Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Acapulco de Juarez?
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 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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Acapulco de Juarez Prices
Mexico PricesGalapagos Islands Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAcapulco de Juarez $92Galapagos Islands $160
The average daily cost (per person) in Acapulco de Juarez is $92, while the average daily cost in Galapagos Islands is $160. 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 $35Galapagos Islands $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAcapulco de Juarez $70Galapagos 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 $15Galapagos 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
- Acapulco Airport Roundtrip Transfers: $75
- Private - One Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $66
- Acapulco Airport (ACA) to Acapulco hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Acapulco hotels to Acapulco Airport (ACA) – Departure Private Transfer : $45
- Airport Transfer In Suburban: $45
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $27
- Roundtrip Shared Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $27
- Private Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
- Private Transfer to Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
- Shared Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
- Shared Transfer to Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
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: $123
- Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $123
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $56
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 $45Galapagos Islands $55
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.
- Lucha Libre-Wrestling FiestaExper Taco Dinner Beer ONLY SUNDAYS: $62
- High Divers DeLuxe Three Course Dinner + Two Drinks plus SUNSET: $66
- Wrestling-Lucha Libre Experience Tacos Beer Dinner Only On SUNDAY: $74
- Sunset Dinner and Cliff Divers in Acapulco: $91
- Mexican Cooking Class & Market Tour with a Professional Chef: $100
- Mexican Fiesta Show & Dinner: $115
- Super DeLuxe Bella Vista Dinner &1 Drink +2 Drinks at CliffDivers: $253
- Off the Beaten Path Mexican Cooking Class Lagoon Boatride &Lunch: $286
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Acapulco de Juarez $16Galapagos 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.: $60
- 4Hrs Small Group Half Day City Tour with Lunch at High Divers: $70
- Acapulco Port Tour in 4 hours: $56
- Museums, Magic City Market & Meals: A Cultural Tour of Acapulco: $129
- 4 Hrs Exclusive to Cruise Ship Passengers Sightseeing Experience : $67
- 4 in 1 Combo tours for visitors in their first time: $192
- 4hr Fun Guide Tour For Cruisers or Hotels Guests with Divers Show: $58
- 6 Hour Fun-Filled Tour Perfect for Cruise Travelers & Hotel Stays: $83
- 6Hr Cruise or Hotels City Tour, Divers, Baby Turtles Peace Chapel: $75
- 6Hr Cruisers or Hotels High Diver Peace Chapel BabyTurtleRelease: $96
- Acapulco City Tour: $68
- Acapulco City Tour: $65
Tours and Activities in Galapagos Islands
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.
- Giant Turtle Watching and Lava Tunnels Tour: $39
- Santa Cruz Bay Tour: Half-Day Tour with 5 Sights: $48
- Bay Tour in Santa Cruz - Galapagos Islands: $60
- Half Day Bay Tour in Santa Cruz Island: $62
- Isabela Island Tour in Galapagos with Kayak : $64
- Hiking Tour to Sierra Negra Volcano: $67
- Private BiciTour Giant Tortoises and Lava Tunnel in Galapagos: $90
- Half-Day Hiking Tour to Sulfur Fumaroles on Isabela Island: $95
- Trekking experience at Sierra Negra Volcano: $100
- The Galapagos Giant Tortoise Experience + Los Gemelos | Shared: $105
- Tintoreras Islet Tour from Isabela - Hiking & Snorkeling : $108
- Santa Cruz Highland Tour: Giant Tortoises, Lava Tunnel & Gemelos: $158
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAcapulco de Juarez $9.81Galapagos 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.