Which place is cheaper, Santa Barbara or Eagle Beach?
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 Eagle Beach or Santa Barbara?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Eagle Beach or Santa Barbara, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Eagle Beach or Santa Barbara?
Eagle Beach
Aruba, only fifteen miles north of Venezuela, is a top Caribbean tourist destination. It's a small island, only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide, and is an autonomous dependency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. One of the most popular and beautiful beaches on the island is Eagle Beach. It's a popular beach with the locals, and a common destination for many who are looking for a party. The beach is particularly crowded on Easter weekend. The sand is a sugary white and the waters are a stunning crystal blue color. The beach itself is quite flat and the ocean is so calm it's like swimming in a pool. There are a handful of palm trees if you're seeking shade, but otherwise it's the ideal place to soak up some rays. You'll find some shaded picnic areas as well if you're hoping to enjoy a casual lunch.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is located in California, less than 100 miles from Los Angeles. It sits between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, giving it a stunning backdrop. The town has a population of just 90,000 but it still offers visitors many cultural, culinary, and shopping experiences that surpass many large cities. There are wide beaches along a beautiful coastline, impressive wineries, and many top rated restaurants. Many people see Santa Barbara as a hangout for the rich and famous, but with a university and diverse population, the city is much more relatable than you might expect, although travel prices here are still somewhat high.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America.
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Eagle Beach Prices
Aruba PricesSanta Barbara Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEagle Beach $500Santa Barbara $196
The average daily cost (per person) in Eagle Beach is $500, while the average daily cost in Santa Barbara is $196. 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 Eagle Beach and Santa Barbara in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEagle Beach $290Santa Barbara $88
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEagle Beach $580Santa Barbara $176
Compare Hotels in Eagle Beach and Santa Barbara
Looking for a hotel in Eagle Beach or Santa Barbara? 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: Santa Barbara Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Eagle Beach $42Santa Barbara $42
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eagle Beach
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eagle Beach:
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Round-trip Bus Ticket$2.84
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One Day Scooter Rental$51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Eagle Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Eagle Beach:
- Round-Trip Aruba Airport Transfer: $23
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Aruba Reina Beatrix Airport (AUA)- Aruba: $25
- Aruba Private Airport Transfer: Personalized Arrival: $31
- Private Transfer from Aruba Queen Airport (AUA) to Aruba Island: $36
- Aruba Island to Aruba Queen Airport(AUA) Departure Transfer: $39
- Aruba Queen Beatrix Airport(AUA) to Aruba Island-Arrival Transfer: $39
- Aruba Island to Aruba Queen Airport (AUA) - Departure Transfer: $39
- Aruba VIP Airport Transfers (Round-Trip) : $40
- Arubabound Transfers: $40
- Round-Trip Aruba Airport Express Transfer: $45
- Private Airport Transfer Round-Trip Aruba: $49
- Aruba Restaurant Transfers Service (Round-Trip): $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Eagle Beach or Santa Barbara?
Prices for flights to both Santa Barbara and Eagle Beach 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 dayEagle Beach $150Santa Barbara $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Eagle Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Eagle Beach.
- Aruba Dinner and Nightlife Tour: $86
- Noord, Aruba: Exclusive Private Dinner aboard the Aqua Donut: $90
- Aruba Caribbean Dinner Sail Experience: $92
- Sunset Sail Cruise to Boca Catalina with BBQ Dinner: $110
- Sunset Sail: Aruba Dinner Cruise with Open Bar by Catamaran: $119
- Tropical Sailing Experience with BBQ Lunch or BBQ Dinner in Aruba: $135
- Caribbean Cooking Class in Aruba: $160
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Eagle Beach $155Santa Barbara $27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Eagle Beach
Here are a few typical costs in Eagle Beach for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Full Day Bike Rental$32
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Kayak & Snorkeling Tour$126
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Horseback Riding Tour$89
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4 Hr Snorkel Trip$95
Tours and Activities in Eagle Beach
Here are a few actual costs in Eagle Beach for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Champagne and Diamond Shopping Experience in Aruba: $5.00
- Aruba Ostrich Adventures Entrance Ticket and Unique Tour: $15
- Aruba Mangel Halto and Baby Beach Snorkeling Guided Tour: $37
- Scenic Aruba Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $40
- Explore Aruba Party Bus Tour: $41
- Aruba Countryside Tour: $44
- Aruba Downtown Historic and Cultural Walking Tour: $45
- Aruba Happy Hour Tour: $50
- Aruba Jet Ski Rentals — Exciting Water Adventures Await: $58
- Aruba Sunset Sail Cruise aboard The Dolphin Catamaran: $59
- Full-Day Aruba History and Must-See Landmarks Tour: $59
- Highlights of Aruba Island Tour: $60
Tours and Activities in Santa Barbara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santa Barbara are as follows:
- Santa Barbara Downtown Self Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Santa Barbara CA: $15
- Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Goleta Isla Vista CA: $15
- Santa Barbara Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $25
- Santa Barbara Trolley Tour: $28
- Sanctum Sacrifice of Santa Barbara Ghost Tours: $32
- Santa Barbara Puzzling Adventure: $35
- Coastal Cruise on Yacht in Santa Barbara: $40
- Santa Barbara Narrated Coastal Yacht Experience: $42
- Santa Barbara Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $44
- High Ropes Adventure Course near Santa Barbara: $45
- Santa Barbara Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $49
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEagle Beach $40Santa Barbara $12
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Barbara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Santa Barbara:
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Camping$20
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Barbara
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Santa Barbara:
- Santa Barbara Craft Brewery and History Crawl: $140
- Private Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting: $150
- Santa Ynez Valley Biking and Wine Tasting Tour: $175
- Solvang Santa Ynez Valley Small Group All-Inclusive Wine Tour : $180
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour of Santa Barbara Wine Country: $235
- Santa Barbara Small-Group Wine Tour to Private Estates & Wineries: $235
- Small-Group Wine Tour to Private Locations in Santa Barbara : $235
- Santa Ynez Wine Tour (All-Inclusive): $239
- Santa Ynez Cupcake & Wine Tour (All-Inclusive): $259
- Santa Barbara Wine Tour Experience - Authentic and Boutique : $265
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eagle Beach and Santa Barbara, we can see that Eagle Beach is more expensive. And not only is Santa Barbara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eagle Beach is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Barbara 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 Eagle Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Eagle Beach than you might in Santa Barbara.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Eagle Beach Expensive? and Is Santa Barbara 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.