A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Saint Louis vs. Santa Fe for Attractions, Food, Families, and Nightlife

Should you visit Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

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 Saint Louis and Santa Fe. 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.

Saint Louis

Saint Louis is a fascinating, under rated, and unexpected city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a historic, charming, and artsy historic town. It's a gorgeous place to visit. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. It's also known for skiing, live music, and food.

Saint Louis and Santa Fe: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good public transit
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with backpackers
Pros
  • Popular for skiing
  • Good music scene
  • Scenic old town
  • Good for hiking
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for students
Things to Consider
  • Less museums and historical sights
  • Less popular for nightlife
  • Less popular with backpackers
  • Public transit not as usable


Is there more to do in Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Santa Fe than Saint Louis. While Saint Louis is larger than Santa Fe, Santa Fe has more sights and attractions for tourists. Santa Fe is better known for its skiing, food, music, historical sights, hiking, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Saint Louis is more popular for its museums and nightlife. Saint Louis is well known for its blues and live music scene, its authentic personality, and its position as the Gateway to the West. Santa Fe is well known for its strong arts scene, its Pueblo-style architecture, and its unique local cuisine. Also, Santa Fe is famous for The Museum of New Mexico Complex.

How is Saint Louis different from Santa Fe?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Santa Fe and Saint Louis. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for Skiing?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a good destination for winter skiing. However, Saint Louis is not a skiing destination.

Santa Fe is a great destination for skiing with plenty areas to explore. There are a few good ski resorts not far from Santa Fe. Popular options include Taos Ski Valley, Ski Santa Fe, Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, and Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort.

Saint Louis is not a skiing destination.


Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Saint Louis is an unbeatable place for its historical sights. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for its sights and museums.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Saint Louis has many famous sights for visitors. There are a surprising number of museums around town. For art museums you should visit the Contemporary Art Museum, the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, the Saint Louis Art Museum, and the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum. For history, the Griot Museum of Black History, the Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum, and the Lewis & Clark Museum and Boathouse are all interesting. There are also science, educational, and children's museums. And of course, there's the iconic Gateway Arch.

Santa Fe is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Head to the Museum of New Mexico Complex, which has four museums that give a great overview of the history of the area. Also make sure you visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

Is the Food Better in Saint Louis or Santa Fe? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Santa Fe is well known for its restaurant scene. Also, Saint Louis is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Santa Fe makes for a great culinary experience. There are many local restaurants that use regional ingredients and offer great flavors. There are also cafes and bistros where you can enjoy breakfast or brunch. Local dishes include sopaipillas made with Native American fry bread, slow-cooked beans, and anything made with red and green chili peppers.

Saint Louis has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. There are some local dishes that originated here. Toasted ravioli had its start in St. Louis. There's also a St. Louis style pizza. Diners, cafes, and sandwiches are all part of the food scene and be prepared for cheese, meaty, and satisfying.

Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for Nightlife?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Saint Louis is very good for its evening party scene. However, Santa Fe is not known for nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Saint Louis has a few options to choose from. Visitors often hang out in the downtown area, particularly around Washington Avenue, for the nightlife scene. Live music is popular, especially the blues, and there are many local venues worth checking out.

Most people don't head to Santa Fe specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. While most of the town quiets down at night, the city has a few areas that stay active late into the night. Live music is popular and diverse. It often includes different genres such as the blues, country, salsa or bluegrass.


Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for Music?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a good destination for live music. However, Saint Louis is not a live music destination.

You don't have to look far to find a unique music venue in Santa Fe. The town has an eclectic music scene that includes a mix of the blues, country, Latin American music, and bluegrass.

Saint Louis is not a live music destination.

Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for its Old Town?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Santa Fe is well known for its historic old town. However, Saint Louis does not have a historic old town.

There are many historical things to see in the old town of Santa Fe. As the 2nd oldest city in the United States, the old town historic district is filled with charm. The Pueblo-style buildings are brightly colored and there are churches throughout.

Saint Louis does not have a historic old town.

Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for Hiking?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a good destination for its hiking experiences. However, Saint Louis is not a hiking destination.

Santa Fe offers some nice hiking trails. Because it's located right by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, there are many beautiful hikes right outside of town. Popular trails include the Picacho Peak Trail and the Nambe Lake Trail. Bandelier National also has many places to hike.

Saint Louis is not a hiking destination.


Is the Shopping Better in Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Shopping is a popular activity in both Santa Fe and Saint Louis.

Saint Louis is an extremely popular place for shoppers. There are vintage stores, boutiques, and suburban strip malls around town. There are also farmer's markets and art galleries.

Santa Fe is well-known for its shopping. There are many unique shops and art galleries that feature local artists and craftsmen.

Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for Families?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Saint Louis is a great city for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Saint Louis. There's a surprising number of activities for kids around town. There's the St. Louis Zoo and the City Museum with many hands-on exhibits for kids. There's also the Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary and several farms with animals and nature. Forest Park is an impressive urban park as well.

Santa Fe is a family-friendly place to visit. There are a few kids' museums in Santa Fe including the Santa Fe Children's Museum and the Meow Wolf Art Complex. Kids also enjoy the botanical gardens at Museum Hill and Bandelier National Monument just outside of the city.

Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for Couples?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Saint Louis and Santa Fe both notable destinations for a couple.

Saint Louis is a nice destination for couples. Fine dining restaurants and eclectic activities make this city an often overlooked couples destination.

Santa Fe makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There are many romantic inns around town, each with a lot of character. The town also has a lot of atmosphere that makes for a romantic getaway.


Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for Students?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a good destination for students. However, Saint Louis is not popular with students.

Santa Fe is popular with students. There are a few colleges and universities in town and students will appreciate the reasonable cost of living and outdoor activities nearby.

Saint Louis is not popular with students.

Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Saint Louis is a great city for times when you don't have a car. However, Santa Fe is not known for its public transit.

Saint Louis offers a very effecient public transportation network. There's a light rail system as well as buses that travel around town.

Public transit is generally limited in Santa Fe. There is a bus system - the Santa Fe Trails Bus Service.

Is Saint Louis or Santa Fe a more walkable city?

Saint Louis
Santa Fe

Santa Fe is well known for its walkability. Also, Saint Louis is still popular, but not quite as popular for its high level of walkability.

Santa Fe is very walkable. The historic district is walkable and it's easy to visit most of the tourist sights in this area on foot.

Saint Louis is a somewhat walkable place. Parts of the city are walkable, like the downtown area and the sections around the Gateway Arch.


For even more information, also check out Is Saint Louis Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Fe Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Fe or Saint Louis?

How long in Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

In either Saint Louis or Santa Fe, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Santa Fe than Saint Louis because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Saint Louis, and 2-5 days is enough time in Santa Fe.

Families should spend more time in Saint Louis than Santa Fe. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Saint Louis, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Santa Fe than Saint Louis. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Santa Fe that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Fe than Saint Louis if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Santa Fe.


  • How many days in Saint Louis or Santa Fe? Ideal Length of Stay
    Saint Louis 1-3 
    Santa Fe 2-5

One day in Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

The city of Saint Louis offers food and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the artsy historic town of Santa Fe. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

Saint Louis is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Saint Louis, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Visitors enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the historic destination of Santa Fe. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. This historic town offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

Saint Louis is a popular choice for travelers. It's no surprise that museums is why people visit. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Visitors enjoy the museums and skiing when visiting the historic historic town of Santa Fe. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Many people spend five days here.If you enjoy all that's offered here, then five days is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.


A week in Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

Saint Louis is a great place to explore. It's no surprise that museums is why people visit. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

Many people enjoy the skiing and live music when visiting Santa Fe. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.


For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Santa Fe or Saint Louis?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Louis is $184, 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 Louis and Santa Fe in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Saint Louis $101
    Santa Fe $81
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Saint Louis $202
    Santa Fe $162
Compare Hotels in Saint Louis and Santa Fe

Looking for a hotel in Saint Louis 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.

Hotels in Saint Louis


Hotels in Santa Fe


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 Louis Hotel Prices and Santa Fe Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Saint Louis $26
    Santa Fe $61

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Louis

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Louis:

  • St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) to St. Louis City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $132
  • Departure Transfer St. Louis to St. Louis Airport by Car or SUV: $116
  • Arrival transfer St. Louis Airport STL to St. Louis by Car or SUV: $116
  • Private Transfer in Saint Louis, MO (STL): $80
  • Private Transfer from Port Louis Airport (MRU) to Port Louis Port: $77
  • St. Louis City to St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) - Departure Private Transfer: $66
  • St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) to St. Louis City - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
  • Private Transfers for Departure from Queens to JFK Airport: $29

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 Louis or Santa Fe?

Prices for flights to both Santa Fe and Saint Louis 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Saint Louis $54
    Santa Fe $43

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Louis

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Louis.

  • The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - St. Louis, MO: $86

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
  • 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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Saint Louis $46
    Santa Fe $17
Typical Entertainment Prices in Saint Louis

Here are a few typical costs in Saint Louis for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Gateway Arch parking
    $6.00

Tours and Activities in Saint Louis

Here are a few actual costs in Saint Louis for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Best of St. Louis Small Group Tour w/St Louis Arch & River Cruise: $174
  • Exploring St. Louis with the Family Walking Tour: $214
  • Interstate 55: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $5.20
  • Landmarks Downtown-East Walking Tour: $15
  • Landmarks Downtown-West Walking Tour: $15
  • Lemp Haunted Neighborhood Walking Tour: $25
  • Private Gastronomy Barbecue Tour in St. Louis: $125
  • Saint Louis Brews and Views Half-Day Tour: $288
  • Romantic Tour in The City of Love: $176
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in St. Louis by Zombie Scavengers: $20
  • St Louis Cardinals Baseball Game Ticket at Busch Stadium: $11
  • St. Louis Arch and River Cruise Small Group Walking Tour: $144

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 : $7.75
  • Santa Fe's Historic Gems: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $8.99
  • 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 Puzzling Adventure: $35
  • Adventurers Ready To Jump Into the Void Santa Fe Style Wanted: $39
  • Santa Fe Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $49

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Saint Louis $19
    Santa Fe $9.68

Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Louis

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Louis:

  • The Haunted Lemp Brewery Bottle Works Tour: $25

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


When comparing the travel costs between Saint Louis and Santa Fe, we can see that Saint Louis is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint Louis Expensive? and Is Santa Fe Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Saint Louis or Santa Fe?

Saint Louis has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Santa Fe. When comparing the sizes of Saint Louis and Santa Fe, 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.