Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Roatan?
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 Roatan or Santa Elena?
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 Roatan and Santa Elena. 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: Roatan or Santa Elena?
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
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 Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Roatan Prices
Honduras PricesSanta Elena Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $44Santa Elena $110
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $44, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $110. 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 Roatan and Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $11Santa Elena $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $22Santa Elena $110
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Roatan 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: Roatan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $18Santa Elena $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- Roatan Island Buggy Adventure plus Transfer: $217
- North Side Blue Channel & Starfish Snorkeling, 20min JetSki, Transfer Included: $165
- Transfers, Zip Line and Monkey Park: $150
- East Sightseeing, Mangrove Tunnel Snorkel, Hole in the Wall, with Transfer: $130
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, City Tour and Transfer: $130
- Roatan Zipline, Monkey, Macaws & Sloths Eco Park, Snorkeling, Transfer: $128
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $121
- South Side Horseback Riding, Beach Break & Roundway Transfer: $120
- Discover Scuba Diving in Roatan at Upachaya with Private Transfer: $115
- Extreme Zipline, City Tour, Chocolate, Rum Factory, Beach Break, Transfer: $105
- West Bay Aquarium Snorkeling, Chocolate & Rum Factory, City Tour plus Transfer: $91
- Roatan Private Catamaran Shipwreck, Blue Channel and Starfish with Transfer: $90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shuttle Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal: $27
- MiniVan Departure Transfer Monteverde to San Jose Airport SJO: $175
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $194
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $229
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal : $249
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena and Roatan 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 dayRoatan $16Santa Elena $41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Private Roundtrip Transfer to West End for Dinner and Nightlife : $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $26Santa Elena $30
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Bay Islands ATV City Tour and Wildlife Sanctuary Visit: $128
- Jungle Atv Adventure Beach relax chocolate Rum sample: $105
- Snorkeling Adventure chocolate Rum Sample West Bay Beach Break : $75
- 2 Hour Zip Lining Private Tour in Mahogany Bay: $65
- 2 Sites Snorkeling at West Bay Beach with Eco Park Adventure : $135
- 2-Hour Private Off Road ATV and Beach Experience in Bay Islands: $90
- 4-Hour Private Tour to Roatan Island: $65
- ATV Ride and Animals Park Tour Mahogany Bay and Ports Roatan: $135
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $132
- Animal Sightings and Walking Tour at Gumbalimba Park with Addons: $90
- Atv Island Tour: $85
- Beer and Food Tasting Experience at Roatan Island Brewing Company: $100
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $24
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $29
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $29
- Adventure Day - Outdoor Fun for Family & Friends Package: $29
- Selvatura Park: Herpetarium Tour in Monteverde: $29
- Monteverde: Oktari Monteverde Night Walk Tour: $30
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $30
- Walking Guided Tour in Monteverde Reserve: $30
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Nature Tour: $30
- Wildlife Refuge Monteverde Night Walking Tour: $33
- Cloud Forest Adventure: Hike the Mystical Canopy!: $35
- Monteverde Night Tour Unique Experience: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $6.81Santa Elena $6.26
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Half-Day Tour in Roatan With Brewery, Rum and Chocolate Factories visit: $46
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and Santa Elena, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Santa Elena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Elena than you might in Roatan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Roatan 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.