Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or La Ceiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit La Ceiba or Santa Marta?
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 Marta can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Ceiba or Santa Marta?
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 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 Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
-
La Ceiba Prices
Honduras PricesSanta Marta Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Ceiba $74Santa Marta $39
The average daily cost (per person) in La Ceiba is $74, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is $39. 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 Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Ceiba $22Santa Marta $14
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Ceiba $44Santa Marta $28
Compare Hotels in La Ceiba and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in La Ceiba 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: La Ceiba Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Ceiba $30Santa Marta $5.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Ceiba
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Ceiba:
- Private Transfer from La Ceiba hotels to Banana Coast Cruise Port: $180
- Private Transfer from Goloson Airport (LCE) to Banana Coast Port: $180
- From Roatan: One Way Shared transfer to La Ceiba: $49
- From Copan: One Way Shared Transfer to La Ceiba: $29
- Ferry Transfer between La Ceiba and Roatán Island: $43
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santa Marta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Marta:
-
Gas$5.12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Santa Marta Private Airport Transfer (SMR) to City: $11
- Santa Marta Private Transfer from City to Airport (SMR): $11
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simon Bolivar Airport (One Way): $12
- Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simón Bolívar Airport: $13
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Cruise Port: $14
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Santa Marta Airport SMR: $14
- Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta (or vice versa) Private Transfer : $17
- Roundtrip Private Airport Transfer Santa Marta (SMR) to City: $22
- Airport Transfers to Santa Marta Hotels : $23
- Private Transfer: Santa Marta Airport <> Santa Marta City Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer from Simón Bolivar Airport to Santa Marta: $24
- Private Airport Transfer: From Santa Marta Airport to Hotel in Santa Marta: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into La Ceiba or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta 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
-
Food Meals for one dayLa Ceiba $30Santa Marta $17
Typical Food Prices in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Breakfast$3.07
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: $76
- Private Santa Marta City & Food Tour: $86
- Flavors of Colombia - Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $93
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $93
- Fast Food Tour In Santa Marta More Than Just Food: $120
- Upscale Food Tour in A Culinary Journey: $155
- Fast Food Tour with Local Guide: $155
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Ceiba $21Santa Marta $13
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: $6.67
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: the Pearl of America: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Botanical Garden: $10
- Tour in Chiva Rumbera Music Party and Fun in Santa Marta: $13
- Full City of Santa Marta Tour and its Charms: $15
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $16
- Santa Marta Graffiti Tour: Urban Art & Culture: $16
- Patrimonial Walking Tour: Hidden Stories of Santa Marta: $16
- Complete Tour of the City of Santa Marta and its Charms: $17
- Historic Center Bike Tour: $20
- Town Tour in Minca: History, Museums & Nature: $20
- Bike tour with local guide through the historic center: $23
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Ceiba $4.85Santa Marta $6.55
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Marta
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santa Marta from other travelers:
-
Beer$0.56
-
Beer$2.30
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
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $25
- Bar Crawl In Santa Marta: $125
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Ceiba and Santa Marta, we can see that La Ceiba is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Ceiba 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 La Ceiba would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Ceiba 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 La Ceiba Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Ceiba or Santa Marta?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of La Ceiba. When comparing the sizes of La Ceiba 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.