Which place is cheaper, Santa Fe or Saint Croix?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Saint Croix or Santa Fe?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Saint Croix or Santa Fe? 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: Saint Croix or Santa Fe?
Saint Croix
Sometimes all you want out of a vacation is the warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves and the taste of a cold drink. No more. No less. That's exactly what you can expect in St. Croix.
The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix is a place of our leisure and relaxation. It's a bit of an expensive lifestyle for its 50,000 residents and daily visitors, but when you're living on island time, money is never a worry. There are no worries on island time.
This once volcanic island is covered in incredible beaches, stunning mountains, palm tress in the wind and historic colonial towns. While they may be a bit old and rundown, the Danish architecture still stands as a unique part of this island's legacy. Don't expect much window-shopping, though. That was not a feature incorporated in this style of architecture. If you want to know if a store is open, just step on in, but remember, shop hours are also running on island time.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe is the state capital of New Mexico as well as the oldest state capital in the United States, founded in 1607. It has become a popular travel destination due to the surrounding scenic beauty, its long history, cultural diversity especially with its proximity to American Indian pueblos and culture, and a rich concentration of arts, music, and food.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America, and The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint Croix $236Santa Fe $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Croix is $236, while the average daily cost in Santa Fe is $159. 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 Saint Croix and Santa Fe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint Croix $149Santa Fe $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint Croix $298Santa Fe $162
Compare Hotels in Saint Croix and Santa Fe
Looking for a hotel in Saint Croix or Santa Fe? 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: Saint Croix Hotel Prices and Santa Fe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint Croix $35Santa Fe $61
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Croix
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Croix:
- Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Round-Trip Transfer: $218
- St Croix Airport to St Croix Hotels Private Round Trip Transfer: $218
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St. Croix : $164
- St. Croix to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) - Departure Transfer: $109
- Saint Croix Airport (STX) to Saint Croix Hotels -Arrival Transfer: $109
- Henry E.Rohlsen Airport(STX) to St. Croix island-Arrival Transfer: $109
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Airport to St. Croix Cruise Port : $71
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Cruise Port to St. Croix Airport: $71
- Private Transfer from St.Croix hotels to St. Croix Cruise Port : $49
- Private Transfer from St.Croix Cruise Port to St.Croix hotels: $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Fe
Also for Santa Fe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer from Santa Fe Airport (SAF): $62
- Private Departure Transfer to Santa Fe Airport SAF: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Croix or Santa Fe?
Prices for flights to both Santa Fe and Saint Croix 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 daySaint Croix $56Santa Fe $43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Croix
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Croix.
- A Evening Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- Taste of Twin City Food Tour with VI Food Tours: $129
- C'sted Sip & Savor Mixology Class with VI Food Tours: $129
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Fe
For Santa Fe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Wander NM Food Tour - Tuesday Farmers' Market: $149
- New Mexican Flavors Food Tour of the Santa Fe Plaza: $184
- Santa Fe Farmers Market & Railyard Food Tour: $184
- Wander New Mexico Food Tour - Railyard Arts District: $189
- Wander New Mexico Food Tour - Downtown Plaza 'Sip & Savor': $209
- Downtown Plaza "Sip and Savor" Half-day Food Tour: $209
- Savor Wine Pairing Dinner: $228
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Saint Croix $58Santa Fe $17
Tours and Activities in Saint Croix
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Croix are as follows:
- 1 Hour Private Jetcar Experience in Virgin Islands : $250
- 30 Minute Private Jetcar Experience in Virgin Islands: $150
- Grange Estate History and Heritage Private Tour and Luncheon : $60
- Horseback Riding Experience: $160
- Parasail Experience in St Croix: $132
- Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks: $75
- St Croix Island Tour: $100
Tours and Activities in Santa Fe
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Fe.
- The Town Too High To Die: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in New Mexico: $5.13
- Historic Downtown Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $6.75
- Santa Fe Historic Downtown Smart Phone Audio App Self Guided GPS Walking Tour : $7.80
- Santa Fe's Historic Gems: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $9.99
- Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Santa Fe by Crazy Dash: $10
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Santa Fe by Operation City Quest: $10
- Murder Mystery Detective Experience Santa Fe, NM: $15
- Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour of Historic Santa Fe: $15
- Santa Fe Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
- Santa Fe Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $25
- Santa Fe Puzzling Adventure: $35
- Santa Fe Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $49
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint Croix $27Santa Fe $9.68
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Fe
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Santa Fe:
- Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery Tour and Tasting: $18
- Architectural Walking Tour & Wine Tasting: $135
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Croix and Santa Fe, we can see that Saint Croix is more expensive. And not only is Santa Fe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint Croix is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Fe is in North 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 Fe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Fe 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 Saint Croix would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Croix than you might in Santa Fe.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint Croix Expensive? and Is Santa Fe 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.