Which place is cheaper, Playa de las Americas or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Playa de las Americas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Playa de las Americas, 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: Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Playa de las Americas?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Not everyone traveling to Spain is looking to collapse on a beach somewhere. If you're in search of a bustling, vibrant and colorful Spanish capital city without the crowds of Barcelona, you might want to book a few days in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Located on the eastern tip of the island of Tenerife on the Canary Island chain, Santa Cruz's bright buildings, charming shops and rich, green scenery are there to greet visitors from all over the world - including you.
Playa de las Americas
If you are looking to escape your life - to relax on a modern day pleasure island, then you need to book a trip to the Playa de las Americas resort town. Located on the south coast of Tenerife, this party, beach, and vacation capital never goes to sleep. Packed with nightclubs, bars, live music, shops and restaurants, Playa de las Americas is the stuff Hollywood movies are made of.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Spain, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Spain, The Best 2-Week Tours in Spain, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Cruz de Tenerife €126Playa de las Americas €195
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is €126, while the average daily cost in Playa de las Americas is €195. 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Playa de las Americas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Cruz de Tenerife €48Playa de las Americas €115
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Cruz de Tenerife €96Playa de las Americas €230
Compare Hotels in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Playa de las Americas
Looking for a hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Playa de las Americas? 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: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Hotel Prices and Playa de las Americas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Cruz de Tenerife €64Playa de las Americas €56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santa Cruz de Tenerife:
- Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port: Transfer to Tenerife hotels: $262
- Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Costa Adeje Hotels to Airport): $101
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet : $67
- Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Playa de las américas to Airport): $61
- Mount Teide Tour with Transfer and Optional Cable Car Ticket: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Playa de las Americas?
Prices for flights to both Playa de las Americas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 daySanta Cruz de Tenerife €40Playa de las Americas €45
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Cruz de Tenerife €25Playa de las Americas €30
Tours and Activities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Here are a few actual costs in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Costa Adeje: Whale Watching Eco Experience with Hydrophone.: $83
- Los Cristianos:Kayak and Snorkel tour with turtles and dolphins: $38
- Private Paragliding Flight Experience in Tenerife: $113
- Private VIP Tour Tenerife Magic Circle: $266
- Sunset Quad Comfort Tour: $83
- Taucho Flight Experience: $122
- Tenerife: Explore the Universe - Teide Telescope Experience: $44
- Tenerife: Introductory Dive for Cruise Ship Passengers: $132
- Tenerife: Private boat tour 7 hours, private groups with food and drink: $854
- Tenerife: Teide, Garachico, Icod, and Masca Full-Day Tour: $58
- Tenerife:Private boat tour 4 hours, exclusive trip with food and drinks: $482
- Volcano Teide National Park Shared Tour from Costa Adeje Los Cristianos Tenerife: $66
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Cruz de Tenerife €7.50Playa de las Americas €8.57
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Playa de las Americas, we can see that Playa de las Americas is more expensive. And not only is Santa Cruz de Tenerife much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Cruz de Tenerife would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 Playa de las Americas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa de las Americas than you might in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Cruz de Tenerife Expensive? and Is Playa de las Americas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Playa de las Americas?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Playa de las Americas. When comparing the sizes of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Playa de las Americas, 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.