A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Fort-de-France vs. Santa Barbara for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Fort-de-France or Santa Barbara?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Fort-de-France and Santa Barbara can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Fort-de-France or Santa Barbara?

Fort-de-France

As the largest city and capital of Martinique, Fort-de-France serves as the main entryway for visitors traveling to the island. It is a busy city with a significant population, which creates an atmosphere bustling with traffic amidst its historic and cultural sights.

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.


Which place is cheaper, Santa Barbara or Fort-de-France?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Fort-de-France Prices
    Martinique Prices
    Santa Barbara Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Fort-de-France $228
    Santa Barbara $196

The average daily cost (per person) in Fort-de-France is $228, 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 Fort-de-France and Santa Barbara in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Fort-de-France $92
    Santa Barbara $88
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Fort-de-France $184
    Santa Barbara $176
Compare Hotels in Fort-de-France and Santa Barbara

Looking for a hotel in Fort-de-France 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.

Hotels in Fort-de-France


Hotels in Santa Barbara


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: Fort-de-France Hotel Prices and Santa Barbara Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Fort-de-France $18
    Santa Barbara $42

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fort-de-France

Also for Fort-de-France, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Fort de France to Martinique Airport (FDF) - Departure Transfer: $66
  • Martinique Airport (FDF) to Fort de France - Arrival Transfer: $70
  • Transfer from Fort de France Port to Martinique Airport (FDF): $77
  • Private Transfer Martinique Airport (FDF) to Fort de France Port: $77
  • Private Transfer from Fort de France Port to Fort de France: $77
  • Private Transfer from Fort de France to Fort de France Port: $77

Is it cheaper to fly into Fort-de-France or Santa Barbara?

Prices for flights to both Santa Barbara and Fort-de-France 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 day
    Fort-de-France $117
    Santa Barbara $80

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fort-de-France

For Fort-de-France, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Food tour in the rainforest and St Pierre - Pile et Face: $104

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Fort-de-France $36
    Santa Barbara $27

Tours and Activities in Fort-de-France

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fort-de-France.

  • Habitation Clement - entrance ticket: $15
  • Small train tour of a banana farm in Martinique: $22
  • Fort-de-France Private 2-Hour Walking Tour: $26
  • Mangrove Guided Tour: $43
  • Karaib Tour: $66
  • Fort-de-France Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour: $71
  • Martinique Shore Excursion - Unmissable Martinique North tour: $75
  • Authentic Tour of Southern Martinique: $75
  • Martinique Shore Excursion - Authentic Tour of Southern Martinique: $75
  • Scenic Tropical Rainforest & Island Tour: $82
  • Martinique: Coral and Turtle Coves Cruise: $84
  • Half-Day Nature and Panorama Tour in Martinique: $108

Tours and Activities in Santa Barbara

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santa Barbara are as follows:

  • Tours of Santa Barbara ( Private touring ): $219
  • 2- Hour Pottery Workshop and Studio Tour in Ojai: $65
  • 3-Winery Tour Tastings & Lunch Included from Santa Barbara in SYV: $179
  • 3-Winery Tour: Lunch Included from Santa Barbara in Santa Ynez: $119
  • 3-Winery Tour: Lunch Included from Santa Ynez/Solvang/Buellton: $89
  • 3-Winery Tour: Tastings & Lunch Included from Santa Ynez/Solvang: $149
  • Beginner or Intermediate Mountain Bike Tour of Santa Barbara: $125
  • Bellosguardo Estate Tour: $100
  • Best of Santa Barbara Walking Tour with Ice Cream : $90
  • Coastal Cruise on Yacht in Santa Barbara: $40
  • Epic Zipline Tour near Santa Barbara: $155
  • Gaviota Coast Kayak Tour Near Santa Barbara (3.5 Hours): $122

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Fort-de-France $12
    Santa Barbara $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Fort-de-France

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Fort-de-France:

  • Small-Group Tour: Unmissable Martinique with Rum Distillery, Ruins, and More: $75
  • North Tour: rainforest, rum distillery, black sand beach etc: $120

Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Barbara

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Santa Barbara:


  • 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 comparing the travel costs between Fort-de-France and Santa Barbara, we can see that Fort-de-France is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Fort-de-France is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Barbara is in North America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Fort-de-France Expensive? and Is Santa Barbara Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Fort-de-France or Santa Barbara?

Fort-de-France has a larger population, and is about 4% larger than the population of Santa Barbara. When comparing the sizes of Fort-de-France and Santa Barbara, 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.