Which place is cheaper, Key West or Santo Domingo?
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 Santo Domingo or Key West?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Santo Domingo and Key West can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Santo Domingo or Key West?
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is a vibrant city that seamlessly blends history, culture, and modernity. Known for being the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, Santo Domingo offers a wealth of experiences that cater to every type of traveler.
Traveling to Santo Domingo on a budget is entirely achievable with some strategic planning. Accommodations range from luxury hotels to budget-friendly hostels and guesthouses. The Zona Colonial, the historic district, offers several affordable lodging options that provide easy access to major attractions. Hostels offer comfortable accommodations and a chance to meet fellow travelers, too. Eating on a budget is also feasible in Santo Domingo. Local eateries, known as "comedores," serve traditional Dominican dishes at reasonable prices.
Key West
Key West is both a city and an island as well as the southern most Florida Key. It is also the southern most city in the continental United States. The island is only about four miles long and one mile wide. The total land mass covers just 4.2 square miles. The most famous street in town is Duval Street, which runs just 1.1 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. There are 14 blocks. The size of the island doubled during the 1950s when many of the salt ponds along the eastern side of the island were filled in.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America.
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Santo Domingo Prices
Dominican Republic PricesKey West Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanto Domingo $99Key West $832
The average daily cost (per person) in Santo Domingo is $99, while the average daily cost in Key West is $832. 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 Santo Domingo and Key West in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanto Domingo $40Key West $132
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanto Domingo $80Key West $264
Compare Hotels in Santo Domingo and Key West
Looking for a hotel in Santo Domingo or Key West? 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: Santo Domingo Hotel Prices and Key West Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santo Domingo $4.59Key West $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santo Domingo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santo Domingo:
- Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) Arrival Transfer to Boca Chica: $11
- Private Airport Transfer (SDQ) to Santo Domingo / Punta Cana: $11
- Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) Arrival Transfer (Airport to Santo Domingo City): $12
- Roundtrip Airport Transfer (SDQ) to Santo Domingo / Punta Cana: $22
- Private Transfer from Int Las Americas Airport (SDQ): $27
- Santo Domingo to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Departure Transfer: $30
- Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) to Puerto Plata - Private Transfer: $37
- Santo Domingo to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Departure Transfer: $37
- Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) to Santo Domingo - Arrival Transfer: $37
- Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Private Transfer: $39
- Transfer to and from Santo Domingo.: $50
- Private Transfer Santo Domingo Port to Santo Domingo Airport SDQ: $55
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Key West
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Key West:
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Rental Car for One Day$38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Key West
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Key West:
- One Way Airport Transfer Service: $54
- Private Transfer from Key West Airport (EYW) to Key West Port: $113
- Private Transfer from Key West hotels to Key West Cruise Port: $114
- Key West Int Airport EYW to Key West Hotels Arrival Transfer: $156
- Key West hotels to Key West Int Airport (EYW) Departure Transfer: $156
- Key West Int Airport (EYW) to Key West - Arrival Private Transfer: $164
- Key West to Key West Airport (EYW) - Departure Private Transfer: $164
Is it cheaper to fly into Santo Domingo or Key West?
Prices for flights to both Key West and Santo Domingo 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 daySanto Domingo $53Key West $667
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Key West
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Key West.
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar & Live Music: $74
- Exploring and Walking Food Tour of Cayo Hueso: $80
- Key West Cooking Show Chef Demonstration with Meal: $81
- Cooking Show Chef Demonstration with Meal: $81
- Key West Sunset Cruise: Dinner, Live Music & Drinks Included: $84
- Southernmost Food & Cultural Walking Tour by Key West Food Tours: $90
- Key West Sunset Buffet Dinner Cruise with Open Bar and Live Music: $100
- Secret Walking Food Tour: $115
- Sunset Sail Full Bar, Live Music & Dinner & Early Morning Snorkeling: $160
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santo Domingo $14Key West $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Santo Domingo
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Santo Domingo are as follows:
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Snorkeling Tour$42
Tours and Activities in Santo Domingo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santo Domingo are as follows:
- Taínos 4D Experience Discover the Legacy of the Caribbean: $6.00
- Ron Barcelo Anejo Experience Factory Tour: $20
- Colonial Zone Bike Tour: $45
- Panoramic City Tour: $46
- Santo Domingo Small Group Walking Tour: Beer and Specialty Coffee: $59
- Iconic Highlights and historical Tour in Santo Domingo: $75
- Santo Domingo City Tour with Pickup Included From Santo Domingo: $75
- Half Day Santo Domingo Tour: Three Eyes Park to Colon Lighthouse: $80
- Full Day Tour to Santo Domingo from Punta Cana with Lunch: $80
- Santo Domingo Walking Tour for the Whole Family : $88
- Santo Domingo Cultural Tour: $89
- Full-Day Santo Domingo City Tour from Punta Cana: $89
Tours and Activities in Key West
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Key West are as follows:
- Hemingway's Key West Self Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.00
- Key West Pirate Exploration Game and Tour: $8.99
- Key West Smartphone guided Ghost Walking Tour App/GPS/EMF Reader: $9.75
- Florida Key West Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
- Key West GPS Audio Tour: From Seaside Village to Micro State: $12
- Key West’s Old Town Treasures: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Admission Ticket: $18
- Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum Tickets: $19
- Skip the Line: Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Admission Ticket and Audio Tour: $20
- Key West Aquarium Tickets: $23
- Key West Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $25
- Truman Little White House Guided Tour Ticket: $26
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanto Domingo $7.54Key West $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Key West
Also in Key West, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Key West Bar Crawl: $15
- Key West Haunted Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour with Free T-Shirt: $32
- Bone Island Haunted Pub Crawl: $32
- Key West Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- 2.5-Hour Duval Street Pub Crawl: $43
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santo Domingo and Key West, we can see that Key West is more expensive. And not only is Santo Domingo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santo Domingo is in Caribbean Islands and Key West 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 Santo Domingo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santo Domingo 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 Key West would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Key West than you might in Santo Domingo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santo Domingo Expensive? and Is Key West Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santo Domingo or Key West?
Santo Domingo has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Key West. When comparing the sizes of Santo Domingo and Key West, 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.