A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ios vs. Santa Cruz de Tenerife for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ios or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?

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

Should I visit Ios or Santa Cruz de Tenerife? 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: Ios or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?

Ios

Ios is an island in the south of Greece, located in the Cyclades group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a peaceful beach getaway by day, and a lively party scene by night. While its main town is the hub for nightlife, it is also a charming place during the day, typical of a traditional Greek village with shops and cafes against a backdrop of whitewashed buildings and turquoise waters.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Not everyone traveling to Spain is looking to collapse on a beach somewhere. If you're in search of a bustling, vibrant and colorful Spanish capital city without the crowds of Barcelona, you might want to book a few days in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Located on the eastern tip of the island of Tenerife on the Canary Island chain, Santa Cruz's bright buildings, charming shops and rich, green scenery are there to greet visitors from all over the world - including you.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best 3-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona.


Which place is cheaper, Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Ios?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Ios is €91, while the average daily cost in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is €126. 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 Ios and Santa Cruz de Tenerife in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ios 39
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 48
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ios 78
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 96
Compare Hotels in Ios and Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Looking for a hotel in Ios or Santa Cruz de Tenerife? 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 Ios


Hotels in Santa Cruz de Tenerife


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: Ios Hotel Prices and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ios 16
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 64

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ios

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ios:

  • 1-Way Private Helicopter Transfer to the Greek Islands: $2,417

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santa Cruz de Tenerife:

  • Mount Teide Tour with Transfer and Optional Cable Car Ticket: $43
  • Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Playa de las américas to Airport): $59
  • Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet : $64
  • Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Costa Adeje Hotels to Airport): $98
  • Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port: Transfer to Tenerife hotels: $252

Is it cheaper to fly into Ios or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?

Prices for flights to both Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Ios 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
    Ios 33
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 40

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ios 26
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 25

Tours and Activities in Ios

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ios are as follows:

  • Ios Island Trekking Tours: Discover Ios Unexplored: $27
  • Ios Island: Speedboat Cruise from Mylopotas Beach: $52
  • 4-Hour Cruise of the Best Beaches: $63
  • From RIB Boat Trip to Sikinos Island and Winery Tour: $84
  • Electric Bike Tour Chora to Homer's Tomp: $109
  • Electric Bike Tour Chora to Diaseli Cheesery: $109
  • 5 -6 Hour Private Chora E-Bike Tours: $131
  • Private Orienteering Experience in Mylopotas: $163

Tours and Activities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Here are a few actual costs in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Tenerife: Forestal Park Tenerife Entry Ticket: $28
  • Guided Tour to Teide National Park in Tenerife: $44
  • Full Day Tour of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal de La Laguna: $49
  • Volcano Teide National Park Shared Tour from Costa Adeje Los Cristianos Tenerife: $64
  • Full Day Guided Tour of Teide by Cabrio Bus : $75
  • Private Paragliding Flight Experience in Tenerife: $109
  • Taucho Flight Experience: $118
  • Tenerife: Introductory Dive for Cruise Ship Passengers: $128
  • Private VIP Tour Tenerife Magic Circle: $258

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ios 33
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 7.50

Sample the Local Flavors in Ios

Also in Ios, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bar Crawl Ios Ticket in Cyclades: $38


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

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


Which is Bigger, Ios or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?

Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of Ios. When comparing the sizes of Ios and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 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.