Which place is cheaper, Bonaire 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 Bonaire?
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 Bonaire 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 Bonaire?
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.
Bonaire
An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and Curaçao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
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Santa Marta Prices
Colombia PricesBonaire Prices
Caribbean Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Marta $39Bonaire $299
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Marta is $39, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Bonaire in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Marta $14Bonaire $155
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Marta $28Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Santa Marta and Bonaire
Looking for a hotel in Santa Marta or Bonaire? 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 Bonaire Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Marta $5.15Bonaire $65
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$5.12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Santa Marta Private Airport Transfer (SMR) to City: $11
- Santa Marta Private Transfer from City to Airport (SMR): $11
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simon Bolivar Airport (One Way): $12
- Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simón Bolívar Airport: $13
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Cruise Port: $14
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Santa Marta Airport SMR: $14
- Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta (or vice versa) Private Transfer : $17
- Roundtrip Private Airport Transfer Santa Marta (SMR) to City: $22
- Airport Transfers to Santa Marta Hotels : $23
- Private Transfer: Santa Marta Airport <> Santa Marta City Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer from Simón Bolivar Airport to Santa Marta: $24
- Private Airport Transfer: From Santa Marta Airport to Hotel in Santa Marta: $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:
- Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address : $40
- Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
- Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
- Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Marta or Bonaire?
Prices for flights to both Bonaire 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 $17Bonaire $101
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$3.07
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 Walking Food Tour: $40
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day : $66
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $76
- Private Santa Marta City & Food Tour: $86
- Flavors of Colombia - Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $93
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $93
- Fast Food Tour In Santa Marta More Than Just Food: $120
- Upscale Food Tour in A Culinary Journey: $155
- Fast Food Tour with Local Guide: $155
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.
- Dinner at Sea: $95
- Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Marta $13Bonaire $40
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: Santa Marta Marine World Aquarium Admission Ticket and Guide: $6.67
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: the Pearl of America: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Botanical Garden: $10
- Tour in Chiva Rumbera Music Party and Fun in Santa Marta: $13
- Full City of Santa Marta Tour and its Charms: $15
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $16
- Santa Marta Graffiti Tour: Urban Art & Culture: $16
- Patrimonial Walking Tour: Hidden Stories of Santa Marta: $16
- Complete Tour of the City of Santa Marta and its Charms: $17
- Historic Center Bike Tour: $20
- Town Tour in Minca: History, Museums & Nature: $20
- Bike tour with local guide through the historic center: $23
Tours and Activities in Bonaire
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:
- 2 Hours Private Kitesurfing Adventure: $265
- 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
- 4 hour Individual Island Tour for 1 to 12 persons: $180
- Aquaspace Sunset Sail and Snorkel Tour on Bonaire with Diner: $130
- Bonaire Cave Tour: Walk, Climb & Swim: $75
- Bonaire CaveTour Climb, Snorkel & Explore the Hidden Gems : $83
- Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
- Bonaire Landsailing Adventures: $79
- Bonaire Shore Excursion: The Bonaire Highlights Tour: $83
- Bonaire island adventure: $110
- Discover Scuba Diving Experience: $164
- North & South Highlights Guided Group Tour: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Marta $6.55Bonaire $33
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$0.56
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Beer$2.30
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
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $25
- Bar Crawl In Santa Marta: $125
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Marta and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Marta is in South America and Bonaire 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 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire 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 Bonaire Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Marta or Bonaire?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Santa Marta and Bonaire, 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.