Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Eagle Beach?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Eagle Beach or Galapagos Islands?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Eagle Beach or Galapagos Islands, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Eagle Beach or Galapagos Islands?
Eagle Beach
Aruba, only fifteen miles north of Venezuela, is a top Caribbean tourist destination. It's a small island, only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide, and is an autonomous dependency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. One of the most popular and beautiful beaches on the island is Eagle Beach. It's a popular beach with the locals, and a common destination for many who are looking for a party. The beach is particularly crowded on Easter weekend. The sand is a sugary white and the waters are a stunning crystal blue color. The beach itself is quite flat and the ocean is so calm it's like swimming in a pool. There are a handful of palm trees if you're seeking shade, but otherwise it's the ideal place to soak up some rays. You'll find some shaded picnic areas as well if you're hoping to enjoy a casual lunch.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEagle Beach $341Galapagos Islands $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Eagle Beach is $341, 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 Eagle Beach and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEagle Beach $227Galapagos Islands $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEagle Beach $454Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Eagle Beach and Galapagos Islands
Looking for a hotel in Eagle Beach 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Eagle Beach $33Galapagos Islands $54
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eagle Beach
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eagle Beach:
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Round-trip Bus Ticket$2.22
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One Day Scooter Rental$40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Eagle Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Eagle Beach:
- VIP luxury limousine airport transfer one way!: $190
- VIP Luxury SUV Airport Transfer: $120
- Round Trip Private Airport Transfer: $120
- VIP Luxury Sedan Airport Transfer: $105
- Platinium Aruba Transport - All Around Luxury Private Transfers: $90
- Aruba Queen Airport(AUA) to Aruba Island - Round-Trip Transfer: $79
- Private Transfer from Aruba Queen Airport (AUA) to Aruba Island: $75
- Transfers & Pickups: $67
- Private Airport Transfers in Aruba: $58
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Aruba Airport (AUA) - Aruba: $55
- Aruba Private Van Airport Transfer (Max 5): $55
- 2 Ways Private Transfers: $45
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 Eagle Beach or Galapagos Islands?
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Eagle Beach 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 dayEagle Beach $68Galapagos Islands $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Eagle Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Eagle Beach.
- Noord, Aruba: Exclusive Private Dinner aboard the Aqua Donut: $90
- Aruba Caribbean Dinner Sail Experience: $92
- Sunset Sail Cruise to Boca Catalina with BBQ Dinner: $110
- Sunset Sail: Aruba Dinner Cruise with Open Bar by Catamaran: $119
- Caribbean Cooking Class in Aruba: $160
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Eagle Beach $121Galapagos Islands $35
Typical Entertainment Prices in Eagle Beach
Here are a few typical costs in Eagle Beach for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Full Day Bike Rental$25
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Kayak & Snorkeling Tour$98
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Horseback Riding Tour$70
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4 Hr Snorkel Trip$74
Tours and Activities in Eagle Beach
Here are a few actual costs in Eagle Beach for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Aruba Semi-Submarine Cruise from Oranjestad: $60
- Discover Snorkeling Tour Mangel Halto & Baby Beach: $115
- 2-Hour Horseback Riding Tour to Little Natural Bridge in Aruba: $116
- 2-Seater UTV Island Tour in Aruba: $99
- Adventure Kayak & Snorkeling at Reef Island Aruba: $130
- Amazing UTV Island Tour around Aruba!: $200
- Antilla Shipwreck Seabob Tour: $120
- Art, Facts & Baby Beach UTV Adventure by Fofoti: $235
- Aruba ATV Adventure: Off-Road Tour in Single and Double Seaters: $109
- Aruba ATV Rentals For Off-Road Adventure - Single & Double-Seater: $96
- Aruba Baby Beach Express Tour: $49
- Aruba Beach and Cave Island Tour : $78
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 dayEagle Beach $31Galapagos Islands $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eagle Beach and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Eagle Beach is more expensive. And not only is Galapagos Islands much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eagle Beach is in Caribbean Islands 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 Galapagos Islands would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Galapagos Islands 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 Eagle Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Eagle Beach than you might in Galapagos Islands.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Eagle Beach 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.