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

Should you visit Negril or Santa Fe?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Negril and Santa Fe. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Negril or Santa Fe?

Negril

Negril is a town in western Jamaica known for its miles of white sand beaches and cliffs. It is certainly one of the more laid back towns on the island yet still attracts a lot of tourists. The hotels are as close to the water as you can get, and the sand gets whiter and whiter the further away from populated areas you get. The water is unbelievably clear and warm in Negril!

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 Negril?

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

  • Negril Prices
    Jamaica Prices
    Santa Fe Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Negril $150
    Santa Fe $190

The average daily cost (per person) in Negril is $150, 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 Negril and Santa Fe in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Negril $102
    Santa Fe $81
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Negril $204
    Santa Fe $162
Compare Hotels in Negril and Santa Fe

Looking for a hotel in Negril 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 Negril


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: Negril Hotel Prices and Santa Fe Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Negril $8.39
    Santa Fe $61
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Negril

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Negril:


  • Taxi From Airport
    $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Negril

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

  • Kingston to North Coast Tour with Private Transfer: $228
  • Private Airport Transfer Montego Bay and Negril: $200
  • Grand Palladium Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Rountrip): $200
  • Private Airport Transfer Royalton Negril: $200
  • Private Transfers-Negril and Runaway Bay hotels(Round Trip): $180
  • Private Transfer from Jamaica (MBJ) Airport to Negril: $174
  • Luxury Grand Palladium Transfer: $144
  • Montego Bay Airport (MBJ) to Negril hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $139
  • Montego Bay Airport Transfers to Negril Hotels: $134
  • Private Airport transfer to/from all hotels in Negril round trip: $130
  • Private Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Negril/Westmoreland Hotel: $123
  • Club Kingston VIP Lounge & Fast Track with Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer: $112

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 Negril or Santa Fe?

Prices for flights to both Santa Fe and Negril 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
    Negril $38
    Santa Fe $75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Negril

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

  • Dinner in the Sky Jamaica Round Trip Taxi & Guide only: $42
  • The Jungle Nightclub Experience with Optional Dinner in Negril: $80
  • Zimbali Mountain Cooking Studio: $105
  • Local food tour and local fields : $164

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.
    Negril $26
    Santa Fe $17
Typical Entertainment Prices in Negril

For Negril, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • 2 Hr Horseback Ride
    $42

Tours and Activities in Negril

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

  • Rick's Cafe Sunset Cruise : $60
  • ATV's, Shopping, Seven Mile Beach,Catamaran Cruise to Ricks Cafe : $130
  • Appleton Estate Rum Tour: $113
  • Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Negril: $232
  • Appleton and Y.S Falls Tour from Negril Hotels: $261
  • Bamboo Rafting and Rick Cafe Negril Private Tour: $156
  • Bambuza ATV, Zipline and Horseback Adventure from Negril: $190
  • Benta River & Falls Private Tour From Montego Bay/Negril: $150
  • Black River Safari & YS Falls Guided Tour with Lunch & Admission from Negril: $145
  • Black River Safari and YS Falls Tour from Negril: $232
  • Blue Hole Secret Falls and Dunns River Falls Adventure: $134
  • Boat tour: $117

Tours and Activities in Santa Fe

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

  • 2 Hour Pottery Experience (Wheel or Hand-Building): $160
  • Allan Houser Sculpture Garden and Studio Tour: $35
  • Downtown Santa Fe Walking Wine, History, & Tapas Tour: $249
  • Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Santa Fe NM: $15
  • Plaza Sip, Savor, & History Walking Tour in Santa Fe: $189
  • Private 2.5h Walking Tour to Discover Santa Fe: $185
  • Private Festive Tour of Santa Fe’s Christmas Highlights: $349
  • Private Walking Tour of Santa Fe’s Historic Sites: $866
  • Railyard Sip, Savor, & History Walking Tour in Santa Fe: $159
  • Santa Fe Architectural Walking Tour: $136
  • Santa Fe Art and History Small Group Bike Tour: $135
  • Santa Fe Botanical Garden General Admission Ticket : $17

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Negril $9.74
    Santa Fe $9.68

Sample the Local Flavors in Negril

Also in Negril, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Negril One Love Bus Bar Crawl: $26

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 Negril and Santa Fe, we can see that Santa Fe is more expensive. And not only is Negril much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Negril 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 Negril would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Negril 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 Negril.

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


Which is Bigger, Negril or Santa Fe?

Santa Fe has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Negril. When comparing the sizes of Negril 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.