Which place is cheaper, Roatan or Belize City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Belize City or Roatan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Belize City or Roatan? 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: Belize City or Roatan?
Belize City
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.
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, and The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBelize City $88Roatan $38
The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $88, while the average daily cost in Roatan is $38. 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 Roatan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBelize City $49Roatan $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBelize City $98Roatan $22
Compare Hotels in Belize City and Roatan
Looking for a hotel in Belize City or Roatan? 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: Belize City Hotel Prices and Roatan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Belize City $5.82Roatan $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City
Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Belize: $25
- Belize city water taxi terminal to Airport transfer: $30
- Philip Goldson Airport BZE to Belize hotels Round Trip Transfer: $47
- We do transfers from airport to any where in Belize.: $49
- Transfer Belize city to bacalar: $50
- Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $61
- Belize: Belize City to/from San Ignacio Shuttle Transfer: $68
- Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Shuttle Transfer: $113
- Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- West Bay Aquarium Snorkeling, Beach, Zipline, City Tour & Transfer: $140
- Scuba Dive in the West End of Roatan with Private Transfer: $125
- Roatan Private Sloths, Monkeys, Birds Encounters, City Tour and Transfer: $60
- Private Transfer from Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan Hotels: $144
- Parasailing, Beach Break, Chocolate Factory with Transfer: $155
- North Side Blue Channel & Starfish Snorkeling, 20min JetSki, Transfer Included: $165
- Mayan Eden Eco Wildlife Park, City Tour & Private Transfer: $67
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $39
- Let's Go Native Roatan City Cultural Tour, Transfer: $80
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, Hiking, Beach Break plus Transfer Included: $130
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, City Tour and Transfer: $130
Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Roatan?
Prices for flights to both Roatan 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBelize City $27Roatan $9.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City
For Belize City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Altun Ha Mayan Site & Food Tour - fish farm & restaurant : $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Belize City $29Roatan $27
Tours and Activities in Belize City
For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Belize City Tour: $34
- Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour in Belize: $50
- Hassle free Cave Tubing Adventure from Belize City with Lunch: $55
- Charlie's Cave Tubing Tour for cruisers (lunch included): $65
- Guided Cave Kayaking Tour with Pickup: $79
- Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
- Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and River Wallace and Manatee Watch Tour: $85
- Zip-line Canopy Tour from Belize City: $85
- Cave Tubing Experience from Belize City: $85
- Half-Day Altun Ha Temple & Belize City Tour: $86
- Altun Ha Temples and Belize City Tour +: $90
- Turtle Garden Snorkeling Tour and Island Break : $90
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Private Tour: Chocolate Factory Rum cake Factory, Sightseeing and Beach Tour: $45
- Shore Excursion: VIP Island City Tour and Drift Snorkel : $60
- Shore Excursion: Zip & Dip Adventure: $69
- 2 Tank Roatan Fun Dive, Boat Sightseeing Tour, including ground transportation: $145
- 4-Hour Private Tour to Roatan Island: $65
- ATV Adventure on the East End of Roatan: $135
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $99
- ATV park tour: $125
- ATV tour With Lunch all inclusive : $99
- Best of ATV Adventure or BUGGY BLAST: $90
- Catamaran Cruise, Open Bar, Food and Snorkeling: $165
- Cruise Excursion – 2 Scuba Dives with transport (for certified divers): $175
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBelize City $12Roatan $7.05
Sample the Local Flavors in Belize City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Belize City:
- Belize: City Highlights Tour with Rum Distillery Visit: $40
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Belize City and Roatan, we can see that Belize City is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Belize City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Belize City than you might in Roatan.
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 Roatan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Belize City or Roatan?
Belize City has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Belize City and Roatan, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.