Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Santa Elena and Ponce. 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 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%.
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
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.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Ponce in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena or Ponce? 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.
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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.
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Ponce, we can see that Ponce 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 Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce 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 Ponce Expensive?.
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.
Both Ponce 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. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Ponce. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Ponce, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Santa Elena often gets less sunshine than Ponce. Santa Elena gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 287 hours of full sun.
In July, Santa Elena is generally around the same temperature as Ponce. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 28°C (82°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Ponce. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Ponce 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 Ponce. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ponce this time of the year. Santa Elena usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during autumn. Santa Elena gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Santa Elena is around the same temperature as Ponce in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
The winter brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Ponce. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year.
Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Ponce. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ponce. 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 Ponce. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 240 hours of full sun.
In the winter, Santa Elena is around the same temperature as Ponce. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Elena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Ponce averages at about 25°C (77°F).
Both Ponce 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. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, Santa Elena usually receives less rain than Ponce. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
It's quite sunny in Ponce. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Ponce during spring. Santa Elena gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Santa Elena is generally a little warmer than Ponce. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 29°C (85°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
Santa Elena | Ponce | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |