Which place is cheaper, Salento 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 Salento?
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 Salento 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 Salento?
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.
Salento
Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.
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 PricesSalento Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Marta $37Salento $37
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Marta is $37, while the average daily cost in Salento is $37. 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 Salento in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Marta $13Salento $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Marta $26Salento $22
Compare Hotels in Santa Marta and Salento
Looking for a hotel in Santa Marta or Salento? 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 Salento Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Marta $4.88Salento $13
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$4.86
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival or Departure Transfer: Simón Bolívar Airport: $12
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Cruise Port: $14
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Santa Marta Airport SMR: $14
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Airport SMR to Santa Marta Port: $14
- Airport Transfers to Santa Marta Hotels : $21
- Roundtrip Private Airport Transfer Santa Marta (SMR) to City: $23
- Santa Marta to Santa Marta Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer from Simón Bolivar Airport to Santa Marta: $24
- Private Transfer: Santa Marta Airport <> Santa Marta City Hotels: $24
- Transfer from Accommodation to Simón Bolivar Airport: $24
- Private Airport Transfer: From Santa Marta Airport to Hotel in Santa Marta: $25
- Tour with Entrance to the Aquarium and Transfer to Playa Blanca!: $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:
- Private Pereira Airport Transfer: To/From Salento: $54
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Marta or Salento?
Prices for flights to both Salento 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 $16Salento $15
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$2.92
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:
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day : $66
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $71
- 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: $146
- Fast Food Tour with Local Guide: $146
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salento.
- Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Marta $13Salento $11
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: the Pearl of America: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino : $10
- 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
- Santa Marta Graffiti Tour: Urban Art & Culture: $15
- Patrimonial Walking Tour: Hidden Stories of Santa Marta: $15
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $15
- Historic Center Bike Tour: $16
- Bike tour with local guide through the historic center: $18
- BE RELAX TOUR - Bahia Concha: $22
- Playa Blanca: Tour with Lunch and Total Relaxation: $25
Tours and Activities in Salento
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Salento are as follows:
- Armenia, Quindio: Coffee Tour, Transportation, and Quimbaya Gold Museum: $60
- Book a Private Tourist Guide through the Coffee Region: $133
- Cocoa and Coffee Farm Tours from Pereira or Armenia: $177
- Cocora, Salento and Filandia Tour: $115
- Coffee Farm Tour at Finca El Ocaso from Salento: $86
- Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour: $88
- Coffee Tour Salento-Ocaso Farm- English Tour: $14
- Coffee Tour at Finca El Ocaso Finca Tradicional-Español: $14
- Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $30
- Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $81
- Filandia, Salento and Cocora Valley Private Tour: $136
- Filandia, Salento and Cocora Valley Tour: $214
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Marta $6.22Salento $11
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$0.53
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Beer$2.19
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: $20
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $23
- Bar Crawl In Santa Marta: $125
When comparing the travel costs between Santa Marta and Salento, we can see that Salento is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 Salento Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Marta or Salento?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of Salento. When comparing the sizes of Santa Marta and Salento, 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.