A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santa Elena vs. Key West for Backpackers, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Santa Elena or Key West?

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 Key West. 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.

Santa Elena

Santa Elena is a tranquil, outdoorsy, and scenic town. Santa Elena is a beautiful place to visit, too. And you can't forget about the hiking and shopping. See Santa Elena travel costs.

Key West

Key West is a quaint, laid-back, and quirky town. With fun activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. With stunning beauty, Key West attracts visitors from all around. Since it has a quaint atmosphere, you'll want to spend time soaking it all in. It's also popular because of the beaches, nightlife, and food. See Key West travel costs.

Santa Elena and Key West: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santa Elena or Key West?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Key West. Although Santa Elena and Key West are both popular with visitors, Key West has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Key West is more popular for its food, nightlife, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, historical sights, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Santa Elena is known for its museums and attractions, hiking, and shopping. Key West is more touristy than Santa Elena and is popular for its festive nightlife, quirky town center, colorful personality, adrenaline-filled watersports, stunning beaches, turquoise water, and location at the southernmost point of the continental U.S. It is also home to Duval Street. Santa Elena is popular for its birdwatching and environmental conservation.

How is Santa Elena different from Key West?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Key West and Santa Elena. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santa Elena or Key West?

Santa Elena is not a good place to visit for its sights and museums. However, Key West does not have museums and landmarks.

Santa Elena offers a few options for museum-goers. The area is filled with outdoor gardens, parks, and nature reserves, but there are few museums to visit.

Key West does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Santa Elena or Key West? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Key West is great for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Key West has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Head to town for local restaurants with quirky atmospheres. There are many local dishes to sample, but the town is most known for its stone crabs, conch fritters, and Mahi Mahi sandwiches. You'll also find cold drinks and waterfront dining areas.

Santa Elena offers some easy restaurants to choose from. You'll find some basic but good restaurants around town. Many offer pasta, pizza, and typical Costa Rican dishes.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Nightlife?

Key West is great for its evening party scene. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for nightlife.

Many people head to Key West for the nightlife scene. This area has some of the most lively nightlife in the Florida Keys. There are quirky bars and fun hangouts where you can spend the evening. The party starts at Mallory Square around sunset and many bars stay open well into the early hours. You can also enjoy sunset cruises or pass your time at one of the many tiki bars.

Most people don't head to Santa Elena specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. There's a couple of bars but not much else for nightlife in town.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Resorts?

Key West is great for its luxury resorts. However, Santa Elena is not a resort destination.

There are plenty of resorts in Key West to choose from. There are a number of high end resorts around the island, many with recognizable names such as the Hyatt and Hilton. Prices can be high, but these resorts often come with reliable luxury.

Santa Elena is not a resort destination.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Key West is a good destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Santa Elena is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Grab a mask and fins and explore the underwater scenery in Key West. There are a number of dive shops and snorkeling excursions that leave from Key West. Like many tourist areas these days, the coral shows its damage from the crowds, but you'll likely see some barracuda or a Grouper.

Santa Elena is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Beaches?

Key West is great for the beach. However, Santa Elena is not a beach destination.

Many people visit Key West for it's beautiful beaches. One of the best beaches in the area is Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. The beach has soft sand and stunning turquoise water. As is typical in the Keys, the water stays shallow for great distances.

Santa Elena is not a beach destination.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for its Old Town?

Key West is great for its historic old town charm. However, Santa Elena does not have a historic old town.

There are many historical things to see in the old town of Key West. The town has the most charming Old Town areas in the Florida Keys. Head to Mallory Square for the sunset street performers and explore the historic streets around Duval Street.

Santa Elena does not have a historic old town.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Hiking?

Santa Elena is notable for the nearby hiking options. However, Key West is not a hiking destination.

Santa Elena is a popular spot for hiking. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has a range of trails including a walk along the Continental Divide. There's also the famous red hanging bridge.

Key West is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santa Elena or Key West?

Santa Elena is a popular place for its shopping opportunities. However, Key West is a mediocre town for its shopping areas.

Santa Elena offers some nice shopping areas. There are some art galleries and artisan shops around town where you can pick up some interesting souvenirs.

Key West has some good spots for those that want to go shopping. While it definitely has its share of gimmicky souvenir shops and t-shirt stores, there are still a number of art galleries and local shops around Key West where you can enjoy shopping.

Is Santa Elena or Key West More Beautiful?

Key West is great for its scenery and beauty. Also, Santa Elena is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its scenery and beauty.

With stunning beauty, Key West attracts visitors from all around. There are blue waters as far as the eye can see. It doesn't get much more beautiful than this.

Santa Elena is a gorgeous place to visit. The cloud forest and canopy walks give you access to breathtaking views and unique wildlife.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Families?

Both Santa Elena and Key West are superb family-friendly destinations.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Santa Elena. Monteverde has many canopy walks, zipline courses, and animal parks that the kids will love. The nature and wildlife make this a fun and educational destination for everyone.

Key West is a very family-friendly place to visit. Families that enjoy snorkeling, aquariums, water sports, and exploring new places will enjoy visiting this part of the Florida Keys. There are many ways to get out on the water from kayaking and snorkeling to glass bottom boat tours and sunset cruises. There are also many kid-friendly beaches in the area. The town can have a party atmosphere, but it's not hard to find a more family-friendly area where everyone can have fun.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Couples?

Santa Elena and Key West both superb destinations for a couple.

Santa Elena is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. The cloud forest is filled with romantic views and unique landscapes. Couples who enjoy the outdoors will fall in love with this magical setting.

Key West is a very popular place to visit for couples. From Mallory Square to the beautiful nearby parks, Key West makes a wonderful, romantic destination. Whether it's your honeymoon, an anniversary, or simply a couples' retreat, Key West is a great option. You can sip wine on a sunset cruise or dine at one of the many character-filled restaurants in town. If you are looking for a party, it's not hard to find, but if you want a more laid back holiday, that's also possible.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santa Elena is renowned for backpackers. However, Key West is a mediocre town for backpackers and budget travelers.

Backpackers and budget travelers come from all over the world to visit Santa Elena. Backpackers will enjoy hiking and affordable activities. There are also many hostels with social activities that make this a great backpacker-friendly destination.

Key West is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. Key West is a pretty expensive destination, but there are Airbnbs and even a hostel or two that cater to budget backpackers.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Students?

Key West is great for its student-friendly activities. However, Santa Elena is not popular with students.

Many students visit Key West. It's a great spring break destination with a quirky personality and many great activities.

Santa Elena is not popular with students.

Is Santa Elena or Key West Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santa Elena is a popular place for its public transit. However, Key West is a mediocre town for times when you don't have a car.

Santa Elena has a few public transit options. There are buses through town that travel to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Public transit is quite limited in Key West. Public transportation in Key West is limited to a few buses.

Is Santa Elena or Key West a more walkable city?

Santa Elena and Key West are good when it comes to walkability.

Santa Elena is a somewhat walkable town. It's relatively easy to walk around, but you will need to take a bus to Monteverde.

Key West is somewhat walkable. The town is the most walkable part of the Florida Keys. The area around Mallory Square and Duval Street is the most pedestrian friendly.

For even more information, also check out Is Santa Elena Worth Visiting? and Is Key West Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Key West or Santa Elena?

How long in Santa Elena or Key West?

Both Santa Elena and Key West have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Key West than in Santa Elena. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Santa Elena, and 5-7 days is enough time in Key West.

Families should spend more time in Key West than Santa Elena. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Key West, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Key West than Santa Elena. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Key West that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Elena than Key West if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Santa Elena.

One day in Santa Elena or Key West?

The town of Santa Elena offers shopping. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the lively town of Key West. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Santa Elena or Key West?

Santa Elena is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Santa Elena, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Visitors enjoy the food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the quirky destination of Key West. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. This town offers something for everyone. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.

Five days in Santa Elena or Key West?

Santa Elena is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Visitors enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and nightlife when visiting the laid-back town of Key West. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. Many people spend five days here.If you enjoy all that's offered here, then five days is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Santa Elena or Key West?

Santa Elena is a great place to explore. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the quaint destination of Key West. Anyone can find something fun to do here. This is a popular place to visit for one week. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. In one week, you should have a good grasp of this town.

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 Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Key West, we can see that Key West 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 Key West is in North 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 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 Key West would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Key West 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 Key West Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or Key West?

Key West has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Santa Elena or Key West in the Summer?

Both Key West and Santa Elena during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Key West for the beaches, snorkeling, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Santa Elena is generally around the same temperature as Key West. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 28°C (82°F), and Key West fluctuates around 84°F (29°C).

In Key West, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Santa Elena often gets less sunshine than Key West. Santa Elena gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Key West receives 328 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Key West. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Key West receives 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Santa Elena or Key West in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Key West. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round. Also, many visitors come to Key West in the autumn for the shopping scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area.

Santa Elena is around the same temperature as Key West in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Key West fluctuates around 80°F (27°C).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Key West this time of the year. Santa Elena usually receives less sunshine than Key West during autumn. Santa Elena gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while Key West receives 258 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Key West receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Santa Elena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Key West. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Key West receives 5.1 inches (129 mm) of rain each month for the autumn. The hurricane season in Santa Elena is June to October. The hurricane season in Key West is June to November.

Should I visit Santa Elena or Key West in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Key West. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, most visitors come to Key West for the shopping scene and the cuisine during these months.

In the winter, Santa Elena is a little warmer than Key West. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Elena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Key West averages at about 70°F (21°C).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Key West. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena this time of the year. In the winter, Santa Elena often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Key West. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Key West receives 252 hours of full sun.

Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Key West. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Key West receives 1.7 inches (43 mm) of rain this time of the year. Also, February to May in Santa Elena is the dry season.

Should I visit Santa Elena or Key West in the Spring?

Both Key West and Santa Elena are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Key West because of the beaches, the small town charm, and the natural beauty.

In April, Santa Elena is generally a little warmer than Key West. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 29°C (85°F), and Key West fluctuates around 77°F (25°C).

It's quite sunny in Key West. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually receives less sunshine than Key West during spring. Santa Elena gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Key West receives 326 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Key West. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Key West receives 0.8 inches (21 mm) of rain each month for the spring. The dry season in Santa Elena is February to May. June to October is the hurricane season in Santa Elena. June to November is the hurricane season in Key West.

Typical Weather for Key West and Santa Elena