A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Port-au-Prince vs. Santa Cruz for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Port-au-Prince or Santa Cruz?

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 Port-au-Prince and Santa Cruz. 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: Port-au-Prince or Santa Cruz?

Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince is the capital city and most-populous city of Haiti. The metropolitan area is divided into several districts with access to a number of landmarks and museums, as well as a lively cultural scene.

Santa Cruz

On the central coast of California in between Monterey Bay and San Jose lies Santa Cruz, California, a laid-back coastal college town with a reputation of locals open to liberal views and accepting of alternative lifestyles. Among its residents are University of California, Santa Cruz students, a large artist colony, and professional surfers.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, and The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Santa Cruz or Port-au-Prince?

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

  • Port-au-Prince Prices
    Haiti Prices
    Santa Cruz Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Port-au-Prince $31
    Santa Cruz $156

The average daily cost (per person) in Port-au-Prince is $31, while the average daily cost in Santa Cruz is $156. 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 Port-au-Prince and Santa Cruz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Port-au-Prince $22
    Santa Cruz $61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Port-au-Prince $44
    Santa Cruz $122
Compare Hotels in Port-au-Prince and Santa Cruz

Looking for a hotel in Port-au-Prince or Santa Cruz? 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 Port-au-Prince


Hotels in Santa Cruz


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 Cruz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Port-au-Prince $4.77
    Santa Cruz $40

Is it cheaper to fly into Port-au-Prince or Santa Cruz?

Prices for flights to both Santa Cruz and Port-au-Prince 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
    Port-au-Prince $6.45
    Santa Cruz $70

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Cruz

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santa Cruz.

  • Capitola Friday Night Food Tour: $129

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Port-au-Prince $0.76
    Santa Cruz $18

Tours and Activities in Santa Cruz

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

  • Self Guided UC Santa Cruz Walking Tour: Unlock Secret Stories : $20
  • Capitola Private 2-Hour Walking Tour: $30
  • Half Day Private Beach Tour in Santa Cruz: $35
  • Santa Cruz Guided eBike Ride & Most Fun Bike e-Bike Tour : $110
  • Santa Cruz 2Hour Guided eBike Tour for Small E-Bike Groups: $110
  • Santa Cruz Family Friendly Guided Electric Bike Tour (eBike): $110
  • Guided eBike Tour: $120
  • Mermaid Experience & Photoshoot: $220
  • Capitola Watercolor Journaling Experience: $297

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Port-au-Prince $0.20
    Santa Cruz $8.57

Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Cruz

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Santa Cruz:

  • Wine Tasting Experience: $25
  • Private Brewery Tour: $500


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Port-au-Prince Expensive? and Is Santa Cruz Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Port-au-Prince or Santa Cruz?

Port-au-Prince has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Santa Cruz. When comparing the sizes of Port-au-Prince and Santa Cruz, 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.