Which place is cheaper, Cajamarca or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santa Elena or Cajamarca?
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 Cajamarca. 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 Cajamarca?
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%.
Cajamarca
Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $92Cajamarca $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, while the average daily cost in Cajamarca is $69. 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 Cajamarca in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55Cajamarca $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110Cajamarca $48
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and Cajamarca
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena or Cajamarca? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $11Cajamarca $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $180
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Samara : $269
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Elena or Cajamarca?
Prices for flights to both Cajamarca 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 $24Cajamarca $28
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.Santa Elena $30Cajamarca $26
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
Tours and Activities in Cajamarca
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:
- 3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation: $202
- City Tour: $67
- From City Tour Cajamarca: $21
- Sulluscocha Extreme Adventure |Atv, Canopy, Climbing|: $65
- Sulluscocha Extreme Adventure |Atv, Canopy, Climbing|: $65
- Sulluscocha Extreme Adventure: ATV, canopy, climbing: $65
- || Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolás lagoon ||: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.22Cajamarca $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Cajamarca, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is Cajamarca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Elena is in Central America and Cajamarca is in South 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 Cajamarca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca.
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 Cajamarca 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.