Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santa Elena or Cartagena?
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 Cartagena. 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 Cartagena?
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%.
Cartagena
The capital of the Bolivar Department of Colombia, Cartagena is one of the most visited cities in the country. It sits on Colombia's northern coast by the Caribbean Sea. It's a port city with a population of almost 900,000, making it the fifth largest city in Colombia. The city has a rich history and was the first Spanish colony on the American continent. It was also one of the first sanctuaries for freed African slaves in the Americas.
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 Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $92Cartagena $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, while the average daily cost in Cartagena is $48. 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 Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55Cartagena $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110Cartagena $54
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena or Cartagena? 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: Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $11Cartagena $7.64
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- 15. Transfer to SANTA MARTA from Cartagena Private or vice versa.: $290
- Cartagena to Santa Marta Private Transfer Service: $268
- Cartagena to Santa Marta (or vice versa) Private Transfer : $265
- San Diego to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Departure Private Transfer: $156
- Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $153
- 20. Transfer Rafael N. Airport-HOTEL LAS ISLAS-CALABLANCA: $142
- Arrival Private Transfer Cartagena Airport CTG to Cartagena City by Minibus: $129
- 8. Transfer to BARRANQUILLA from Cartagena Private or vice versa: $128
- Cartagena Rafael Nunez Airport (CTG): Transfer to Cartagena: $108
- Arrival Transfer Cartagena Airport CTG to Cartagena by MiniSuv: $106
- Full-Day Beach at the Bora Bora Club with Transfer (Adults only): $105
- Arrival Private Transfer Cartagena Airport CTG to Cartagena City by Minivan: $93
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Elena or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena 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 $24Cartagena $10
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cartagena
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cartagena.
- Featured in NYTimes > Arepas and Dancing: Danceable Cooking Class in Cartagena: $32
- Cooking class of typical food at the beach and sunset view: $39
- Taste Cartagena Food tour: $40
- Street Food Tour in Cartagena: $42
- Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $43
- Local Flavors Food Tour with Native Chef: $50
- Cooking Class: Street food & Mojito making: $50
- Cruise by the Bay with Dinner and Wine: $55
- Private Dinner at a Local Chef's House in Cartagena: $58
- Cartagena Gourmet: Cooking Class with a View, Elegance & Flavor: $59
- Cooking class: Street Food & Mojito making: $60
- Street food tour: $61
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Elena $30Cartagena $22
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 Cartagena
Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Beach Buggy ATV Adventure Tour CARTAGENA: $135
- Eco cultural Historical Tour beyond Old City! + Pool: $98
- Exciting Beach Buggy ATV Tour in Cartagena : $165
- Playa Morena Beach Club Whith Lunch And Walking tour of fort San Fernando: $39
- Private Beach Tour in Barú and Optional Bird Aviary: $120
- Private Tour & the best coffee of the world in Cartagena (Also for cruisers): $250
- Private city tour: $197
- "Essential Cartagena" Private Tour. : $70
- "Luxury Day in Tierra Bomba Exclusive Tour to the best Beach Club": $154
- 16. Punta Arena Tour (Tierra Bomba Island): $25
- 17. Transportation for private CITY TOURS CARTAGENA: $105
- 2 Hour Panoramic tour for cruise ship passengers: $61
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.22Cartagena $9.39
Sample the Local Flavors in Cartagena
Also in Cartagena, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Dancing Lessons and Free Shots: $18
- Cartagena's Best Pub Crawl all included!: $23
- Cartagena Pub Crawl: Let's Party & Matching in Getsemaní: $24
- Nightlife Pub crawl in Cartagena: $71
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Cartagena, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Elena is in Central America and Cartagena 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 Cartagena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cartagena 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 Cartagena.
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 Cartagena Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or Cartagena?
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 Cartagena in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Cartagena. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
Santa Elena receives a lot of rain in the summer. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Cartagena. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. In the summer, Santa Elena often gets less sunshine than Cartagena. Santa Elena gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 207 hours of full sun.
In July, Santa Elena is generally around the same temperature as Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 28°C (82°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySanta Elena 28°C (82°F)Cartagena 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Cartagena in the Autumn?
Both Cartagena 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 Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. It's quite rainy in Santa Elena. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
Santa Elena usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cartagena during autumn. Santa Elena gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 175 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Santa Elena is around the same temperature as Cartagena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Cartagena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Cartagena in the Winter?
Both Cartagena 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 Cartagena year-round.
Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Cartagena. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Cartagena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Santa Elena. In the winter, Santa Elena often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cartagena. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 278 hours of full sun.
In the winter, Santa Elena is around the same temperature as Cartagena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Elena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Cartagena in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Cartagena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cartagena this time of the year. In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Cartagena during spring. Santa Elena gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 209 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Santa Elena is generally around the same temperature as Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 29°C (85°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSanta Elena 29°C (85°F)Cartagena 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Cartagena and Santa Elena
| Santa Elena | Cartagena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 30 mm (1.2 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.