Paraguay and Argentina as well. The obvious reason to visit the city is to see the beautiful falls, and together with Ciudad del Este, Paraguay and Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, it makes up one of the largest tourism sights in South America.
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 Contiki Tours to Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
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Foz do Iguacu Prices
Brazil PricesSanta Marta Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFoz do Iguacu $84Santa Marta $41
The average daily cost (per person) in Foz do Iguacu is $84, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is $41. 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 Foz do Iguacu and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFoz do Iguacu $30Santa Marta $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFoz do Iguacu $60Santa Marta $28
Compare Hotels in Foz do Iguacu and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Foz do Iguacu 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: Foz do Iguacu Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Foz do Iguacu $14Santa Marta $5.45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Foz do Iguacu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Foz do Iguacu:
- Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu Hotels: $79
- Transfer from Foz de Iguazu Airport to Hotels on the Argentine side: $70
- Transfer In Airport Foz - Hotel in Foz do Iguazu: $8.00
- Shared Roundtrip Transfers with Brazilian and Argentinian sides: $157
- Roundtrip Airport Transfer in Foz do Iguaçu: $50
- Private Transfer from IGU to Any Point within Foz Do Iguaçu City: $80
- Private Airport Transfers and Iguaçu National Parks: $38
- PRIVATE Transfer Iguassu Airport (IGU) to Hotels in Iguassu: $18
- Macuco Safari Boat with Transfer: $146
- IGU Airport Transfers: $17
- Foz do Iguaçu Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $45
- Foz do Iguaçu Airport Shared Transfer: $11
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$5.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport to Zona Rodadero and Pozos Colorados – One-Way Transfer: $24
- Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simón Bolívar Airport: $14
- Boat transfer to Parque Tayrona Cabo San Juan: $82
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $178
- Exclusive transfer Santa Marta - Cartagena: $229
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simon Bolivar Airport: $13
- Private Transfer Santa Marta to Palomino (or vice versa): $154
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Airport SMR to Santa Marta Port: $71
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Airport SMR to Santa Marta Port: $14
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Cartagena hotels: $217
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Santa Marta city: $71
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Cartagena Airport (CTG): $217
Is it cheaper to fly into Foz do Iguacu or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Foz do Iguacu 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 dayFoz do Iguacu $39Santa Marta $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Foz do Iguacu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Foz do Iguacu.
- Rafain Dinner Show: $71
- Rafain Steakhouse Show - Dinner and Show Included: $108
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Selva Iriapu Hotels Exclusive: $110
- Dinner Show - Rafain Steakhouse: $120
- Shared Group: Rafain Dinner and Latin American Show with Transfer: $129
- Dinner Show at Rafain in Foz do Iguaçu: $134
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Belmond Hotel Cataratas: $135
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$3.25
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 Street Food Tour: 7 Tastings with a Local Guide: $39
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day: $65
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $69
- SamarioCaribeño Chef's Table Cooking Lesson and Breakfast: $87
- Flavors of Colombia - Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $114
- Fast Food Tour In Santa Marta More Than Just Food: $120
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Foz do Iguacu $25Santa Marta $14
Tours and Activities in Foz do Iguacu
Here are a few actual costs in Foz do Iguacu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Iguaçu Falls Tour across Brazil and Argentina: $52
- 1 Day Private Tour of Brazilian and Argentine Waterfalls: $91
- 2-Days PRIVATE Brasil & Argentina Experience Iguazu Falls: $165
- 2-day tour, both sides of Cataratas Brasil and Argentina.: $229
- Airport IGU Pick-Up & Shopping In Paraguay & Hotel Drop-Off - Private Tour: $120
- Airport IGU Round Trip & 2 Days Sightseeing in Iguassu: $245
- Ancestral Iguazu: Argentine Falls and Guarani Community Tour: $150
- AquaFoz VIP Experience with Guided Tour: $195
- Argentina Iguazu Falls Private Tour with Professional Guide: $159
- Argentine Side Iguassu Falls - Private Tour: $140
- Argentinian Side of the Falls - All Tickets Included: $131
- Best Private Tour Iguassu Falls Brazil, Argentina in 1 day: $89
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: Santa Marta Marine World Aquarium Admission Ticket and Guide: $8.80
- Mariposario Sierra Nevada Entry Ticket: $8.97
- Tour in Chiva Rumbera Music Party and Fun in Santa Marta: $15
- Chiva Rumbera VIP Night Tour + Beer: $17
- Patrimonial Walking Tour: Hidden Stories of Santa Marta: $18
- Santa Marta Graffiti Tour: Urban Art & Culture: $18
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $18
- Historic Center Bike Tour: $20
- Full City of Santa Marta Tour and its Charms: $20
- BE RELAX TOUR - Bahia Concha: $22
- Panoramic city tour does not include tickets: $24
- SANTAMARTA: Panoramic History and Culture City Tour by Chiva: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFoz do Iguacu $12Santa Marta $6.94
Typical Alcohol Prices in Foz do Iguacu
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Foz do Iguacu from other travelers:
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Beer$0.89
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$0.60
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Beer$2.44
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Marta
Also in Santa Marta, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Thursday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $24
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $25
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Foz do Iguacu and Santa Marta, we can see that Foz do Iguacu is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Foz do Iguacu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Foz do Iguacu 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 Foz do Iguacu Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Foz do Iguacu or Santa Marta?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 47% larger than the population of Foz do Iguacu. When comparing the sizes of Foz do Iguacu and Santa Marta, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.