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

Should you visit Galapagos Islands or Manaus?

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

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

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.

Manaus

Manaus is a Brazilian city, capital of the state of Amazonas, and is located on the Rio Negro a few miles before it meets the Rio Solimões to form the Amazon River. The city is a major departure point for those visiting the Amazon Rainforest, though there are a few sights worth seeing within the city itself as well.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador, The Best Tours for Seniors to Brazil, and The Best Contiki Tours to Brazil.


Which place is cheaper, Manaus 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 Manaus is $61. 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 Manaus in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Galapagos Islands $65
    Manaus $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Galapagos Islands $130
    Manaus $86
Compare Hotels in Galapagos Islands and Manaus

Looking for a hotel in Galapagos Islands or Manaus? 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 Manaus


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: Manaus Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Galapagos Islands $54
    Manaus $8.12

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manaus

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

  • Serviço de transfer privado 24h em grupo aeroporto -> hotel: $99
  • Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Eduardo Gomes International Airport: $72
  • Manaus Airport(MAO) to Manaus hotels- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $48
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
  • Transfers from the airport to any place in Manaus City: $40
  • Transfer from Manaus Airport to Manaus City: $40
  • Private Transfer - Airport - Hotel / Hotel - Airport: $35
  • Manaus private Airport transfer: $30
  • Manaus hotels to Manaus Airport(MAO) - Departure Private Transfer: $24
  • Manaus Airport (MAO) to Manaus hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
  • Manaus to Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $21

Is it cheaper to fly into Galapagos Islands or Manaus?

Prices for flights to both Manaus 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
    Manaus $13

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manaus

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

  • Folklore Amazonian Dinner Show: $42
  • Food Tour: $50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Galapagos Islands $35
    Manaus -

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 Manaus

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

  • Jewish Tour in Manaus in the Amazon from 4 to 5 hours: $154
  • Adventure: 4-hour hike in the Amazon rainforest: $150
  • Amazon Experience: meet a native village and swim with porpoises: $80
  • Amazon Jungle Experience with Overnight: $300
  • Amazon Jungle: 3- or 4-Day Tour at Ipanema River Guest House: $200
  • Amazon Negro River Half-Day Expedition Tour: $55
  • Amazon Private Safari by Tuhiri Eco Tour - Leaving Manaus: $199
  • Amazon Waterfalls Tour: $70
  • Amazon and Negro Rivers Experience with Night Exploration Tour: $300
  • City Tour - The Best of Manaus: $64
  • City Tour Plus Amazon River Tour: $100
  • City Tour no Centro Histórico de Manaus com um fotógrafo: $94

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Galapagos Islands $15
    Manaus $2.90


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

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 Manaus Expensive?.