A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kingston vs. Santa Fe for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kingston or Santa Fe?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston or Santa Fe, 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: Kingston or Santa Fe?

Kingston

Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is the state capital of New Mexico as well as the oldest state capital in the United States, founded in 1607. It has become a popular travel destination due to the surrounding scenic beauty, its long history, cultural diversity especially with its proximity to American Indian pueblos and culture, and a rich concentration of arts, music, and food.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Santa Fe or Kingston?

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

  • Kingston Prices
    Jamaica Prices
    Santa Fe Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Kingston $123
    Santa Fe $190

The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $123, while the average daily cost in Santa Fe is $190. 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 Kingston and Santa Fe in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kingston $62
    Santa Fe $81
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kingston $124
    Santa Fe $162
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Santa Fe

Looking for a hotel in Kingston or Santa Fe? 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 Kingston


Hotels in Santa Fe


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: Kingston Hotel Prices and Santa Fe Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kingston $28
    Santa Fe $61

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:

  • Montego Bay: 5-Day Jamaica Tour with Meals and Transfers: $2,200
  • From Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Negril: $749
  • Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Montego Bay: $479
  • Tropical Off-Road ATV Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $369
  • From Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Ocho Rios: $319
  • Runaway Bay Hotels Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $261
  • Group Private Kingston Airport Transfers (10 - 15 Persons): $251
  • Port Antonio Hotel Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $235
  • Kingston Round Trip Airport Transfers to Ocho Rios : $230
  • NMIA & Kingston transfer to Negril: $225
  • Airport Group Transfers-Kingston: $180
  • Transfer for Kingston Airport to and from Hotels in Montego Bay: $173

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Fe

Also for Santa Fe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • New Mexico: Private Transfer from Santa Fe Regional Airport: $196

Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Santa Fe?

Prices for flights to both Santa Fe and Kingston 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
    Kingston $44
    Santa Fe $75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Fe

For Santa Fe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • New Mexican Flavors Food Tour of the Santa Fe Plaza: $187
  • Wander New Mexico Food Tour - Downtown Plaza 'Sip & Savor': $209
  • Santa Fe Farmers Market & Railyard Food Tour: $213
  • Savor Wine Pairing Dinner: $234
  • Downtown Plaza "Sip and Savor" Half-day Food Tour: $239

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kingston $12
    Santa Fe $17

Tours and Activities in Kingston

Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Ocho Rios: $232
  • Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios : $62
  • Bamboo Rafting and Boston Jerk Centre Tour in Portland Jamaica: $220
  • Blue Mountain Tour: A Half-Day Escape from Kingston: $1,011
  • Blue Mountains Coffee Private Tour from Kingston: $180
  • Bob Marley Guided City Tour: $95
  • Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
  • Bob Marley Museum Express Tour from Port Royal Cruise Port: $141
  • Bob Marley Museum, Devon House and Downtown Kingston Tour: $134
  • City Tour of Kingston Including Entry Fees: $105
  • Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
  • Devon House City Tour Combo: $85

Tours and Activities in Santa Fe

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Fe.

  • Santa Fe Historic Downtown Smart Phone Audio App Self Guided GPS Walking Tour : $9.75
  • Santa Fe Historic Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $13
  • Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Santa Fe NM: $15
  • Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour of Historic Santa Fe: $15
  • Santa Fe Botanical Garden General Admission Ticket : $17
  • Meow Wolf The House of Eternal Return Ticket: $35
  • Allan Houser Sculpture Garden and Studio Tour: $35
  • Canyon Road Art & History Walking Tour: $69
  • Canyon Road Art & History Walking Tour: $70
  • Santa Fe Chocolate Tasting and History Exploration Tour : $80
  • Small Group History Walking Tour Thru Santa Fe a City Different: $98
  • Santa Fe Deep Dive History Walking Tour: $109

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kingston $11
    Santa Fe $9.68

Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Fe

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Santa Fe:

  • Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery Tour and Tasting: $18
  • Architectural Walking Tour & Wine Tasting: $135
  • Join in Wine Tours: $145


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kingston and Santa Fe, we can see that Santa Fe is more expensive. And not only is Kingston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kingston is in Caribbean Islands and Santa Fe 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 Kingston would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kingston 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 Santa Fe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Fe than you might in Kingston.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kingston Expensive? and Is Santa Fe Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kingston or Santa Fe?

Kingston has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Santa Fe. When comparing the sizes of Kingston and Santa Fe, 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.