Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Punta del Este?
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 del Este or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Punta del Este or Santa Marta, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Punta del Este or Santa Marta?
Punta del Este
Punta del Este with its many beaches, elegant seaside homes, yacht harbor, high-rise apartment buildings, pricey hotels, ardent night scene and glitzy restaurants is a chic beach resort town in Uruguay. Many tourists come from Brazil and Argentina, on the other side of the Rio de la Plata, to get some nice sun and lay on the beach for a weekend getaway. Punta del Este is more expensive than other areas in Uruguay and has been called the Monaco of South America. Tourist season varies wildly from totally deserted in the winter to very crowded in the summer.
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 Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
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Punta del Este Prices
Uruguay PricesSanta Marta Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta del Este $115Santa Marta $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta del Este is $115, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is $46. 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 del Este and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta del Este $52Santa Marta $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta del Este $104Santa Marta $32
Compare Hotels in Punta del Este and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Punta del Este 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: Punta del Este Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta del Este $21Santa Marta $6.11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta del Este
Also for Punta del Este, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Punta del Este Airport Private Transfer: $60
- Private Transfer to Punta del Este Special Art Icons Tour: $185
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Port to Montevideo hotels: $268
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Port to Carrasco Airport MVD: $268
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Cruise Port to Montevideo: $163
- Private Transfer from Montevideo to Punta Del Este Cruise Port: $163
- Private Transfer - Carrasco Airport (MVD) to Punta Del Este Port: $113
- Bodega Garzon Wine Experience with Private Transfer: $200
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$6.08
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 Cruise Port to Cartagena hotels: $215
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Cartagena Airport (CTG): $215
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $178
- Private Door-to-Door Transfer from Santa Marta to Cartagena: $176
- Private transfer from Santa Marta to Barranquilla (or viceversa): $170
- Private Transfer Santa Marta to Palomino (or vice versa): $154
- 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
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta del Este or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Punta del Este 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 del Este $50Santa Marta $20
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$3.65
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
- Santa Marta Walking Food Tour: $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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta del Este $10Santa Marta $16
Tours and Activities in Punta del Este
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta del Este.
- Best private Have It Your Way Tour in Punta Del Este.: $290
- Candelaria Church and Punta del Este Old Town Private Tour: $122
- Discovering Half-Day City Tour: $47
- From Montevideo: Punta del Este Full-Day City Tour: $62
- Full Experience Tasting Menu Viña Edén: $165
- Guided Tour of Vineyards: $33
- Guided Tour of the Winery Viña Edén: $19
- Half Day Tour in Punta del Este and Jose Ignacio: $170
- Jewish History Punta del Este Old Town Private Walking Tour: $150
- Montevideo: City Tour, Punta del Este, & Colonia Trip: $129
- Montevideo: Punta del Este Full-Day Tour with Hotel Pick-Up: $88
- Museo del Mar Private Guided Tour in Punta del Este: $141
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
- 2 days 1 night tour - in Trompito, I meet indigenous community Kogui Uldezhaxa.: $203
- 3-Day Private Tour of Taorayiná Ecolodge and Nature Reserve: $200
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $18
- Ancestral Thought Tour: $180
- Ancestral Thought Tour (Indigenous life in Kogui people) Santa Marta: $220
- Ancestral Thought Tour two days and one night: $200
- BE TROPICAL TOUR - Buritaca & Playa Los Angeles: $51
- Bike Tour Taganga - Playa Grande: $69
- Bunkuany Tayrona Tour.: $140
- Bunkuany tour 2 days and 1 night: $256
- Cabo San Juan Day Tour: $76
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta del Este $7.36Santa Marta $7.78
Sample the Local Flavors in Punta del Este
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Punta del Este:
- Wine Tasting: $42
- Wine Lovers - Fun Wine Tasting outside Punta del Este!: $199
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$0.67
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Beer$2.74
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:
- Thursday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $24
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $25
- Bar Crawl In Santa Marta: $125
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta del Este and Santa Marta, we can see that Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta del Este or Santa Marta?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Punta del Este. When comparing the sizes of Punta del Este 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.