Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Terre-de-Haut?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Terre-de-Haut or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Terre-de-Haut or Santa Marta? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Terre-de-Haut or Santa Marta?
Terre-de-Haut
Les Saintes (also known as Iles des Saintes) is a small archipelago of Guadeloupe, a French overseas territory in the Caribbean. The islands here are best known for their tropical beauty, untouched beaches, and bayside villages. Only two of the nine are inhabited.
Terre-de-Haut of Les Saintes is the most popular island to visit. It is known for the Pain de Sucre, a small bay lined with coconut trees and an ideal location for snorkeling, in addition to white sandy beaches like the Plage de Pompierre. There is also a nineteenth-century fort which can be reached on foot for striking views of the surrounding area.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTerre-de-Haut €140Santa Marta €30
The average daily cost (per person) in Terre-de-Haut is €140, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is €30. 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 Terre-de-Haut and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTerre-de-Haut €68Santa Marta €13
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTerre-de-Haut €136Santa Marta €26
Compare Hotels in Terre-de-Haut and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Terre-de-Haut or Santa Marta? 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: Terre-de-Haut Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Terre-de-Haut €44Santa Marta €4.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Terre-de-Haut
Also for Terre-de-Haut, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Deshaies or Trois Riviers to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $92
- Guadeloupe to Pointe-a-Pitre Airport - Private Departure Transfer: $79
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santa Marta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Marta:
-
Gas€4.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cartagena / Santa Marta Transfer: $331
- 1.Transfer to TAYRONA park from Cartagena Private or Viceversa.: $256
- Barranquilla / Santa Marta Transfer: $238
- Exclusive transfer Santa Marta - Cartagena: $229
- Private transfer between Santa Marta and Barranquilla (or viceversa): $180
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $142
- Private Transfer Santa Marta to Palomino (or vice versa): $121
- Private Transfer: From Santa Marta to Tayrona Park (Palomino): $110
- Tayrona / Santa Marta Transfer: $85
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Cartagena Airport (CTG): $76
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Cartagena hotels: $76
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Cartagena hotels: $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Terre-de-Haut or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Terre-de-Haut 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
-
Food Meals for one dayTerre-de-Haut €45Santa Marta €9.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Terre-de-Haut
For Terre-de-Haut, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Grilled Lobster and Fish Private Cooking Tour with Lunch Included: $231
Typical Food Prices in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Breakfast€2.89
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
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $75
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $75
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Terre-de-Haut €20Santa Marta €13
Tours and Activities in Terre-de-Haut
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Terre-de-Haut.
- Private Shooting Tour Around Soufrière: $106
- Sailing and Snorkeling Day Tour to Les Saintes: $133
- Small Day Cruise (Ilet caret, mangrove, coral reef: $103
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Chocoserrano" Chocolate Tour 1 day - Santa Marta: $115
- 2 days 1 night tour - in Trompito, I meet indigenous community Kogui Uldezhaxa.: $191
- 2-Day Cultural Tour to Gotsezhy from Santa Marta: $198
- 2-Day Tour to Ancestral Heritage from Santa Marta: $190
- 4 Days Adventure; Medellin to Santa Marta- Beach of the Dead: $374
- 4 Days Adventure; Medellin to Santa Marta- Beach of the Dead: $334
- Aracataca And Ciénaga - Gabriel García Márquez Tour: $54
- Archeological Tour in Taironaka with River Tubing and a small Lost City: $278
- Authentic experience with the Sewiaxa Kogui community and the River 1 day.: $95
- Bike Tour Minca: $130
- Bike Tour Playa Grande: $70
- Bike tour Tayrona, Bahía Concha, 1 Day: $79
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayTerre-de-Haut €44Santa Marta €6.17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Marta
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santa Marta from other travelers:
-
Beer€0.53
-
Beer€2.17
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Terre-de-Haut and Santa Marta, we can see that Terre-de-Haut is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Terre-de-Haut is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Marta is in South 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 Terre-de-Haut would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Terre-de-Haut 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 Terre-de-Haut Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
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.