Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Punta Cana?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Punta Cana or Santa Elena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Punta Cana or Santa Elena? 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: Punta Cana or Santa Elena?
Punta Cana
Punta Cana, located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, is renowned for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant culture. This Caribbean paradise offers a diverse range of experiences that cater to all types of travelers, whether you're on a tight budget, seeking thrilling activities, exploring local cuisine, or figuring out the best ways to get around.
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Punta Cana Prices
Dominican Republic PricesSanta Elena Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta Cana $181Santa Elena $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta Cana is $181, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $121. 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 Punta Cana and Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta Cana $101Santa Elena $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta Cana $202Santa Elena $120
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or Santa Elena? 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: Punta Cana Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta Cana $6.80Santa Elena $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:
- Coco Bongo Nightclub VIP Entry & Transfers: $400
- Private Transfer From Punta Cana and Bavaro to Las Americas Inter. Airport: $300
- Best Deal Private Transfer Punta Cana to Santo Domingo Round Trip: $267
- Punta Cana Airport (PUJ) to Santo Domingo - Round-Trip Transfer: $252
- Luxury Birthday Airport Transfer in Punta Cana: $250
- Private car transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Santo Domingo: $250
- Punta Cana Airport PUJ to Las Terrenas Arrival Private Transfer: $248
- 1 Hour Beach Photoshoot in Punta Cana with Round Trip Transfer: $240
- Punta Cana Airport (PUJ) to Santo Domingo hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $238
- Private VIP SUV Transfer – PUJ Airport to/from Miches Hotels: $235
- Tesla Transfer from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo: $235
- La Romana Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Punta Cana city: $224
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $195
- Monteverde to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) - Departure Transfer: $218
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $230
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to your Destination: $260
- Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Saint Helena Monte Verde: $45
- Shuttle Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal: $30
- Shuttle Transfer from Monteverde to Tamarindo area: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena and Punta Cana 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 dayPunta Cana $68Santa Elena $45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Punta Cana
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Punta Cana.
- Half Day Punta Cana Food Tour Including Transportation: $35
- Origen Tasting Adventure Dinner or Lunch of 8 Courses Dom Cuisine: $85
- 3hr Punta Cana Cooking Class: Mofonguitos & Morir Soñando: $85
- Priv Dominican Cooking Class with Meal & Drinks: $98
- 'Chillo al Coco' Cooking Class & Taino Concept store: $98
- Buggy Ride, Dinner and Taino Party: $108
- Unique Night Tour, Cenote Swim, & Dinner: $122
- Punta Cana Buggy Ride and Taino Party with Dinner: $139
- Sunset Buggies Adventure with Dinner from Punta Cana: $145
- Private: Nighttime Buggy Ride with Dinner & Open: $145
- Dinner in the Sky Experience in Punta Cana: $149
- Punta Cana Night Buggy Tour, Cenote Swim, Dinner and show: $190
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta Cana $32Santa Elena $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Punta Cana
Here are a few typical costs in Punta Cana for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Dune Buggy Adventure$54
Tours and Activities in Punta Cana
Here are a few actual costs in Punta Cana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- "Saona Expedition: 4 Beaches Tour from Punta Cana": $100
- 3 Hours Half Day Tour Buggy Macao Beach cenote Hotel Pickup: $34
- 3 Hours Panoramic Tour in Punta Cana with Artisan Market: $35
- 3 hrs Glass Boat Tour in Punta Cana: $65
- 3-Day Ultimate Dominican Adventure: Nature, Culture & History: $190
- 3-Hour ATV Adventure from Punta Cana: $50
- 3-Hour Panoramic Tour of Punta Cana with Artisan Market: $25
- 3-Hour Punta Cana Party Boat & Catamaran Cruise: $48
- 4 Hour ATV and Horseback Adventure in Punta Cana: $125
- 4 Hour Speed Experience in Punta Cana: $80
- 4 Hours Tour in Round Mountain and Macao Beach From Uvero Alto: $150
- 4 Wheel Adventure Beach and River Ride with Lunch: $135
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- High Ropes "Day Pass Adventure" an activity for families and friends: $25
- Monteverde Night Experience: $25
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $27
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $27
- Shore Excursion Mix Adventure Zip Line Day for Families and Friends: $29
- Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $30
- Adventure dans la forêt nuageuse de Monteverde: $30
- Wildlife Refuge Monteverde Night Walking Tour: $33
- Monteverde Cloud Forest hanging bridges Nature Tour: $34
- Monteverde Night Tour Unique Experience: $35
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $35
- Guided Tour in Monteverde with a Local Guide and Binoculars: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta Cana $11Santa Elena $6.85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta Cana and Santa Elena, we can see that Punta Cana is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Punta Cana is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Elena 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 Punta Cana would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Punta Cana than you might in Santa Elena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Punta Cana Expensive? and Is Santa Elena Expensive?.
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.