Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Santa Elena?
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 Santa Elena or Bonaire?
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 Santa Elena and Bonaire. 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: Santa Elena or Bonaire?
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%.
Bonaire
An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and Curaçao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Santa Elena Prices
Costa Rica PricesBonaire Prices
Caribbean Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $121Bonaire $299
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $121, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Elena and Bonaire in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $60Bonaire $155
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $120Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and Bonaire
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena or Bonaire? 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: Bonaire Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $12Bonaire $65
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: $30
- Shuttle Transfer from Monteverde to Tamarindo area: $65
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $195
- Monteverde to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) - Departure Transfer: $219
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $231
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to your Destination: $260
- One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:
- Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
- Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Elena or Bonaire?
Prices for flights to both Bonaire and Santa Elena 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 Elena $45Bonaire $101
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.
- Dinner at Sea: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Elena $33Bonaire $40
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- High Ropes "Day Pass Adventure" an activity for families and friends: $25
- Monteverde Night Experience: $25
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $27
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $27
- Shore Excursion Mix Adventure Zip Line Day for Families and Friends: $29
- Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $30
- Adventure dans la forêt nuageuse de Monteverde: $30
- Cloud Forest Adventure: Hike the Mystical Canopy!: $30
- Wildlife Refuge Monteverde Night Walking Tour: $33
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve Tour: $35
- Guided Tour in Monteverde with a Local Guide and Binoculars: $35
- Monteverde Night Tour Unique Experience: $35
Tours and Activities in Bonaire
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:
- 2 Hours Private Kitesurfing Adventure: $265
- 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
- 4 hour Individual Island Tour for 1 to 12 persons: $180
- Aquaspace Sunset Sail and Snorkel Tour on Bonaire with Diner: $130
- Bonaire Cave Tour: Walk, Climb & Swim: $75
- Bonaire CaveTour Climb, Snorkel & Explore the Hidden Gems : $83
- Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
- Bonaire Landsailing Adventures: $79
- Bonaire Shore Excursion: The Bonaire Highlights Tour: $83
- Bonaire island adventure: $110
- Discover Scuba Diving Experience: $164
- North & South Highlights Guided Group Tour: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.85Bonaire $33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Elena is in Central America and Bonaire is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Elena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Elena 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in Santa Elena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Elena Expensive? and Is Bonaire 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.