Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or La Ceiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Ceiba or Santa Elena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between La Ceiba and Santa Elena can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Ceiba or Santa Elena?
La Ceiba
La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras, situated on the north Caribbean coast. The city has a population of about a quarter million people. Many people who visit this city do so before heading into Pico Bonito National Park. It hasn't had the best infrastructure for tourists in the past but is developing fast. It is about 200 kilometers from San Pedro Sula, another large city in Honduras.
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%.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Ceiba $65Santa Elena $92
The average daily cost (per person) in La Ceiba is $65, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $92. 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 La Ceiba and Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Ceiba $24Santa Elena $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Ceiba $48Santa Elena $110
Compare Hotels in La Ceiba and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in La Ceiba 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: La Ceiba Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Ceiba $32Santa Elena $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Ceiba
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Ceiba:
- Private Transfer from Goloson Airport (LCE) to Banana Coast Port: $78
- Private Transfer from La Ceiba hotels to Banana Coast Cruise Port: $78
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shuttle Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal: $27
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $179
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $212
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
Is it cheaper to fly into La Ceiba or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena and La Ceiba 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 dayLa Ceiba $18Santa Elena $24
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:
- Night Walk in Monteverde with Dinner Included: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Ceiba $22Santa Elena $30
Tours and Activities in La Ceiba
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Ceiba are as follows:
- ATV Tour : $110
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Selvatura Park: Herpetarium Tour in Monteverde: $22
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $25
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $26
- Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $26
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $27
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $30
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $30
- CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33
- Natural History Tour - Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve: $35
- Guided walk Monteverde Biological Reserve-John's Nature Tours-: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Ceiba $5.16Santa Elena $6.22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Ceiba and Santa Elena, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is La Ceiba much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to La Ceiba would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Ceiba 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 Elena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Elena than you might in La Ceiba.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Ceiba Expensive? and Is Santa Elena 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.