Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Salto?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Salto or Santa Elena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Salto or Santa Elena, 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: Salto or Santa Elena?
Salto
Salto is in the citrus growing region of Northern Interior Uruguay, on the east bank of the Rio Uruguay. It is closely connected to the neighboring Argentinian city of Concordia that lies across the river on the western bank. Salto is Uruguay's second-largest city and the most northerly crossing point to Argentina. Salto is a very picturesque city that has a relaxing feel the entire year. However, people mostly come here for the nearby hot springs and the recreation area above the enormous Salto Grande hydroelectric dam.
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 Uruguay, The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySalto $71Santa Elena $92
The average daily cost (per person) in Salto is $71, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $92. 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 Salto and Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalto $30Santa Elena $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalto $60Santa Elena $110
Compare Hotels in Salto and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Salto 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: Salto Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salto $22Santa Elena $11
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: $180
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Samara : $269
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
Is it cheaper to fly into Salto or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena and Salto 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 daySalto $25Santa Elena $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Walk in Monteverde with Dinner Included: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Salto $18Santa Elena $30
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $26
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $30
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $30
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $30
- CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33
- Curicancha Birdwatching Tour: $34
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $35
- Natural History Tour - Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve: $35
- Authentic experience of Coffee, Cane and Caco inside the forest: $37
- Regular Guided tour Monteverde Reserve: $38
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySalto $13Santa Elena $6.22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salto and Santa Elena, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is Salto much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Salto is in South America 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 Salto would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salto 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 Salto.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salto Expensive? and Is Santa Elena Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Salto or Santa Elena?
Salto has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Salto or Santa Elena in the Summer?
Both Santa Elena and Salto during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
Salto is cooler than Santa Elena in the summer. The daily temperature in Salto averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Santa Elena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Salto. In the summer, Salto often gets more sunshine than Santa Elenain July. Salto gets 262 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 164 hours of full sun.
Santa Elena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Salto. Salto usually gets less rain in January than Santa Elenain July. Salto gets 116 mm (4.6 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySalto 25°C (77°F)Santa Elena 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Salto or Santa Elena in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Salto and Santa Elena. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, Salto is cooler than Santa Elena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Salto in April average around 19°C (65°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 27°C (81°F)in October.
Salto usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Santa Elena during autumn. Salto gets 182 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Santa Elena receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Salto gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Salto usually receives less rain than Santa Elenain October. Salto gets 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSalto 19°C (65°F)Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Salto or Santa Elena in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Salto as well as Santa Elena. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
In July, Salto is generally much colder than Santa Elenain January. Daily temperatures in Salto average around 12°C (54°F), and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. In the winter, Salto often gets less sunshine than Santa Elenain January. Salto gets 158 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 264 hours of full sun.
Salto usually gets more rain in July than Santa Elenain January. Salto gets 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySalto 12°C (54°F)Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Salto or Santa Elena in the Spring?
Both Santa Elena and Salto are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Salto is much colder than Santa Elena in the spring. The daily temperature in Salto averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Santa Elena fluctuates around 29°C (85°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Santa Elena. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Salto. Salto usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Santa Elena during spring. Salto gets 243 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Salto. In October, Salto usually receives more rain than Santa Elenain April. Salto gets 117 mm (4.6 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSalto 18°C (64°F)Santa Elena 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Santa Elena and Salto
| Salto | Santa Elena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 127 mm (5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 22°C (71°F) | 155 mm (6.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 19°C (65°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (54°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (54°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (56°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (59°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (64°F) | 117 mm (4.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 20°C (69°F) | 127 mm (5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (74°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
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.