Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Leon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Leon and Santa Marta can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Leon is one of the oldest city's in Nicaragua and you can see hints of its colonial past in the architecture around town. Tourism is not a major part of the economy in Leon, but the city is gaining popularity with budget travelers and backpackers and more recently tour groups are including Leon in their itinerary.
With a population of just over 200,000, Leon is the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. During the university season the population grows dramatically as there is a heavy presence of students in Leon. It is a popular university town, and this young population gives the city plenty of energy and entertainment.
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 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Leon is $59, 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 Leon and Santa Marta in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Leon 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.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Marta:
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Leon 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leon.
For Santa Marta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Santa Marta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Here are a few actual costs in Leon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santa Marta from other travelers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leon and Santa Marta, we can see that Leon is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Leon 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 Leon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Leon 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 Leon Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Leon. When comparing the sizes of Leon 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.