Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Belize City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Belize City 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.
Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.
This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.
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 G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $88, 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 Belize City and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Belize City 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.
Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Belize City 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.
For Belize City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Belize City:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Belize City and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Belize City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Belize City is in Central 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 Belize City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Belize City 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 Belize City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Belize City Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands Expensive?.