A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santa Elena vs. Caracas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Santa Elena or Caracas?

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 Caracas. 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 Caracas?

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%.

Caracas

Caracas is the capital city of Venezuela, and also the country's largest city. It's in the northern portion of the country and is close to the Caribbean. While Caracas may not be a major travel destination in Venezuela, it can offer interesting insight into the country's urban character. It has a great art, culinary, and music culture that truly bring the city to life. The beautiful Mount Avila overlooks the city and separates the city from the Caribbean Sea. Many locals and visitors alike head to the mountain as a quick escape. You can reach it by taking a cable car that carries you up to the SWaraira Repano Park at the very top.

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.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Caracas, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is Caracas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Elena is in Central America and Caracas 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 Caracas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Caracas 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 Caracas.

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 Caracas Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or Caracas?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.

Should I visit Santa Elena or Caracas in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Caracas. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Caracas throughout the year.

Santa Elena receives a lot of rain in the summer. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Caracas. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Caracas receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Caracas. In the summer, Santa Elena often gets less sunshine than Caracas. Santa Elena gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Caracas receives 242 hours of full sun.

In July, Santa Elena is generally around the same temperature as Caracas. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 28°C (82°F), and Caracas fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Should I visit Santa Elena or Caracas in the Autumn?

Both Caracas and Santa Elena are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Caracas because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

It's quite rainy in Santa Elena. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Caracas. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Caracas receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

It's quite sunny in Caracas. Santa Elena usually receives less sunshine than Caracas during autumn. Santa Elena gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while Caracas receives 208 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Santa Elena is around the same temperature as Caracas in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Caracas fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).

Should I visit Santa Elena or Caracas in the Winter?

Both Caracas and Santa Elena during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Caracas year-round.

Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Caracas. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Caracas receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

In Caracas, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Santa Elena. In the winter, Santa Elena often gets more sunshine than Caracas. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Caracas receives 233 hours of full sun.

In the winter, Santa Elena is around the same temperature as Caracas. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Elena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Caracas averages at about 26°C (78°F).

Should I visit Santa Elena or Caracas in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Caracas. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round. Caracas attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In April, Santa Elena usually receives around the same amount of rain as Caracas. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Caracas receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Caracas during spring. Santa Elena gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Caracas receives 183 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Santa Elena is generally a little warmer than Caracas. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 29°C (85°F), and Caracas fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

Typical Weather for Caracas and Santa Elena