Should you visit Thiva (Thebes) or Santorini?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Thiva (Thebes) and Santorini can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Thiva (Thebes)
The City of Thiva (Thebes in ancient times) is a place built on top of history. Dating back to its powerful city-state status in the 4th Century BC, the city was home to legends like Hercules and Dionysus, and laid basis to the famous story of Oedipus as well. Following the Trojan War, Thiva had reached its golden age as a dominant city of the Boeotia region. The glory however was short to last. Around 335 BC, Thiva was all but destroyed by Alexander the Great for siding with the Persians under Xerxes against Athens.
Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of the Greek Islands. It has some spectacular views, beautiful sunsets, and excellent beaches. As one of the most popular of the Greek Islands to visit, Santorini sees many tourists every year. However, it's for a good reason, as the famous white-washed buildings that spill down the hill, some with blue domes that match the gorgeous color of the water, are set against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of one of the most scenic areas of the Mediterranean. Home to several of these small and scenic towns such as Oia, Kamari, Perissa, and Fira, visitors can explore the large island, enjoy delicious food, swim at the beaches, hike the hills, and sail the blue waters.
Which city is cheaper, Santorini or Thiva (Thebes)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Thiva (Thebes) is €102, while the average daily cost in Santorini is €131. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Thiva (Thebes) and Santorini in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Thiva (Thebes) is €98. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
The prices for places to stay in Santorini can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €66, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €132.
Food
While meal prices in Thiva (Thebes) can vary, the average travelers spends about €33 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Thiva (Thebes) should cost around €13 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Thiva (Thebes) is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
In Santorini travelers spend around €38 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Thiva (Thebes) €33
Santorini €38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini
For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Santorini Caldera: Sunset Cruise with Dinner:
$56
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Wine & Food Tour:
$69
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A taste of Mediterranean Cuisine Dinner:
$86
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Santorini Volcano and Thirassia Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$92
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Fira: 4-Hour Walking Food Tour With Tastings:
$100
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Akrotiri Easy Hike, Beach Visit and Cooking Class:
$106
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Santorini : Sunset Sea Kayak & Snorkel with Dinner:
$118
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Santorini : Cooking Class, Easy Hike, and Snorkeling:
$131
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Santorini Sunset Fishing Trip with Dinner and Drinks:
$154
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Santorini Cooking Class with Wine Tasting & Lunch:
$177
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Santorini Cooking Class and Wine-Tasting Tour:
$177
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5-Hour Food Tour w/ Minibus:
$194
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Thiva (Thebes) is €30 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Santorini than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €23 on transportation in Santorini on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Helicopter Transfer between Mykonos & Santorini:
$3,542
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Oia Sunset: Evening Shuttle Transfer and Free Time:
$16
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Premium Santorini Private Day Tour Lagoon 450, BBQ, drinks, transfer:
$933
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Santorini Airport Hotels Transfer Shuttle Bus Service:
$28
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Santorini Airport Transfer to Fira or Imerovigli:
$56
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Santorini Airport and Ferry Ports Shared Transfer:
$10
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Santorini Private Ride Transfer Services:
$65
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Santorini Taxi Service & Airport, Hotel and Port Transfers:
$65
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Santorini transfer service:
$17
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Airport, Port, and Hotels Minibus Transfer:
$8.07
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Private Deluxe Transfer:
$86
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Transfer Service:
$12
Is it cheaper to fly into Thiva (Thebes) or Santorini?
Prices for flights to both Santorini and Thiva (Thebes) 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.
Entertainment
Thiva (Thebes)'s costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €21 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Santorini, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €29 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
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Firostefani & Oia Village Minibus Panoramic Tour:
$22
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Minibus Panoramic Sightseeing Tour:
$23
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Unique Oia's Sunset Tour in Santorini:
$30
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Santorini-Unique Oia’s Sunset Tour:
$31
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Royalty Unique Oia’s Sunset Tour in Santorini:
$31
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Mesa Gonia, Pyrgos and Oia Tour:
$33
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From Nea Kameni and Hot Springs 4-Hour Tour:
$38
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Archaeological Bus Tour To Akrotiri Excavations & Red Beach:
$40
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Island Bus Tour: The Majestic Spots Of Santorini:
$44
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3 Hour Santorini Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup:
$50
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Santorini Volcano and Thirassia Islands Tour:
$51
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Volcanic Sunset Cruise:
$54
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Thiva (Thebes) may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €14 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Santorini, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €21.
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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5-Hour Santorini Tour with Wine Tasting:
$59
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Private Wine Tasting in a Winery With Caldera View:
$65
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Santorini Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting:
$69
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4-Hours Santorini Vothonas Village Tour with Wine Tasting:
$89
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Half-Day Santorini Tour Vothonas Village with Wine Tasting:
$93
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Authentic Santorinian Tour at Vothonas Village with Wine Tasting:
$93
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Santorini Small-Group Wine Tour:
$98
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Sunset and Wine Tasting Tour by Electric Bike:
$100
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Santorini-Wine Tour Αround Megalochori Village:
$111
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Santorini Small Group Tour with Wine Tasting:
$115
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Santorini-Wine Tour Around Megalochori Village:
$117
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Santorini-Wine Tour Around Megalochori Village:
$124
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Thiva (Thebes) and Santorini, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Thiva (Thebes) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Thiva (Thebes) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Thiva (Thebes) 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini than you might in Thiva (Thebes).
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