Which place is cheaper, Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia?
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 Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia?
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.
Ushuaia
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia, The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires.
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Santa Marta Prices
Colombia PricesUshuaia Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Marta $39Ushuaia $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Marta is $39, while the average daily cost in Ushuaia is $0.00. 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 Ushuaia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Marta $14Ushuaia -
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Marta $28Ushuaia $0.00
Compare Hotels in Santa Marta and Ushuaia
Looking for a hotel in Santa Marta or Ushuaia? 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 Ushuaia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Marta $5.15Ushuaia -
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:
- Exclusive transfer Santa Marta - Cartagena: $229
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Cartagena Airport (CTG): $220
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Cartagena hotels: $220
- Calderon Beach Club Day Pass with Lunch & Transfer: $194
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $159
- Santa Marta to or from Cartagena Private Transfer: $149
- Private transfer between Santa Marta and Barranquilla (or viceversa): $130
- Private Transfer Santa Marta to Palomino (or vice versa): $117
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Airport SMR to Santa Marta Port: $72
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Cruise Port: $72
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Santa Marta Airport SMR: $72
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Santa Marta city: $72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ushuaia:Trekking Glaciar & Ice Caves W/Lunch and Transfer: $176
- Transfers to Cerro Castor: $20
- Shared One-way Airport Transfer: $7.00
- National Park, Train and Navigation. Airport transfer included: $204
- Husky Trekking with Transfer: $62
- Escondido and Fagnano Lakes with transfer: $112
- Complete Husky Experience + Buoy Park with Transfer: $124
- Antarctic Experience W/Snowmobile Ride & Transfer: $242
- Airport Transfer: $10
- Ushuaia to Ushuaia Airport (USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $25
- Ushuaia city to Ushuaia Airport(USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $24
- Ushuaia Low cost Transfers: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Marta or Ushuaia?
Prices for flights to both Ushuaia 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 $17Ushuaia -
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 Ushuaia
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Adventure and Snow Moto + Buffet Lunch or Pizza Rodizio + Transfer: $96
- Beaver Sighting with Dinner off Lake Fagnano: $170
- Ushuaia City Tour: Vespertine Tour with Dinner: $189
- Snowmobile + Snowshoeing + Huskies + Skiing + Lunch or Pizza Buffet: $195
- Tierra del Fuego National Park PM - with Dinner included: $210
- Discovering Lakes Escondido and Fagnano with sunset dinner: $210
- Puerto Almanza and Punta Paraná Tour with Dinner: $210
- Tierra del Fuego National Park: vespertine tour with dinner: $210
- Snow and Fire with Dinner in Firepit, Sledge Ride and Snowmobile: $250
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Marta $13Ushuaia -
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tayrona Playa Cristal 7 Waves Neguanje Park Tour: $47
- "Gabo Márquez" Tour - Aracataca and Cienaga: $205
- 2 Day Minca Tour with Bird Watching: $95
- 2 days 1 night tour - in Trompito, I meet indigenous community Kogui Uldezhaxa.: $208
- 2-Day Cultural Tour to Gotsezhy from Santa Marta: $198
- 3-Day Private Tour of Taorayiná Ecolodge and Nature Reserve: $200
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $16
- Adventures in Santa Marta private beaches by Paddle or kayak: $52
- Al Tayrona yacht experience: $60
- Ancestral Thought Tour: $180
- Ancestral Thought Tour (Indigenous life in Kogui people) Santa Marta: $220
- Authentic experience with the Sewiaxa Kogui community and the River 1 day.: $137
Tours and Activities in Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
- 3-Hour Tour Sailing through the Beagle Channel: $105
- 4×4 Off Road Tour to Escondido and Khami Lakes: $200
- 4W4 Adventure in Lagos Full Day with Roast : $170
- 4WD Off-Road Lakes Adventure in Tierra del Fuego: $167
- 4x4 Adventure at Lago Fagnano from Ushuaia: $236
- 4x4 Lake Fagnano Adventure from Ushuaia: $218
- 5-Hour National Park + City tour - USHUAIA (Private Tour): $205
- 5.5-Hour Nat Park w/ Hiking *Shore Excursion* USHUAIA (Shared tour for cruises): $150
- 5hrs of Trekking Experience in Martial Glacier: $115
- Adventure in the Lakes Fueguinos quadricycles and Patagonian lamb: $238
- Adventure through Lagos 4X4 in Ushuaia: $162
- Albino's Eye Glacier Full-Day Trekking Tour from Ushuaia: $286
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Marta $6.55Ushuaia -
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Ushuaia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Ushuaia:
- Photo tour and Wine Tasting in Ushuaia City: $115
- City tour and Wine tasting: $115
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Marta and Ushuaia, we can see that Santa Marta is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia 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 Santa Marta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Marta than you might in Ushuaia.
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 Ushuaia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Marta or Ushuaia?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Ushuaia. When comparing the sizes of Santa Marta and Ushuaia, 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.