A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Florianopolis vs. Galapagos Islands for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Florianopolis or Galapagos Islands?

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

Should I visit Florianopolis 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: Florianopolis or Galapagos Islands?

Florianopolis

With a population of almost 500,000, Florianopolis is the capital city of the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The city is split between mainland Brazil and Santa Catarina Island.

Florianopolis has grown in popularity with tourists recently because of its wonderful scenery, beautiful beaches, and fascinating culture. Many Brazilians have also moved here, leaving behind the big cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Florianopolis has a warm humid subtropical climate. There are summer, winter, spring and fall seasons. Frosts are rare but do occur occasionally. Highs during the warmest months are usually in the high 70s Fahrenheit. Rain is evenly distributed throughout the year and there is no distinct dry season.

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 Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best Tours for Seniors to Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Florianopolis?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Florianopolis is $63, 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 Florianopolis and Galapagos Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Florianopolis $26
    Galapagos Islands $65
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Florianopolis $52
    Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Florianopolis and Galapagos Islands

Looking for a hotel in Florianopolis 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.

Hotels in Florianopolis


Hotels in Galapagos 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: Florianopolis Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Florianopolis $14
    Galapagos Islands $54

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florianopolis

Also for Florianopolis, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Roundtrip transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $168
  • Transfer Florianópolis Airport from Balneário Camboriú and region by Centrotur: $113
  • Private Transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $97
  • Private Transfer Florianopolis Airport to Bal. Camboriu: $96
  • Private Transfer from FLN Airport to the City Balneario Camboriú : $86
  • Transfer Florianópolis Airport / Costão do Santinho: $80
  • One Way Transfer : Florianopolis Airport to or from Florianopolis: $64
  • Florianópolis Airport Transfer anywhere on the island by Floripa Nativa: $41
  • Shared transfer from Florianópolis airport to Balneário Camboriú: $35
  • Private Transfer Florianópolis Airport to City Center: $33
  • Hercilio Luz Airport - North Island Transfer: $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Galapagos Islands

Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer in + Visit to the giant turtle nature reserve: $205
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $48
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $60
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $55
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $60
  • Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $138
  • Private Transfer from Baltra Airport to Hotels in Santa Cruz Island: $144

Is it cheaper to fly into Florianopolis or Galapagos Islands?

Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Florianopolis 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
    Florianopolis $22
    Galapagos Islands $33
Typical Food Prices in Florianopolis

For Florianopolis, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • A Quick Snack
    $0.45

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Florianopolis $26
    Galapagos Islands $35
Typical Entertainment Prices in Florianopolis

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Florianopolis's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Internet
    $0.60

Tours and Activities in Florianopolis

For Florianopolis, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Balneário Camboriú City Tour from Florianópolis: $35
  • Bike Tour in Florianopolis - Sunset, Photography and History: $72
  • Blumenau City Tour from Florianópolis: $38
  • Bombinhas Beach and 4 Islands Tour: $23
  • Florianópolis Full Day City Tour: $25
  • Floripa City Tour by Bus - Whole Island - The Most Complete City Tour: $33
  • Historic Center Walking Tour in Florianopolis with Local Bar Hop: $14
  • Lagoinha do Leste Hiking and Photography Adventure : $27
  • Mountain biking experiences in Florianópolis: $60
  • Private Day Tour: Florianópolis Island with Professional Pictures: $154
  • Private South Island Beaches and Lagoons Tour: $45
  • Private Tour: North Island Beaches by Floripa Nativa Turismo: $46

Tours and Activities in Galapagos Islands

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.

  • Isla Pinzón - Day Tour - From Santa Cruz - Islas Galápagos: $250
  •  Tour of the city to Isabela + Tintoreras from Santa Cruz: $256
  • Bay Tour in Santa Cruz - Galapagos Islands: $60
  • Beach Wildlife and Snorkel Adventure with Underwater Specialist : $129
  • Cabo Rosa (Tuneles) Hiking & Snorkeling Tour from Isabela: $199
  • Daily diving tour in Gordon Rocks: $280
  • Day Tour to Floreana Island with Snorkeling and Fishing: $249
  • Day Tour to Isabela Island with Tintorera Islet, Snorkeling Wetlands & Flamingos: $249
  • Day Tour to Santa Fe Island and Hidden Beach with snorkeling and fishing: $219
  • Day tour to Pinzón Island and La Fé/Palmitas Bay with snorkeling and fishing: $239
  • Day tour to San Cristobal Island with private Land Tour and snorkeling: $249
  • FERRY TICKET From: Isabela / To: Santa Cruz (AM): $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Florianopolis $8.88
    Galapagos Islands $15
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florianopolis

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florianopolis from other travelers:


  • Beer
    $0.60


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Florianopolis and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Florianopolis much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Florianopolis would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Florianopolis 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 Florianopolis.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Florianopolis Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands Expensive?.