Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Galapagos Islands?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Galapagos Islands or Tamarindo, 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.
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.
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
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 Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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 Tamarindo is $121. 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 Tamarindo in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Galapagos Islands or Tamarindo? 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.
Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
When comparing the travel costs between Galapagos Islands and Tamarindo, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Galapagos Islands is in South America and Tamarindo is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
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 Tamarindo Expensive?.