Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Jaco?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Jaco or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Jaco or Santa Marta, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Jaco or Santa Marta?
Jaco
Jaco is a beach destination on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. This resort city is located in the county of Garabito in the Puntarenas province. It has a population of about 10,000 residents and a 2.5 mile long beach that is an excellent surfing destination.
Because Jaco is located on the coast, it's weather is influenced by the water. The climate is humid with a relative humidity of about 80%, but climbing to 90% in the month of June. The temperature is usually between 85 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit at night. There are distinct wet and dry seasons with August through early December being the rainy season and late December through early April being the dry season. Rain is irregular during the rest of the year.
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 Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJaco $104Santa Marta $32
The average daily cost (per person) in Jaco is $104, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is $32. 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 Jaco and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJaco $67Santa Marta $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJaco $134Santa Marta $28
Compare Hotels in Jaco and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Jaco 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: Jaco Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Jaco -Santa Marta $5.27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco
Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to Jaco beach from San José or the airport one way: $245
- Transfer Private From Jaco to San José or Airport up to 5 passengers (one way) : $245
- Transfer FROM Jaco Beach TO SJO Airport OR RETURN (One Way): $70
- Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $219
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Los Sueños Resort/Marriot : $200
- Jaco/Monteverde to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $90
- Jaco or Playa Hermosa: Transfer to San Jose or Alajuela: $173
- From Tortuga Island Boat Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $135
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$5.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers SANTA MARTA AIRPORT TO HOTEL IN SANTA MARTA: $31
- Transfer in private minivan from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Airport (SMR): $21
- Transfer in private minivan from Santa Marta Airport (SMR) to Santa Marta city: $21
- Transfer in Private Car from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Airport (SMR): $14
- Transfer in Private Car from Santa Marta Airport (SMR) to Santa Marta city: $14
- Tayrona / Santa Marta Transfer: $84
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $35
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $39
- Santa Marta to or from Barranquilla Private Transfer: $67
- Santa Marta to Santa Marta Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $32
- Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $63
- Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta - Arrival Private Transfer: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Jaco or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Jaco 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 dayJaco $21Santa Marta $10
Typical Food Prices in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Hermosa BeachLlunch$3.94
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Tsunami Sushi Dinner$18
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Taco Bar Dinner$9.01
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Pizza & Smoothie Lunch$6.31
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Ice Cream$5.92
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Breakfast Taco Bar$3.34
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Fruit Plate$2.96
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Costa Rican cooking class with cookbook author Melissa Guzman: $85
- Taste of Costa Rica: Traditional Food Tour in Jacó: $87
- Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Combo Tour with Lunch & Dinner: $195
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$3.14
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 Walking Food Tour: $40
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day : $66
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $74
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Jaco $60Santa Marta $14
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jaco
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Jaco's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Dance Class$9.82
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Surf Lesson$49
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Bike Rental$9.82
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Tortuga Island Tour$98
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Massage$44
Tours and Activities in Jaco
For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Jungle & River ATV Adventure, 2 hours / Jacó: $95
- Ocean views Zip Line Canopy Tour in Jaco Beach and Los Suenos : $71
- "Miro Jaco" & Jaco Beach Horseback Tour: $59
- 2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure Jaco: $75
- 2 Hour Private Ranch Experience in Quebrada Amarilla: $120
- 2 Hours Private Guided Hiking Experience to El Miro in Jaco: $50
- 2 hour ATV Tour & Waterfalls + Chocolate Experience : $110
- 2 hour Double ATV Tour + Waterfalls in Jaco Beach : $99
- 3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure: $110
- 3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure: $95
- 4×4 Waterfalls and Jungle Experience: $80
- 4x4 Happy Jungle Booze Cruise: $115
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Chocoserrano" Chocolate Tour 1 day - Santa Marta: $115
- "Gabo Márquez" Tour - Aracataca and Cienaga: $205
- 2 days 1 night tour - in Trompito, I meet indigenous community Kogui Uldezhaxa.: $190
- 2-Day Cultural Tour to Gotsezhy from Santa Marta: $198
- 2-Day Tour to Ancestral Heritage from Santa Marta: $190
- 4 Days Adventure; Medellin to Santa Marta- Beach of the Dead: $374
- 4 Days Adventure; Medellin to Santa Marta- Beach of the Dead: $330
- Amazing full day tour to Minca with a private guide: $178
- Ancestral Thought Tour (Indigenous life in Kogui people) Santa Marta: $192
- Aracataca And Ciénaga - Gabriel García Márquez Tour: $54
- Archeological Tour in Taironaka with River Tubing and a small Lost City: $278
- Authentic experience with the Sewiaxa Kogui community and the River 1 day.: $95
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJaco $32Santa Marta $6.71
Typical Alcohol Prices in Jaco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Jaco:
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Wine$15
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Night at the Bar$27
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$0.58
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Beer$2.36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jaco and Santa Marta, we can see that Jaco is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jaco is in Central America and Santa Marta is in South 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 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 Jaco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jaco 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 Jaco Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Jaco or Santa Marta?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 110 times larger than the population of Jaco. When comparing the sizes of Jaco 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.