A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Acapulco de Juarez vs. Rosario Islands for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Acapulco de Juarez or Rosario Islands?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Acapulco de Juarez or Rosario 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 Rosario 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.

Rosario Islands

The Rosario Islands, also referred to as Coral Islands of Rosario, is an archipelago located off the coast of Colombia, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Cartagena. The Rosario Islands are integrated by 28 islands and all of them form one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia, created to protect one of the most important coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Only three of these islands are property of the Colombian state. Before establishing the national park in 1977, wealthy families used this natural paradise to build their summer houses, but then the government allowed them to keep their properties, only if they paid annual rent and taxes to be there, and complied with certain rules to preserve the ecosystem of the islands. People can visit the national park area of the islands, and tours are available. Isla Rosario has an aquarium and open-sea oceanarium that people can visit. Activities on the Rosario Islands include swimming, snorkeling and fishing, among others. The best time to visit Colombia in general, and especially the Rosario Islands is the dry-season months from December to March. These uninterrupted sunny days are just perfect for a Caribbean coastal experience and to enjoy all the activities it has to offer.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Luxury Tours to Colombia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Rosario 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.

  • Acapulco de Juarez Prices
    Mexico Prices
    Rosario Islands Prices
    Colombia Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Acapulco de Juarez $92
    Rosario Islands $108

The average daily cost (per person) in Acapulco de Juarez is $92, while the average daily cost in Rosario Islands is $108. 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 Rosario Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Acapulco de Juarez $35
    Rosario Islands $33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Acapulco de Juarez $70
    Rosario Islands $66
Compare Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez and Rosario Islands

Looking for a hotel in Acapulco de Juarez or Rosario 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.

Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez


Hotels in Rosario Islands


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 and Rosario Islands Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Acapulco de Juarez $15
    Rosario Islands $46

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Acapulco de Juarez

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Acapulco de Juarez:

  • Private - One Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $66
  • Acapulco Airport (ACA) to Acapulco hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
  • Acapulco Airport Roundtrip Transfers: $75
  • Acapulco hotels to Acapulco Airport (ACA) – Departure Private Transfer : $45
  • Airport Transfer In Suburban: $45
  • Private Airport Transfer &on 2nd Day 4Hr TourAll AttractionsCombo: $90
  • Private Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
  • Private Transfer to Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
  • Roundtrip Private Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $27
  • Roundtrip Shared Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $27
  • Shared Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
  • Shared Transfer to Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13

Is it cheaper to fly into Acapulco de Juarez or Rosario Islands?

Prices for flights to both Rosario 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Acapulco de Juarez $45
    Rosario Islands $48

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Acapulco de Juarez $16
    Rosario Islands $14

Tours and Activities in Acapulco de Juarez

Here are a few actual costs in Acapulco de Juarez for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Kayaks Tour to El Morro Islet: $22
  • Acapulco Malibu, Avenida Kids Tour : $50
  • Small-Group or Private All Inclusive 4 Hours City Tour & Divers: $53
  • Different Faces Of Acapulco Tour: $55
  • Acapulco Port Tour in 4 hours: $56
  • 4hr Fun Guide Tour For Cruisers or Hotels Guests with Divers Show: $58
  • 4Hrs City Tour Exclusively for Hotels, Divers, Chapel & Mural.: $60
  • Acapulco City Tour: $65
  • Acapulco Historical Tour with Cliff Divers Show: $65
  • City Tour & Sunset High Cliff Divers by Night w/Different Choices: $67
  • 4 Hrs Exclusive to Cruise Ship Passengers Sightseeing Experience : $67
  • Tour Isla de la Roqueta Stand up paddle Acapulco: $67

Tours and Activities in Rosario Islands

Here are a few actual costs in Rosario Islands for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • One-day tour to Playa Blanca by land Popular sector: $50
  • Tour to Chichen Itza Cenote and Valladolid Plus: $67

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Acapulco de Juarez $9.81
    Rosario Islands $5.98


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Acapulco de Juarez and Rosario Islands, we can see that Rosario 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 Rosario 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 Rosario Islands would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rosario 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 Rosario Islands Expensive?.