Which place is cheaper, Bogota or Santa Marta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Santa Marta or Bogota?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Santa Marta and Bogota can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Santa Marta or Bogota?
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is a city in the Magdalena Department of Colombia's Costa Norte. Over the last decade, security has steadily been replacing the shadow of the Colombia's violent past. One destination in Colombia's northeast region is now attracting more international visitors: the coastal Caribbean area of Santa Marta. Established in 1525 by the Spanish as a base of conquest, Santa Marta sits at the foot of the world's highest coastal mountain range, the towering Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is South America's oldest European-founded town and the second most important colonial city on Colombia's Caribbean coast. While many travelers complain about Santa Marta's horrible traffic and unsightly urban sprawl, the city holds a numerous amounts of great hotels, bars and restaurants and holds a few fantastic destinations nearby to which you can go during the daytime.
Bogota
Sprawling across a high altitude in the Columbian Andes region, Bogota is the capital city of Columbia. It is a mix of the old and new with century-old plazas and churches shadowed by towering skyscrapers, museums representing the history, art, and culture of the region, as well as a mix of distinct neighborhoods from quaint and historic to trendy and contemporary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia, The Best Luxury Tours to Colombia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia.
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Santa Marta Prices
Colombia PricesBogota Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Marta $44Bogota $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Marta is $44, while the average daily cost in Bogota is $69. 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 Marta and Bogota in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Marta $15Bogota $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Marta $30Bogota $58
Compare Hotels in Santa Marta and Bogota
Looking for a hotel in Santa Marta or Bogota? 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: Santa Marta Hotel Prices and Bogota Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Marta $5.83Bogota $9.71
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santa Marta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Marta:
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Gas$5.80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to Playa Cinto & Playa Cristal: $82
- Transfer from Simon Bolivar Airport in Santa Marta to Hotels: $24
- Playa Cristal Beach Day with Boat Transfer: $94
- Calderon Beach Club Day Pass with Lunch & Transfer: $120
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $37
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $44
- Santa Marta to or from Palomino Private Transfer: $49
- Santa Marta to or from Palomino Private Transfer: $55
- Santa Marta to or from Minca Private Transfer: $39
- Santa Marta to or from Cartagena Private Transfer: $149
- Santa Marta Private Transfer: SMR Airport to/from Hotel or Airbnb: $28
- Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $47
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bogota
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bogota are as follows:
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Taxi from Airport$8.37
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Taxi Ride$0.44
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2 Bus Passes$0.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bogota
Also for Bogota, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zipaquirá and Salt Cathedral with tickets, guide and transfers: $117
- VIP Transfer to Salt Cathedral & Lake Guatavita from Bogota: $44
- VIP Private Transfer: El Dorado Airport → Bogota Hotels SUV 24hrs: $9.99
- Transfers Bogota - Zipaquirá: $60
- Transfer Airport and Private Tours in Bogota: $93
- Private Visit to Zipaquira's Town & Salt Cathedral + In&Out Transfer + (6 hours): $176
- Private Transfer from Aeropurto to Bogota Hotels: $25
- Private Salt Cathedral and Nemocón Salt Mines + In & out Transfer + (8 hours): $242
- Private Hotel to Airport Transfer service in Bogota: $18
- Private Departure Transfer: Bogotá Hotel to El Dorado Airport BOG: $20
- Private Bogota Airport transfer to your Hotel: $60
- Private Bogota Airport drop-off Transfer: $59
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Marta or Bogota?
Prices for flights to both Bogota and Santa Marta 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 Marta $19Bogota $26
Typical Food Prices in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$3.48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: 7 Tastings with a Local Guide: $39
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day: $65
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $69
- SamarioCaribeño Chef's Table Cooking Lesson and Breakfast: $87
- Flavors of Colombia - Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $114
- Fast Food Tour In Santa Marta More Than Just Food: $120
Typical Food Prices in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$1.74
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Hot Dog$1.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 4h Cooking Class in Bogota with 10 Recipes and Bottomless Drinks: $55
- Viejo Bogota Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $55
- Bogotá Local Food Tour - La Candelaria: $65
- PALOQUEMAO MARKET FOOD TOUR. EXOTIC FRUIT. LOCAL SNACKS. /Min 2 pax: $69
- Food Tour in Historic Downtown with a Food Scholar and Tastings: $75
- Cooking Class with Market Visit and Lunch: $90
- Food Tour in Local Markets (Bogota): $95
- Gastronomic Tour and Cooking Workshop: $213
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Marta $15Bogota $15
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Gabo Márquez" Tour - Aracataca and Cienaga: $205
- 2 Day Minca Tour with Bird Watching: $105
- 2 days 1 night tour - in Trompito, I meet indigenous community Kogui Uldezhaxa.: $204
- 3-Day Private Tour of Taorayiná Ecolodge and Nature Reserve: $200
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $18
- Adventures in Santa Marta private beaches by Paddle or kayak: $52
- Ancestral Thought Tour: $180
- Ancestral Thought Tour (Indigenous life in Kogui people) Santa Marta: $220
- Ancestral Thought Tour two days and one night: $200
- BE RELAX TOUR - Bahia Concha: $22
- BE TROPICAL TOUR - Buritaca & Playa Los Angeles: $51
- Bunkuany tour 2 days and 1 night: $256
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bogota
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Bogota's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Beer$1.45
Tours and Activities in Bogota
For Bogota, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- *Private tour* to Guatavita sacred lagoon + Nemocon salt mine: $163
- 3-Hour Walking Tour and Musical Picnic in the Heart of Ibague: $23
- 3-in-1 Panoramic city tour with walking tour and experiences: $40
- 4 Guided Museum & City Tour with Coffee & Snack in Bogotá: $52
- 4-hour Paragliding Adventure from Bogota: $231
- 5 hour Bogotá City & Monserrate Hill Tour: $138
- 5-hour Tour through Bogotá during the stopover. Includes round-trip from airport: $160
- 6-hour private city tour of Bogotá: $116
- Adventure in Guatavita Casa Loca and Charms of the Town: $140
- All-inclusive Monserrate experience: $69
- Alternative tour of Bogotá: gastronomic and cultural: $20
- Armed Conflict and Violence Tour in Bogotá, Colombia: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Marta $7.42Bogota $15
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Marta
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santa Marta from other travelers:
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Beer$0.64
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Beer$2.61
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Marta
Also in Santa Marta, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Thursday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $24
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $25
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $25
- Bar Crawl In Santa Marta: $125
Sample the Local Flavors in Bogota
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bogota:
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia: $25
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia: $25
- Pub CrawL la Candelaria/Bogotá Español: $29
- Pub Crawl in Bogotá: $29
- Drinking Games Party Bus 1H Open Bar Pub Crawl to 4 to 6 Clubs: $35
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Marta and Bogota, we can see that Bogota is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Marta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Marta 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 Bogota would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bogota than you might in Santa Marta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Marta Expensive? and Is Bogota Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Marta or Bogota?
Bogota has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Santa Marta. When comparing the sizes of Santa Marta and Bogota, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.