Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Ilha Grande?
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 Ilha Grande or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ilha Grande or Santa Marta? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Ilha Grande or Santa Marta?
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.
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 Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
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Ilha Grande Prices
Brazil PricesSanta Marta Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIlha Grande $83Santa Marta $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $83, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is $49. 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 Ilha Grande and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIlha Grande $37Santa Marta $17
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIlha Grande $74Santa Marta $34
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande 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.Ilha Grande $18Santa Marta $6.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Regular transfer from Isla Grande (Abraão) x Rio de Janeiro: $47
- Regular transfer from Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $50
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
- Departure private transfer from Costa do Sol to Rio GIG Airport: $160
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$6.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to Playa Cinto & Playa Cristal: $82
- Transfer from Simon Bolivar Airport in Santa Marta to Hotels: $24
- Playa Cristal Beach Day with Boat Transfer: $94
- Calderon Beach Club Day Pass with Lunch & Transfer: $120
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $37
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $44
- Santa Marta to or from Palomino Private Transfer: $55
- Santa Marta to or from Palomino Private Transfer: $49
- Santa Marta to or from Minca Private Transfer: $39
- Santa Marta to or from Cartagena Private Transfer: $149
- Santa Marta to or from Barranquilla Private Transfer: $70
- Santa Marta Private Transfer: SMR Airport to/from Hotel or Airbnb: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Ilha Grande 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 dayIlha Grande $36Santa Marta $21
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$3.90
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
- Santa Marta Walking Food Tour: $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: $191
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ilha Grande $6.59Santa Marta $17
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- A tour of the paradisiacal islands of Angra dos Reis.: $75
- Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $83
- Angra Islands Speedboat Tour from Paraty: $65
- Angra Paradise Islands Speedboat Tour: $89
- Angra Super Blue Lagoon Speedboat Tour: $78
- Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $74
- Boat Adventure through the Super Blue Lagoon in Angra dos Reis: $109
- Diving Adventures in Angra dos Reis: $237
- Escuna Tour to Angra Beaches of Dos Reis & Grand Island: $20
- Explore Paraty with Rafting Adventure: $158
- Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $66
- Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $45
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Gabo Márquez" Tour - Aracataca and Cienaga: $205
- 2 days 1 night tour - in Trompito, I meet indigenous community Kogui Uldezhaxa.: $206
- 2-Day Cultural Tour to Gotsezhy from Santa Marta: $198
- 3-Day Private Tour of Taorayiná Ecolodge and Nature Reserve: $200
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $18
- Adventures in Santa Marta private beaches by Paddle or kayak: $52
- Ancestral Thought Tour: $180
- Ancestral Thought Tour (Indigenous life in Kogui people) Santa Marta: $220
- BE RELAX TOUR - Bahia Concha: $22
- BE TROPICAL TOUR - Buritaca & Playa Los Angeles: $51
- Bike Tour Taganga - Playa Grande: $69
- Bunkuany Tayrona Tour.: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIlha Grande $11Santa Marta $8.32
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$0.72
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Beer$2.93
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:
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $30
- Thursday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $30
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and Santa Marta, we can see that Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande 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.