Which place is cheaper, La Paz or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santa Elena or La Paz?
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 La Paz. 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 La Paz?
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%.
La Paz
La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico. It has a population of about 215,000 people and is a significant commercial center for the region. The city has a good economy and a high standard of living when compared to much of Mexico. Much of the economy is focused on eco-tourism and there are many protected marine environments in the area.
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 Budget Tours to Mexico, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $92La Paz $118
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $118. 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 La Paz in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55La Paz $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110La Paz $104
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and La Paz
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena or La Paz? 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: La Paz Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $11La Paz $22
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: $179
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Paz:
- La Paz Airport: Private Roundtrip Transfer to La Ventan: $260
- Private Transfer from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas: $240
- La Paz Int. Airport (LAP): Private Transfer to La Paz hotels: $174
- La Paz Airport to Costa Baja Private Roundtrip Transfer: $90
- Roundtrip Transfer to La Paz International Airport: $73
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Elena or La Paz?
Prices for flights to both La Paz 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 $24La Paz $38
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 La Paz
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Paz.
- 4 Hours of Guided La Paz Street Food Tour: $81
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Elena $30La Paz $13
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Selvatura Park: Herpetarium Tour in Monteverde: $22
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $26
- Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $26
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $30
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $30
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $30
- CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33
- Curicancha Birdwatching Tour: $34
- Guided walk Monteverde Biological Reserve-John's Nature Tours-: $35
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $35
Tours and Activities in La Paz
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Paz are as follows:
- 1 Day Espiritu Santo Island Wonders, Sea Lions and Paddleboard Adventure : $249
- 3 Hour La Paz Whale Shark Snorkeling Experience: $244
- Adventure to Espiritu Santo Island: Snorkel with Sea Lions and Beach: $131
- Balandra & San Rafaelito: Sightseeing & Snorkelling: $135
- Balandra Beach and City Tour: $129
- Balandra Snorkel & Sea Lion Adventure: $135
- Can-Am X3 Turbo Adventure: Cabo Desert Trails & Beach Ride: $292
- City Tour & Beaches from La Paz: $91
- Cruise Date Delight! Swim with Sea Lions! Apr-02: $187
- Espíritu Santo Island snorkel and sightseeing tour on Small Group: $167
- Espiritu Santo Island Day Tour: $170
- Espiritu Santo Island Snorkel & Sea Lion Adventure: $145
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.22La Paz $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and La Paz, we can see that La Paz 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 La Paz 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 La Paz would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Paz 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 La Paz Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or La Paz?
La Paz 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 La Paz in the Summer?
Both La Paz 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, the summer months attract visitors to La Paz because of the beaches, snorkeling, and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Santa Elena is generally around the same temperature as La Paz. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 28°C (82°F), and La Paz fluctuates around 30°C (86°F).
In La Paz, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Santa Elena often gets less sunshine than La Paz. Santa Elena gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Paz receives 287 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 La Paz. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySanta Elena 28°C (82°F)La Paz 30°C (86°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or La Paz in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and La Paz. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round. Also, the shopping scene are the main draw to La Paz this time of year.
Santa Elena is around the same temperature as La Paz in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and La Paz fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Paz this time of the year. Santa Elena usually receives less sunshine than La Paz during autumn. Santa Elena gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while La Paz receives 272 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Santa Elena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than La Paz. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 13 mm (0.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSanta Elena 27°C (81°F)La Paz 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or La Paz in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as La Paz. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, many travelers come to La Paz for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Santa Elena is much warmer than La Paz. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Elena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and La Paz averages at about 18°C (65°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Paz. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena this time of the year. In the winter, Santa Elena often gets more sunshine than La Paz. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Paz receives 200 hours of full sun.
Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than La Paz. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySanta Elena 27°C (81°F)La Paz 18°C (65°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or La Paz in the Spring?
Both La Paz 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, many visitors come to La Paz in the spring for the beaches.
In April, Santa Elena is generally a little warmer than La Paz. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 29°C (85°F), and La Paz fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
It's quite sunny in La Paz. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually receives less sunshine than La Paz during spring. Santa Elena gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while La Paz receives 292 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than La Paz. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 1 mm (0 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSanta Elena 29°C (85°F)La Paz 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for La Paz and Santa Elena
| Santa Elena | La Paz | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 30°C (87°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 30°C (85°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 20°C (67°F) | 21 mm (0.8 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.