The average price of a 7-day trip to Santa Cruz is $2,016 for a solo traveler, $3,621 for a couple, and $6,788 for a family of 4. Santa Cruz hotels range from $63 to $288 per night with an average of $101, while most vacation rentals will cost $210 to $880 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL) are between $1,113 and $1,606 per person for economy flights and $3,493 to $5,040 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $49 to $98 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Santa Cruz, CL
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to SCL and stay in a Santa Cruz hotel:
- January 15th to February 4th
- May 14th to June 17th
- August 6th to December 9th (except the weeks of September 3rd and September 17th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Santa Cruz is usually late August to early September.
Average Santa Cruz Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $1,350-$2,977($193-$425 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $49 to $98 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $581 to $1,397 for economy
Lodging: $71 to $122 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $122 to $149 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $3,338-$5,478($477-$783 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $98 to $196 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,162 to $2,794 for economy
Lodging: $71 to $122 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $122 to $149 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $4,548-$9,796($650-$1,399 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $196 to $392 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,324 to $5,588 for economy
Lodging: $142 to $244 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $195 to $209 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Santa Cruz
How cheap can you make a vacation to Santa Cruz? The cheapest trip to Santa Cruz is about $151 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 0% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $156 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $51.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $1,055-$2,789($151-$398 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $24 to $48 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $581 to $1,397 for economy
Lodging: $51 to $63 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $156 to $176 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $1,804-$4,522($258-$646 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $48 to $96 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,162 to $2,794 for economy
Lodging: $51 to $63 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $156 to $176 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $3,608-$8,624($515-$1,232 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $96 to $192 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,324 to $5,588 for economy
Lodging: $102 to $126 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $250 to $282 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Santa Cruz cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Santa Cruz Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Santa Cruz.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $3,230-$14,712($461-$2,102 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $103 to $176 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,615 to $2,920 for first class
Lodging: $149 to $288 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $880 to $1,760 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $5,566-$18,864($795-$2,695 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $206 to $352 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,230 to $5,840 for first class
Lodging: $149 to $288 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $880 to $1,760 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Santa Cruz for a week is $11,132-$31,392($1,590-$4,485 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $412 to $704 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $6,460 to $11,680 for first class
Lodging: $298 to $576 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $1,408 to $2,464 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Santa Cruz Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Santa Cruz is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Santa Cruz due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Santa Cruz Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Santa Cruz hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Santa Cruz.
Flight Costs to Santa Cruz
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,606 average in late December to a low of $1,113 in late August to early September. Median flight price is $1,335. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Santa Cruz our data includes 234 originating airports, and 84 airlines. The area has average variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Santa Cruz from an airport like Savoonga (SVA) in Savoonga, AK (the United States) for an average $16,163 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like La Florida (LSC) in La Serena (Chile) at an average of just $49.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Monday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Santa Cruz, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $492, so you can easily save about 44% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Santa Cruz can easily cost $360 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $24 per person. Private tours can cost $718 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.