Which place is cheaper, Santa Fe or Ponce?
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 Ponce or Santa Fe?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Ponce and Santa Fe 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: Ponce or Santa Fe?
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
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.
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Ponce Prices
Puerto Rico PricesSanta Fe Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPonce $230Santa Fe $190
The average daily cost (per person) in Ponce is $230, 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 Ponce and Santa Fe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPonce $151Santa Fe $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPonce $302Santa Fe $162
Compare Hotels in Ponce and Santa Fe
Looking for a hotel in Ponce 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.
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 Fe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ponce $10Santa Fe $61
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
- Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
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 Ponce or Santa Fe?
Prices for flights to both Santa Fe and Ponce 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 dayPonce $61Santa Fe $75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Latin Night with Dinner and Local Music with Transportation: $59
- Puerto Rico Art and Wine Dinner with One Way Transportation: $89
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Island Authentic Food Tour : $130
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ponce $56Santa Fe $17
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
- Scuba Boat Diving Experience in Gilligan's Island at Copamarina: $160
- 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
- 5 hours Tour in La Parguera Private Boat Charter: $200
- 7 Hours River Tour with Beach and Learn to Make Piña Colada : $195
- 8 Hours Private Tours in Puerto Rico: $150
- Adventure in Cave and the Guayaney Spring: $99
- Afro-Boriken-Loiza: Food, Cave & Art Tour: $140
- Aguadilla 6 Hour Local Tour: $150
- Camuy Caves Experience Tour with transportation: $130
- Cave Hopping Tour: $198
- Caves Coastlines and Beach; Cueva del Indio, Arecibo Adventure : $125
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPonce $16Santa Fe $9.68
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
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 Ponce and Santa Fe, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Santa Fe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ponce 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 Santa Fe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Fe 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce than you might in Santa Fe.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ponce Expensive? and Is Santa Fe Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ponce or Santa Fe?
Ponce has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Santa Fe. When comparing the sizes of Ponce 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.
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.