A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) vs. San Ignacio for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Ignacio?

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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Ignacio. 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: Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Ignacio?

Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)

An island of the Caribbean Netherlands, St. Eustatius, sometimes called Statia, is a small, relatively unknown destination to the greater tourist areas of the Caribbean. As a result, however, it is its own treasure consisting of a dormant volcano known as the Quill and featuring a lush rainforest, narrow volcanic beaches, many dive sites, and a quaint harbor town.

San Ignacio

So you want a tropical getaway, but also don't want to lay around with nothing to do. You want an adventure! You want relaxation and exploration.

You want to visit the small town of San Ignacio, Belize.

This section of the Cayo region is really more of a jungle than a typical Belize beach getaway. Located close the ancient Mayan ruins on the western and inland side of Belize, this town is most popular for its many outdoor adventures including hiking, climbing, and caving!

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Belize, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize.


Which place is cheaper, San Ignacio or Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is $188, while the average daily cost in San Ignacio is $72. 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Ignacio in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $92
    San Ignacio $19
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $184
    San Ignacio $38
Compare Hotels in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Ignacio

Looking for a hotel in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Ignacio? 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.

Hotels in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)


Hotels in San Ignacio


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: San Ignacio Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $70
    San Ignacio $3.11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius):

  • International Airport/Private Jet Terminal Transfers: $67
  • St. Kitts Hotel Transfers: $80
  • Beach Transfer Frigate Bay Beach: $26
  • Catamaran Party Cruise to Nevis from St Kitts with Transfer from Frigate Bay: $150
  • Private Airport Transfer to Belmont Estate Farm, Kititian Hill: $70
  • Private Transfer from St. Kitts Airport to Park Hyatt: $55
  • ST Kitts private Luxury Air Port Transfer: $300
  • Shared or Private St Kitts Airport Roundtrip Transfer : $32
  • St. Christophe Harbour Transfers: $67
  • St. Kitts & Nevis Airport Hotel & Boat Shared/Private Transfers: $45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Ignacio

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Ignacio:

  • From Van Transfer To Flores Peten in Guatemala: $20
  • San Ignacio Hotel to Belize City Transfer: $20

Is it cheaper to fly into Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Ignacio?

Prices for flights to both San Ignacio and Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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 day
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $51
    San Ignacio $21

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Ignacio

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Ignacio.

  • Xunantunich & Food Tour with local chocolate experience: $150

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $37
    San Ignacio $100

Tours and Activities in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)

Here are a few actual costs in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Panoramic Shore Tour And Beach: $27
  • St. Kitts Beach Adventure: $30
  • Historical Basseterre and Beach Experience : $40
  • Panoramic Sightseeing Tour of St Kitts: $40
  • Half-Island Tour of St Kitts: $46
  • Capital City Tour and Beach Splash: $49
  • Life In Paradise {Full Panoramic Tour}: $60
  • Full Island Private Tour: $60
  • Basseterre Plantation Private Half Day Tour: $60
  • Rainforest Tours in St. Kitts: $62
  • The Downtown Basseterre Local Cultural Food & Walking Tour: $65
  • The Grand Tour of St. Kitts: $65

Tours and Activities in San Ignacio

Here are a few actual costs in San Ignacio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Xunantunich Maya Site with Local Tour guide: $65
  • Xunantunich & Adventure Horse Ride: $75
  • Xunantunich Mayan Ruins Tour from San Ignacio: $75
  • Half-Day Cave Canoeing Adventure: $75
  • From Xunantunich Mayan Tour & Optional Combos: $75
  • Cave Canoeing with Local Tour Guide: $80
  • Cave Tubing with local tour Guide and Belizean Lunch: $90
  • Farm Ride plus Xunantunich tour: $90
  • Belize Cave Tubing Adventure from San Ignacio: $90
  • Full-Day Mountain Pine Ridge Tour from San Ignacio with Lunch: $100
  • Xunantunich horseback riding tour: $100
  • Private Tour:Xunantunich Mayan Ruin from San Ignacio: $103

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $26
    San Ignacio $17


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Ignacio, we can see that Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is more expensive. And not only is San Ignacio much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is in Caribbean Islands and San Ignacio is in Central 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 San Ignacio would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Ignacio 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) than you might in San Ignacio.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) Expensive? and Is San Ignacio Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or San Ignacio?

San Ignacio has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius). When comparing the sizes of Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and San Ignacio, 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.