Which place is cheaper, Santa Marta or Belize City?
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 Belize City or Santa Marta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Belize City 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: Belize City or Santa Marta?
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.
This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.
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 G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
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Belize City Prices
Belize PricesSanta Marta Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBelize City $108Santa Marta $39
The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $108, while the average daily cost in Santa Marta is $39. 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 Belize City and Santa Marta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBelize City $49Santa Marta $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBelize City $98Santa Marta $28
Compare Hotels in Belize City and Santa Marta
Looking for a hotel in Belize City 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: Belize City Hotel Prices and Santa Marta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Belize City $5.81Santa Marta $5.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City
Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer from the Philip Goldson Airport to San Ignacio: $80
- Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150
- Private Transfer from Belize City To Hopkins Village : $115
- Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $72
- Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize city hotels -Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
- Belize City to Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) - Departure Private Transfer: $55
- Belize City to Belize Airport (BZE) - Departure Private Transfer: $54
- Belize City Airport to Placencia Private Transfer: $150
- Belize Airport (BZE) to San Ignacio - Arrival Private Transfer: $89
- Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $108
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:
- Transfer to Playa Cinto & Playa Cristal: $67
- Transfer from Accommodation to Simón Bolivar Airport: $35
- Transfer by boat to Tayrona Park Cabo San Juan: $67
- Calderon Beach Club Day Pass with Lunch & Transfer: $194
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $37
- Santa Marta to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $40
- Santa Marta to or from Palomino Private Transfer: $49
- Santa Marta to or from Palomino Private Transfer: $49
- Santa Marta to or from Minca Private Transfer: $39
- Santa Marta to or from Cartagena Private Transfer: $149
- Santa Marta to or from Barranquilla Private Transfer: $70
- Santa Marta Private Transfer from City to Airport (SMR): $11
Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Santa Marta?
Prices for flights to both Santa Marta and Belize City 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 dayBelize City $47Santa Marta $17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City
For Belize City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Altun Ha Mayan Site & Food Tour - fish farm & restaurant : $80
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Belize City $29Santa Marta $13
Tours and Activities in Belize City
For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure from Belize City: $195
- ATM Cave Adventure "Actun Tunichil Muknal" (from Belize City): $235
- Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from Belize City: $268
- Altun Ha Mayan Ruins & Zipline Tour from Belize City All Inclusive: $210
- Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
- Altun Ha and Howler Monkey Sanctuary Tour: $200
- Belize City Tour: $40
- Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour in Belize: $60
- Birding by Boat Cruise at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary from Belize City: $300
- Cave Kayak tour for Belize Car Rental : $59
- Cave Kayaking and Jungle Zip line Adventures : $175
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure from Belize City: $115
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBelize City $12Santa Marta $6.55
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Belize City and Santa Marta, we can see that Belize City is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Belize City is in Central America 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 Belize City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Belize City 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 Belize City Expensive? and Is Santa Marta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Belize City or Santa Marta?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Belize City. When comparing the sizes of Belize City and Santa Marta, 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.