Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Negril?
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 Negril or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Negril and Santa Marta. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Negril or Santa Marta?
Negril
Negril is a town in western Jamaica known for its miles of white sand beaches and cliffs. It is certainly one of the more laid back towns on the island yet still attracts a lot of tourists. The hotels are as close to the water as you can get, and the sand gets whiter and whiter the further away from populated areas you get. The water is unbelievably clear and warm in Negril!
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 Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
-
Negril Prices
Jamaica PricesSanta Marta Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNegril $152Santa Marta $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Negril is $152, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is $49. 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 Negril and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNegril $103Santa Marta $17
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNegril $206Santa Marta $34
Compare Hotels in Negril and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Negril 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: Negril Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Negril $8.48Santa Marta $6.53
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Negril
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Negril:
-
Taxi From Airport$13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Negril
Also for Negril, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers between Montego Bay Airport and Negril Hotels: $107
- Sandals South Coast Private Transfer (White House): $83
- Roundtrip Transfer To or From Jam West Adventure: $100
- Round-trip Airport Transfer to Grand Palladium Resort & Spa: $75
- Round trip airport hotel transfer MBJ-Negril: $125
- Riu Negril Private Airport Transfers: $13
- Private, Round-Trip Negril Airport Transfer: $200
- Private Transfers: Montego Bay Airport ↔ Sandals Southcoast: $100
- Private Transfers-Negril and Runaway Bay hotels(Round Trip): $180
- Private Transfer to dunns river falls And Blue Hole: $83
- Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain Jamaica From Negril Hotels: $200
- Private Transfer to Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort: $43
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santa Marta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Marta:
-
Gas$6.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Exclusive transfer Santa Marta - Cartagena: $229
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Cartagena Airport (CTG): $218
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $178
- Santa Marta to or from Cartagena Private Transfer: $149
- Calderon Beach Club Day Pass with Lunch & Transfer: $120
- Private transfer from Santa Marta to Tayrona Park area o Palomino: $110
- Playa Cristal Beach Day with Boat Transfer: $94
- Boat transfer to Parque Tayrona Cabo San Juan: $82
- Transfer to Playa Cinto & Playa Cristal: $82
- SHARED-CAR TRANSFER FROM SANTA MARTA TO CARTAGENA OR VICE VERSA: $77
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Cruise Port: $71
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Santa Marta Airport SMR: $71
Is it cheaper to fly into Negril or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Negril 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 dayNegril $38Santa Marta $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Negril
For Negril, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- The Jungle Nightclub Experience with Optional Dinner in Negril: $80
- Cultural Food Tour & Seven Mile Beach At Negril’s Margaritaville: $150
Typical Food Prices in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Breakfast$3.90
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 Street Food Tour: 7 Tastings with a Local Guide: $39
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day: $65
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $69
- SamarioCaribeño Chef's Table Cooking Lesson and Breakfast: $87
- Flavors of Colombia - Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $114
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Negril $26Santa Marta $17
Typical Entertainment Prices in Negril
For Negril, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
2 Hr Horseback Ride$43
Tours and Activities in Negril
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Negril.
- 7Mile Beach/Ricks Cafe Tour with Free Shopping from Montego Bay: $115
- ATV's, Shopping, Seven Mile Beach,Catamaran Cruise to Ricks Cafe: $130
- Appleton Estate Rum Tour [Transportation services]: $125
- Appleton Estate Rum and Black River Safari Private Tour: $185
- Appleton and Y.S Falls Tour from Negril Hotels: $261
- Bamboo Rafting and Rick Cafe Negril Private Tour: $161
- Bambuza ATV, Zipline and Horseback Adventure from Negril: $190
- Blue Hole Mineral Springs, Rick's Café, and Shopping Combo Tour: $75
- Blue Hole Secret Falls and Dunns River Falls Adventure: $134
- Boat tour: $123
- Bob Marley 9 miles with French tour guide: $260
- Bob Marley Museum Tour From Negril Hotel: $215
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Gabo Márquez" Tour - Aracataca and Cienaga: $205
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $18
- Adventures in Santa Marta private beaches by Paddle or kayak: $52
- Ancestral Thought Tour (Indigenous life in Kogui people) Santa Marta: $220
- Cabo San Juan Day Tour: $76
- Cacao Experience Tour: $49
- Cacao and Coffee Tour: $49
- Canopy Extreme Adventure at the Aquarium and Playa Blanca: $55
- Chocolate Motorcycle Tour: $180
- Cocoa tour and stay at the Sierra Limon Hostel: $75
- Coffee and Cocoa Tour in Minca!: $81
- Cultural Experience with the Tungueka Indigenous Community: $91
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayNegril $9.85Santa Marta $8.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Negril
Also in Negril, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Negril One Love Bus Bar Crawl: $26
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$0.72
-
Beer$2.93
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:
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $30
- Thursday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $30
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Negril and Santa Marta, we can see that Negril is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Negril is in Caribbean Islands 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 Negril would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Negril 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 Negril Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Negril or Santa Marta?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 140 times larger than the population of Negril. When comparing the sizes of Negril 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.