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

Should you visit Galapagos Islands or La Paz?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Galapagos Islands or La Paz, 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 La Paz?

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.

La Paz

La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia, has a breathtaking setting. The city is the highest national capital in the world, with an altitude ranging from about 4,058 m (13,313 ft) above sea level in El Alto, where the airport is located, to 3,100 m (10,170 ft) in the lower residential area. The dynamic and chaotic city was built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River. La Paz is now a fusion of architectural styles, cultures and beliefs, welcoming everyday new boutique hotels, modern shops, delicious restaurants and reinventing standing establishments. However, generally speaking, Bolivia remains more a backpacker hit than a mainstream tourist destination.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador, The Best Luxury Tours to Bolivia, and The Best Budget Tours to Bolivia.


Which place is cheaper, La Paz or Galapagos Islands?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Galapagos Islands is $138, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $45. 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 La Paz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Galapagos Islands $65
    La Paz $16
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Galapagos Islands $130
    La Paz $32
Compare Hotels in Galapagos Islands and La Paz

Looking for a hotel in Galapagos Islands or La Paz? 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 Galapagos Islands


Hotels in La Paz


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: La Paz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Galapagos Islands $54
    La Paz $9.51

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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in La Paz

Some typical examples of transportation costs in La Paz are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.58

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz

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

  • Private Transfer from La Paz to Uyuni.: $295
  • Private Transfer from Airport to your Hotel in La Paz City : $77
  • Private Transfer From Hotel to Airport in La Paz City : $68
  • Private Transfer From Bus Station to Hotel in La Paz City : $68
  • Private Transfer From Airport to Hotel in La Paz City: $60
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan La Paz Airport (LPB) - La Paz City: $55
  • Private Transfer From Bus Station to your Hotel in La Paz City : $54
  • Private Transfer from Airport to your Hotel in La Paz City : $54
  • Private Transfer from your Hotel to Airport in La Paz City : $54
  • Private Transfer From Hotel to Bus Station in La Paz City : $52
  • Airport Transfer In_night: $47
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle La Paz Airport (LPB) - La Paz City: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Galapagos Islands or La Paz?

Prices for flights to both La Paz 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Galapagos Islands $33
    La Paz $17

Typical Food Prices in La Paz

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


  • Fruit
    $0.73

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz

For La Paz, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • La Paz Food Tour + Cable Car Cultural City tour: $45

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Galapagos Islands $35
    La Paz $16

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

Tours and Activities in La Paz

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

  • From Private Tour to Tiwanaku Ruins and Puma Punku.: $173
  • 2-Day Private Lake Titicaca and Sun Island Tour from La Paz: $520
  • 2-day Private Guided Tour in Uyuni and La Paz: $240
  • 3 Day Death Road + Uyuni Salt Flats Tour From La Paz City: $280
  • Be a Local - La Paz Walking Tour: $8.00
  • Bicycle Tour on Death Road: $77
  • Chacaltaya 5,435m & Valle De Luna. 2 For 1 Special Tour.: $30
  • Cholet Tour - Andean Architecture and Culture - El Alto: $26
  • City Tour plus Cable Car La Paz: $10
  • City Tour with Drone!: $204
  • City Walking Tour in La Paz: $8.00
  • Copacabana - Lake Titicaca & Isla del Sol. Full Day. PRIVATE TOUR MINIMUM 2 PPL: $120

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Galapagos Islands $15
    La Paz $11

Sample the Local Flavors in La Paz

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in La Paz:

  • Cultural Pub Crawl La Paz Nightlife Tour : $50


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

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 La Paz Expensive?.