Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Manaus?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Manaus or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Manaus or Santa Marta? 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: Manaus or Santa Marta?
Manaus
Manaus is a Brazilian city, capital of the state of Amazonas, and is located on the Rio Negro a few miles before it meets the Rio Solimões to form the Amazon River. The city is a major departure point for those visiting the Amazon Rainforest, though there are a few sights worth seeing within the city itself as well.
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 Tours for Seniors to Brazil, The Best Contiki Tours to Brazil, 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 dayManaus $59Santa Marta $32
The average daily cost (per person) in Manaus 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 Manaus and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personManaus $42Santa Marta $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomManaus $84Santa Marta $28
Compare Hotels in Manaus and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Manaus 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: Manaus Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Manaus $7.94Santa Marta $5.27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manaus
Also for Manaus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers from the airport to any place in Manaus City: $40
- Transfer from Manaus Airport to Manaus City: $40
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Eduardo Gomes International Airport: $72
- Serviço de transfer privativo do Porto -> aeroporto de Mana: $20
- Private Transfers Services Airport -Hotel 24h: $19
- Private Transfer 24h Airport to Hotel in Manaus: $15
- Private Transfer - Airport - Hotel / Hotel - Airport: $34
- Private 24-hour transfer from the Hotel to the Airport in Manaus: $16
- Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Manaus to Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Manaus private Airport transfer: $30
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 to Palomino, Tayrona Park, Buritaca Guachaca from Santa Marta: $23
- 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: $85
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $35
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $40
- Santa Marta to or from Barranquilla Private Transfer: $67
- 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 Manaus or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Manaus 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 dayManaus $12Santa Marta $10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manaus
For Manaus, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Folklore Amazonian Dinner Show: $42
- Food Tour: $50
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
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $75
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Manaus -Santa Marta $14
Tours and Activities in Manaus
For Manaus, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Jewish Tour in Manaus in the Amazon from 4 to 5 hours: $147
- Adventure: 4-hour hike in the Amazon rainforest: $150
- Amazon Experience: meet a native village and swim with porpoises: $80
- Amazon Jungle Experience with Overnight: $300
- Amazon Jungle: 3- or 4-Day Tour at Ipanema River Guest House: $200
- Amazon Negro River Half-Day Expedition Tour: $55
- Amazon Private Safari by Tuhiri Eco Tour - Leaving Manaus: $199
- Amazon River Stand Up Paddling Tour: $124
- Amazon Waterfalls Tour: $70
- Amazon and Negro Rivers Experience with Night Exploration Tour: $300
- City Tour Plus Amazon River Tour: $100
- City Tour in Manaus at Teatro Amazonas and Praça da Matriz: $50
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.: $189
- 2-Day Cultural Tour to Gotsezhy from Santa Marta: $198
- 2-Day Tour to Ancestral Heritage from Santa Marta: $190
- 3-Day Private Tour of Taorayiná Ecolodge and Nature Reserve: $200
- 4 Days Adventure; Medellin to Santa Marta- Beach of the Dead: $374
- 4 Days Adventure; Medellin to Santa Marta- Beach of the Dead: $334
- Amazing full day tour to Minca with a private guide: $178
- Ancestral Thought Tour: $180
- Ancestral Thought Tour (Indigenous life in Kogui people) Santa Marta: $192
- Ancestral Thought Tour two days and one night: $200
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayManaus $2.84Santa Marta $6.71
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 Manaus and Santa Marta, we can see that Manaus is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Manaus would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manaus 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 Manaus Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Manaus or Santa Marta?
Manaus has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Santa Marta. When comparing the sizes of Manaus 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.