Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Acapulco de Juarez?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Acapulco de Juarez or Galapagos Islands?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Acapulco de Juarez or Galapagos Islands? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Acapulco de Juarez or Galapagos Islands?
Acapulco de Juarez
Located on the southwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico is the beautiful beach city of Acapulco de Juarez. Acapulco is one of the original travel and resort destinations in Mexico, and it's still considered a popular spring break destination for Americans. Known as simply "Acapulco" to many travelers, this region is a popular spot for cruise lines to stop and timeshares to grow. Thanks to those cruise lines and timeshares, tourist activities like water parks and jet skis have experienced considerable growth.
Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are a small archipelago of islands belonging to Ecuador in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The Galapagos archipelago is world-renowned for its unique and fearless wildlife, much of which was inspiration for Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection. Thanks to a lack of natural predators, friendly wildlife such as sea lions and gigantic sea tortoises let visitors get up close. This archipelago of about 19 islands and many smaller islets found over 620 miles off Ecuador's coast in the Pacific Ocean is a double World Heritage site, where both land and sea are protected. Each island boasts its own unique landscape, ranging from black, volcanic rocks to white sand beaches and gemstone-blue waters. There is no bad time to visit the Galapagos Islands but the busiest months for tourism tend to be June, July and August, as well as mid-December to mid-January. This is when prices are at their highest.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAcapulco de Juarez $81Galapagos Islands $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Acapulco de Juarez is $81, while the average daily cost in Galapagos Islands is $138. 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 Acapulco de Juarez and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAcapulco de Juarez $39Galapagos Islands $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAcapulco de Juarez $78Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez and Galapagos Islands
Looking for a hotel in Acapulco de Juarez or Galapagos Islands? 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: Acapulco de Juarez Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Acapulco de Juarez $16Galapagos Islands $54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Acapulco de Juarez
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Acapulco de Juarez:
- Private Airport Transfer &on 2nd Day 4Hr TourAll AttractionsCombo: $90
- Private Best Round Trip Airport - Hotel - Airport Transfer : $70
- Private - One Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $66
- Airport Transfer in Suburban: $65
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Acapulco Airport (ACA) - Bahia de Acapulco: $49
- Transfer in private minivan from Bahía de Acapulco -Acapulco Airport (ACA): $32
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Bahía de Acapulco - Acapulco Airport (ACA): $24
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Acapulco Airport (ACA) -Bahía de Acapulco: $24
- Acapulco hotels to Acapulco Airport (ACA) – Departure Private Transfer : $20
- Acapulco Airport Transfer: $10
- Shared transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA) - Acapulco: $6.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Galapagos Islands
Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Baltra Airport to Hotels in Santa Cruz Island: $159
- Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $159
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $55
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $48
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $64
Is it cheaper to fly into Acapulco de Juarez or Galapagos Islands?
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Acapulco de Juarez 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 dayAcapulco de Juarez $29Galapagos Islands $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Acapulco de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Acapulco de Juarez.
- High Divers DeLuxe Three Course Dinner +Three Drinks plus SUNSET: $49
- Cliff Divers Exhibition 2 Drinks + Tacos al Pastor Dinner & Beer: $55
- Cliff Diver De Luxe 3 Course Dinner at "La Quebrada" in Acapulco: $56
- Cliff Divers Show With Dinner At Acapulco: $72
- Wrestling-Lucha Libre Experience Tacos Beer Dinner Only SUNDAY: $84
- Off the Beaten Path Mexican Cooking Class Lagoon Boatride &Lunch: $89
- Hands ON - Mex Cooking Class Experience - City Market & Lunch : $90
- Hands On Mexican Cooking Class with Food Tasting & Market Visit: $100
- Mexican Fiesta Show & Dinner: $115
- Bella Vista PRIVATE Al Fresco 3 Course Dinner Cliff Diver3Drinks: $191
- Super DeLuxe Bella Vista Dinner &1 Drink +2 Drinks at CliffDivers: $193
- Divers Show and Luxury Dinner in Acapulco: $199
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Acapulco de Juarez $18Galapagos Islands $35
Tours and Activities in Acapulco de Juarez
Here are a few actual costs in Acapulco de Juarez for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4Hrs City Tour Exclusively for Hotels, Divers, Chapel & Mural.: $44
- 6Hr Walking Tour San Diego Fort Museum Cliff Divers Zocalo: $68
- Small-Group or Private All Inclusive 4 Hours City Tour & Divers: $36
- 4 Hrs Exclusive to Cruise Ship Passengers Sightseeing Experience : $62
- 4-6Hrs Acapulco City Tour With a Fun Guide. Diver Show, Mex Lunch: $47
- 4Hrs Small Group Half Day City Tour with Lunch at High Divers: $85
- 4hr City Tour For Cruises or Hotels Diver Peace Chapel & Mural: $40
- 6Hr City Tour Cruise or Hotel Turtle Nesting High Diver & Market: $51
- 6Hr Cruise or Hotels City Tour, Divers, Baby Turtles Peace Chapel: $51
- 6Hr Cruisers or Hotels High Diver Peace Chapel BabyTurtleRelease: $50
- Acapulco City Tour : $35
- Acapulco Historical Tour with Cliff Divers Show: $65
Tours and Activities in Galapagos Islands
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.
- Private Tour Sighting Giant Tortoises and Lava Tunnels: $36
- Isabela Island Wetlands Walking Tour: $40
- Bay Tour in Santa Cruz - Galapagos Islands: $60
- Isabela Island Tour in Galapagos with Kayak and Snorkeling: $64
- FERRY TICKET From: Santa Cruz / To: San Cristobal (PM): $65
- FERRY TICKET From: Isabela / To: Santa Cruz (AM): $65
- Hiking Tour to Sierra Negra Volcano: $67
- Half Day Bay Tour in Santa Cruz Island: $72
- Half Day Tour in Sierra Negra Volcano & Lava Fields: $90
- Private BiciTour Giant Tortoises and Lava Tunnel in Galapagos: $90
- Kayaking Experience in Franklin Bay: $95
- Tintoreras Islet Tour from Isabela - Hiking & Snorkeling in Galapagos Islands: $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAcapulco de Juarez $11Galapagos Islands $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Acapulco de Juarez and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Acapulco de Juarez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Acapulco de Juarez is in North America and Galapagos Islands is in South 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 Acapulco de Juarez would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Acapulco de Juarez 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 Galapagos Islands would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Galapagos Islands than you might in Acapulco de Juarez.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Acapulco de Juarez Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands Expensive?.
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.