Which place is cheaper, Easter Island or Galapagos Islands?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Galapagos Islands or Easter Island?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Galapagos Islands or Easter Island, 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: Galapagos Islands or Easter Island?
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.
Easter Island
Although Easter Island is considered a territory of Chile, it is actually located far out in the Pacific, almost halfway to Tahiti. Easter Island is well known, despite being one of the most isolated islands on Earth, because of the mysterious giant stone busts which date back centuries. There are 887 monumental statues, called moai, that were built by the Rapa Nui people. There remains much mystery around the historic Polynesian culture which created the stones, as well as the specific meaning for them.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGalapagos Islands $138Easter Island $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Galapagos Islands is $138, while the average daily cost in Easter Island is $80. 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 Galapagos Islands and Easter Island in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGalapagos Islands $65Easter Island $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGalapagos Islands $130Easter Island $88
Compare Hotels in Galapagos Islands and Easter Island
Looking for a hotel in Galapagos Islands or Easter Island? 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.Galapagos Islands $54Easter Island $2.59
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: $64
- 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 Galapagos Islands or Easter Island?
Prices for flights to both Easter Island and Galapagos Islands 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 dayGalapagos Islands $33Easter Island $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner, Show and Traditional Curanto Te Ra'ai Cultural Experience: $120
- Rapa Nui Dinner Show on Easter Island: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Galapagos Islands $35Easter Island $40
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Easter Island
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Easter Island's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Bike Rental$8.38
Tours and Activities in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-Day Tour Touring the Highlights of Rapa Nui: $300
- Half Day Private Tour: Caves and Volcanic Refuges: $170
- 2 Day Private Tour: Rapa Nui's Cultural Heritage: $300
- 2 Days Highlights Tour in Easter Island Moai and Nature: $210
- Easter Island Full-Day Tour: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Anakena Beach: $171
- Easter Island Moai Archaeology Tour: Ahu Akivi, Ahu Tahai and Puna Pauâ Quarry.: $91
- Easter Island Moai Dining Experience: $90
- Poike Volcano Private Hiking Tour with Guide: $280
- Experience Easter Island Shared Tour for Cruise Ship Passengers : $290
- Full Day Hotu Matua Tour from Vaihu to Anakena: $70
- Full Day Private Tour: Factory of the Moai the stone giants: $219
- Full Day Tour - The Land of Hotu Matu´a: $177
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGalapagos Islands $15Easter Island $5.34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Galapagos Islands and Easter Island, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Easter Island much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Easter Island would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Easter Island 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 Easter Island.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Galapagos Islands Expensive? and Is Easter Island 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.