Should you visit Paphos or Santorini?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Paphos or Santorini, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Paphos
Located on the southwestern tip of Cyprus, Paphos has many different archaeological sights and it is renowned as the birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The town is situated between the coast and the Troodos Mountains and it has grown in recent years as a tourist destination. As such, the local government has made efforts to improve the quality of the tourism infrastructure including investing in hotels, restaurants and transportation. There is also a commercial center to the city as well as a newly built "promenade" that travels from the marina along a long coastal path. This route offers excellent views, especially during the morning or evening hours when the sun is low.
Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of the Greek Islands. It has some spectacular views, beautiful sunsets, and excellent beaches. As one of the most popular of the Greek Islands to visit, Santorini sees many tourists every year. However, it's for a good reason, as the famous white-washed buildings that spill down the hill, some with blue domes that match the gorgeous color of the water, are set against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of one of the most scenic areas of the Mediterranean. Home to several of these small and scenic towns such as Oia, Kamari, Perissa, and Fira, visitors can explore the large island, enjoy delicious food, swim at the beaches, hike the hills, and sail the blue waters.
Which city is cheaper, Santorini or Paphos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Paphos is €77, while the average daily cost in Santorini is €131. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Paphos and Santorini in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Paphos is about €74 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
The prices for places to stay in Santorini can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €66, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €132.
Food
The price of a meal in Paphos can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €30 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €12 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
In Santorini travelers spend around €38 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Paphos €30
Santorini €38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paphos
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Paphos.
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Traditional Cuisine & Cultural Flavours - City Walking Food Tour Paphos 2.5hrs:
$59
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Sea Star Evening Dinner and Fireworks Cruise from Paphos:
$73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini
For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Live Virtual Cooking Class:
$26
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A taste of Mediterranean Cuisine Dinner:
$90
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Hands on Cooking Class with a Chef:
$90
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Fira: 4-Hour Walking Food Tour With Tastings:
$108
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Sunset Sea Kayak and Snorkel with Dinner:
$108
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Santorini : Sunset Sea Kayak & Snorkel with Dinner:
$118
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Santorini : Cooking Class, Easy Hike, and Snorkeling:
$131
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Cooking Class with Santorini’s Aroma:
$506
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Full-Day Royalty Private Cooking Class and Tour in Santorini:
$506
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Cooking Class with Santorini’s Aroma:
$546
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Santorini Private Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner, Drinks &Transfer included:
$1,350
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Paphos is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €9.29 per person, per day, on local transportation in Paphos.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Santorini than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €23 on transportation in Santorini on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paphos
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paphos:
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Cyprus Airport Transfers - Paphos Town to Larnaca Airport - Minibus 1-13:
$274
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Cyprus Airport Transfers - Chloraka/Coral bay to Larnaca Airport - Minibus 1-13:
$274
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Departure Private Transfer Paphos City to Larnaca Airport LCA by Minibus:
$262
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Departure Private Transfer Paphos City to Larnaca Airport LCA by Luxury Car:
$262
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Departure Private Transfer Paphos City to Larnaca Airport LCA by Luxury Van:
$240
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Arrival Private Transfer Paphos Airport PFO to Nicosia City by Luxury Van:
$228
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Cyprus Airport Transfers - Chloraka/Coral bay to Larnaca Airport - Minibus:
$224
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Private Airport Round-Trip Transfer: Larnaca Airport to Paphos:
$218
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Private Transfer from Paphos Airport to Larnaca in Minivan(Taxi):
$218
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Cyprus Airport Transfers - Paphos Town to Larnaca Airport - Minibus:
$216
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Cyprus Airport Transfers - Chloraka/Coral bay to Larnaca Airport - Minivan:
$179
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Cyprus Airport Transfers - Paphos Town to Larnaca Airport - Minivan:
$177
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Helicopter Transfer between Mykonos & Santorini:
$2,839
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Oia Sunset: Evening Shuttle Transfer and Free Time:
$23
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Premium Santorini Private Day Tour Lagoon 450, BBQ, drinks, transfer:
$933
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Santorini Airport Hotels Transfer Shuttle Bus Service:
$27
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Santorini Airport to Hotel: Private Arrival Transfer:
$45
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Santorini Taxi Service & Airport, Hotel and Port Transfers:
$62
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Santorini transfer service:
$17
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Private Airport Transfer:
$25
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Private Transfer to/from Santorini Airport (JTR):
$50
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Shared Transfer Service:
$17
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Tour of Caldera on Sailing Boat & Bus Transfer:Volcano-Hot springs-Thirassia-Oia:
$75
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Transfer from Santorini Airport&Port all destination except OIA up to 4 customer:
$37
Is it cheaper to fly into Paphos or Santorini?
Prices for flights to both Santorini and Paphos 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.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Paphos typically cost an average of €9.56 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing expenses in Santorini, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €29 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Paphos
Here are a few actual costs in Paphos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 Hour Tour to Local Radio in Paphos with Live Radio Show:
$50
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Akamas 4x4 Adventure:
$197
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All in Paphos big photo tour!:
$398
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Authentic Cyprus Historic Day Tour from Paphos:
$32
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Blue Lagoon Day Cruise from Paphos:
$83
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Cruise and 4X4 Safari Tour at Akamas Peninsula from Paphos:
$106
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Fireworks Night Cruise from Paphos:
$81
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Full-day Famagusta, Varosha, and Salamis Tour from Paphos:
$47
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Grand Tour Jeep Safari - Kykkos Monastery (From Paphos):
$93
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Guided tour “Love stories of Paphos”:
$496
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Half Day BBQ Lunch Cruise from Paphos:
$58
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Halloumi Heaven ( Cheese-Making Workshop & Tour):
$112
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
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Akrotiri Prehistoric City Audio Tour:
$18
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Unique Oia's Sunset Tour in Santorini:
$30
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Royalty Unique Oia’s Sunset Tour in Santorini:
$31
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Santorini-Unique Oia’s Sunset Tour:
$31
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Island Bus Tour: The Majestic Spots Of Santorini:
$43
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Santorini Volcano and Thirassia Islands Tour:
$44
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Oia and Fira Evening Small Group Tour:
$45
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3 Hour Santorini Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup:
$50
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Volcanic Sunset Cruise:
$59
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Santorini Traditional Villages and Oia Sunset Tour:
$62
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Santorini-Classic Tour in Traditional Villages:
$67
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Santorini-Classic Tour in Traditional Villages:
$71
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Paphos may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €7.98 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Santorini, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €21.
Sample the Local Flavors in Paphos
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Paphos:
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WINE TOUR from Paphos:
$372
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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4-Hours Santorini Vothonas Village Tour with Wine Tasting:
$89
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Authentic Santorinian Tour at Vothonas Village with Wine Tasting:
$93
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Half-Day Santorini Tour Vothonas Village with Wine Tasting:
$93
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Santorini-Wine Tour Αround Megalochori Village:
$111
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Sunset and Wine Tasting Tour by Electric Bike:
$114
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Santorini-Wine Tour Around Megalochori Village:
$117
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Santorini-Wine Tour Around Megalochori Village:
$124
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Santorini-Sunset Caldera’s View from Megalochori with Wine Tasting:
$134
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Santorini-Sunset Caldera’s View from Megalochori with Wine Tasting:
$140
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Half-Day Sunset Wine Tasting Tour in Santorini with Pick Up:
$141
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Santorini Wine Tasting and History Small Group Tour:
$153
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4-Hour Sunset Wine Tour:
$159
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paphos and Santorini, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Paphos much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Paphos would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paphos 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini than you might in Paphos.
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