Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta?
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 Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta?
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.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Santa Marta Prices
Colombia PricesPuerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Marta $39Puerto Vallarta $128
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Marta is $39, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $128. 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 Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Marta $14Puerto Vallarta $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Marta $28Puerto Vallarta $114
Compare Hotels in Santa Marta and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Santa Marta or Puerto Vallarta? 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 Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Marta $5.15Puerto Vallarta $17
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 Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Sayulita hotels to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) – Private Departure Transfer : $155
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
- Private Transfer from Punta de Mita Area to PVR Airport: $180
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Marta or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta 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 $17Puerto Vallarta $58
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 Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Winner 2025 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $89
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Puerto Vallarta- Market tour and Cooking Experience : $134
- Rhythms of the night, sunset cruise, open bar & oceanfront dinner: $159
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Marta $13Puerto Vallarta $17
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 Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- Sayulita Minivan Transportation Service Tour: $165
- ATV Tour Rio Cuale Sierra Madre Mountains and tequila tasting: $73
- ATV and RZR Jorullo Bridge Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $167
- Beachfront Massage Experience in Mismaloya: $42
- Bioluminescence & sunset local boat tour to Los Arcos Sanctuary: $67
- Boat and Snorkel Tour to 5 Islands of Los Arcos: $46
- Cachasol Raicilla and Tequila Tour: $83
- Canopy Tour Experience in Sayulita, Nuevo Nayarit.: $68
- City tour express; butterfly, tequila, and beach an ecological day: $22
- EcoHike experience through the jungle, mountains and hidden beach: $30
- Edenva Ecotourist Park in Puerto Vallarta: $69
- Food & Mixology Tour:Tequila,Tacos, Mezcal and Agave Cocktails: $98
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Marta $6.55Puerto Vallarta $22
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 Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta 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 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 Puerto Vallarta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Marta or Puerto Vallarta?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the sizes of Santa Marta and Puerto Vallarta, 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.