Santorini vs Mykonos: Where Should I Go?

View of the village in Oia in the island of Santorini on a sunny day overlooking Ammoudi Bay.

For the longest time I have dreamt of going abroad to visit Greece and it finally happened this summer! To help you plan your next trip, I’ve decided to do a comparison of the islands. Santorini vs Mykonos since I got to visit both. If you’re short on time and/or money then this post will help you choose the best one for you!

Transportation in Santorini vs Mykonos

A car window view of Perissa beach in Santorini.

Transportation costs will vary due to the different geographic layout of the island. Mykonos is cheaper in terms of getting from the airport to the main central square. It’s quite easy to get a taxi in both islands, there’s usually always drivers in tourist areas waiting on the side of the road.
*If you would like maps, the schedule then click here for Santorini and click here for Mykonos.

Santorini
Taxi Costs
– Santorini airport to the Oia is (€50) $55 USD.
– Santorini airport to Fira is (€30) $33 USD.
NOTE: MAKE SURE TO CARRY CASH
Private Car Transfer | Click Here

Bus Costs
– Santorini airport to the Oia is (€4.50) $5 USD.
– Santorini airport to the Fira is (€1.80) $2 USD.

Mykonos
Taxi Costs
– Mykonos airport to city center (Little Venice) – (€25) $28 USD.
– Mykonos airport to Super Paradise Beach (€30) $33 USD

Bus Costs
– Mykonos airport to city center (€2.50) $2.75 USD.
– NOTE: MAKE SURE TO CARRY CASH
Private Car Transfer | Click Here

Who It’s For: Santorini

A scenic view of Oia in Satorini, Greece with the sky and ocean meeting while the mountains sit in the background.

Santorini is known for being the romantic island, usually frequented by honeymooners, couples and men who are ready to pop the question. I have always wanted to visit so I overlooked the “who it’s for” statement and went with my mom and sister. I saw many friends visiting the island together. It’s truly for anyone but you’ll run into a lot of couples.

Who It’s For: Mykonos

Diners eating dinner while watching the waves crash and the sun go down in Mykonos, Greece.

Jenn sitting on a stool in a restaurant with many people in the background as she smiles at the camera.

Mykonos however is frequented by mostly party goers. From my experience, people in Mykonos sleep all day and party all night haha nonetheless, not an excuse to not still visit the beautiful island. I still saw families and I went with no intention to party so you could go around it if it’s not something you want to do.

What To Do In: Santorini

Although marketed to couples, there is so much for friends and/or families to do in Santorini. I had a lot of fun and I went as a single girl with my family. One thing to keep in mind is that there are a lot of stairs and/or hills to walk up so be mindful if you have a mobility issue.

A boat sailing across the Mediterranean ocean in Santorini.

My family and I charted a boat for the day and it was the highlight of my trip!

Diners eating at restaurants along Amoudi Bay in Santorini while watching the sun go down.

Amoudi Bay is filled with delicious restaurants! It’s located at the bottom of Oia and has the most scenic sunsets!

Hike Fira to Oia
6.5 miles (2 hrs long)
Visit Amoudi Bay for dinner
BASALT restaurant is a must
Spend the day at a black sand beach – Perissa or Kamari beach
Group Catamaran Sunset Cruise
$113/person
Charter a private boat with your friends and family
$1,070 6 people x 5 hours
Take a cooking class
$105/person
E-bike Tour
$133/person
Walk through Fira or Oia (scenic towns)

What To Do In: Mykonos

Walk around ‘Little Venice’ in Mykonos and get lost in the micro streets.

Paradise Beach Club

Mykonos is much bigger and has more adventurous activities. I advise budgeting for activities if you plan to do a lot of them because it adds up. Especially activities that require a guide or a crew (boat charter, food tour, wine tasting), having cash in hand for tips.

Kayaking Mykonos
$88/person
Half day tour of Naxos
$133/person
ATV Rental
$167/person
Food Tour
$110/person
Sunset Cruise
$144/person
Scuba Diving
$178/person
Wine Tasting
$133/person
Visit ‘Little Venice’ and/or the Windmills that sit right across from it
Visit a day club (rent a cabana: Paradise brace)
$40/chair

Beaches in Greece: Santorini vs Mykonos

The beaches in Santorini tend to be black sand beaches covered in volcanic rock and pebble filled sand. There’s so many beaches to choose from with incredible scenery and rock formations. Although the current is strong, it is swimmable. These are a few of my favorites from my visit, Red beach, Perivolos, Perissa and Ammoudi beach.

The black sand beach at Perissa Beach in Santorini with beach goes sun bathing under straw umbrellas.

A sunny day and a view of Perissa beach in Santorini.

In Mykonos the beaches are crystal clear and turquoise blue, however, with the same pebble filled sand as in Santorini. There are so many beaches to choose from, my favorite being Super Paradise beach because of its beach club and accessibility to everything you need. Here is a list of others worth visiting, Paraga, Psaoru, Ornos and Elia.

Reclinning beach chairs fill the beach at the Paradise Beach Club with towels and umbrellas on each chair.

Aqua blue colored ocean water at the Paradise Beach Club in Mykonos Greece.

Santorini to Mykonos Ferry

Homes line up the beach of Mykonos called "Little Venice" as the ocean waves crash on the shore.

If you can’t decide which island is best for you, split your time and do both! That’s what I did and I took a ferry to get to and from each island. It’s very easy and convenient. I used Ferryhopper to buy tickets, each way was $99 (€ 89.20). I recommend buying the tickets ahead of time because they tend to sell out during peak season.

You need to arrive an hour before the ferry leaves because it gets crowded both on the road and in the port. The ferry ride is about 3 hours and you’re assigned a seat. Your luggage goes on racks which you will have to put away yourself.

Is Greece Expensive to Visit?

bucket with boats and the Amoudi Bay in the background.

Short answer is yes. I recommend booking your trip to Santorini or Mykonos as far as you can in advance. I booked my trip 8 months in advance and was able to get a really good deal on it so if you have flexibility then book in advance.

Santorini and Mykonos can be as cheap or as expensive as you make them. With a bit of planning ahead and knowing where you’re eating, what you’re doing, etc then you can make it budget friendly. I mentioned this before but make a budget for tips because it’ll be needed.

Roundup: Which is better? Santorini vs. Mykonos

Jenn is taking in the view of Oia as the sun goes down surrounded by white homes and the ocean.

Bird's eye view of the island of Santorini from the window seat of an airplane.

My advice is to do both, no reason to settle and just choose one. I recommend going for 4 days to each island to get the best of both worlds. Also, pack lightly because you will be carrying your luggage through dozens of stairs. As well as having to place your luggage on racks that might be taller than you if you decide to take a ferry and go to multiple islands.

One thing about me is that I love the beach so being able to go to Greece this past summer will be a core memory. No reason why you should stick to one island, choose either Santorini or Mykonos then pair with other islands around like Paros, Naxos or Milos! Let me know in the comments below where you’ll be going 🙂