Is Santa Elena Expensive?

Is Santa Elena expensive to visit?

Santa Elena is a popular destination that is also moderately priced. It falls in the middle range of travel cost prices globaly with a daily average travel cost of $92. If we compare it to the rest of Central America, it is a moderately priced place to visit. It ranks in the top 50% of cities in Central America for its travel costs. Its travel costs are comparable with places such as San Jose and La Fortuna.

Cloud Forest in Costa Rica

How expensive is Santa Elena?

For a trip to Santa Elena, travelers spend on average $92 per day (U.S. Dollars). This is according to our calculations from previous visitors. As this is an average cost, your individual spending may vary, especially since there's a wide range of accommodation, food, transportation, and entertainment options here. If you stick to moderately-priced hotels and restaurants, as well as take advantage of some of free things to do in the area, you can stick close to the average budget. See more travel costs for Santa Elena here to see how all of the average spending costs pan out.

How expensive is a weekend trip (three days) to Santa Elena?

On average, a weekend trip to Santa Elena costs about $277 per person. This is based on the previous expenses of actual travelers, and includes accommodation, food, activities, local transportation, and more. For two people, a weekend trip costs $555.

How expensive is a one week (7-day) trip to Santa Elena?

A one week trip to Santa Elena costs about $647 per person on average, based on the previous expenses of other travelers. This includes accommodation, sightseeting activities, transportation, food, and nightlife. For two people, a one week trip costs $1,294.

Tree Frog, Costa Rica

Is it expensive to backpack in Santa Elena?

With more than 10 hostels in the area, Santa Elena is a popular backpacker destination for travelers looking to stay on a tight budget and have a fun time along the way. Here, hostels cost an average of $11 per night for a dorm bed, with private rooms being more expensive. (See hostel prices in Santa Elena here.) It's also common to see a wide range in prices, as the cheapest hostels here cost $1, but the most expensive can be more than $23 per night.

Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in Santa Elena.

• $1 for a dorm bed at Monteverde Backpackers
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• $9 for a dorm bed at Sleepers Sleep Cheaper
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• $10 for a dorm bed at Sloth Backpackers Hostel and Bed & Breakfast
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How expensive are sightseeing activities in Santa Elena?

In Santa Elena, the cost of activities and things to do can vary by the type of activity, its length, and the location. To provide an estimate of what to expect during your visit, below are several popular activities that are common in the area. On average, previous travelers have spent around $30 per day on sightseeing and entertainment, which is less than the country's average of $32.

• Birdwatching tour at the Cloud Forest -Monteverde Wild-: $80
• Morning Birdwatching Experience : $85
• Night Adventures in Monteverde: $30
• Guided walk Monteverde Biological Reserve-John's Nature Tours-: $35
• Private Birdwatching Tour and Photography : $155
• Authentic experience of Coffee, Cane and Caco inside the forest: $37
• 5-Hour Birdwatching and Photography Tour in Monteverde: $100
• Finca El Paraiso Farm Cheese Tour in Monteverde: $40

Is food expensive in Santa Elena?

In Santa Elena, the cost of food can vary by the type of restaurant and food options available. To save money, eat at less expensive restaurants, try street food, or cook your own meals when possible. On average, previous travelers have spent around $24 per day on food, which is less than the country's average of $25.

• Night Walk in Monteverde with Dinner Included: $55

Is transportation expensive in Santa Elena?

Exploring local transportation in Santa Elena shows that the price can vary greatly by the type of transportation used. On average, previous travelers have spent $11 per person per day, which is less than the country's average of $26. If you want to save money, use public transit as it's much cheaper than taxis or private drivers.

More for Santa Elena

If you're planning a trip to Santa Elena, Costa Rica, check out these other informative travel guides.

We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.