Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Grand Cayman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Grand Cayman or Galapagos Islands?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Grand Cayman and Galapagos Islands. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Grand Cayman or Galapagos Islands?
Grand Cayman
When people think of the Cayman Islands, they typically think of offshore bank accounts and sunny, cruise ship ports. Grand Cayman has more to offer travelers than a playground for the wealthy or a short stopover for cruise passengers. This tropical island is the largest of the three Cayman Islands, it is a shopper's heaven, a center for global finance and an ideal vacation spot.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGrand Cayman $214Galapagos Islands $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $214, 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 Grand Cayman and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGrand Cayman $150Galapagos Islands $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrand Cayman $300Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and Galapagos Islands
Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman 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.
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: Grand Cayman Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grand Cayman $31Galapagos Islands $54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman
Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers to North Side Accommodation (GCM Grand Cayman): $265
- George Town Port to George Town / 7-Mile Beach area -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $106
- Airport Transfer - Owen Roberts Intl Airport to GeorgeTown or Seven Mile Beach: $88
- Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $53
- George Town Port to Owen Roberts Airport (GCM) - Departure Private Transfer: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to George Town or 7-Mile: $53
- George Town Cruise Port to George Town or 7-Mile Beach -Arrival Private Transfer: $53
- George Town / 7- Mile Beach area to George Town Port -Departure Private Transfer: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town or 7 Mile to George Town Port: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to Owen Roberts AirportGCM: $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Galapagos Islands
Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $64
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $48
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $55
- Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $159
- Private Transfer from Baltra Airport to Hotels in Santa Cruz Island: $159
Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or Galapagos Islands?
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Grand Cayman 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 dayGrand Cayman $39Galapagos Islands $33
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grand Cayman $41Galapagos Islands $35
Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman
For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Acquarius Stingray City and Snorkel Tours: $80
- Cayman Adventure: Starfish Point, Stingray City and Coral Gardens: $99
- Cayman Crystal Caves & Pedro St James Castle Tour in Grand Cayman: $179
- Cayman Crystal Caves Tour in Grand Cayman Island: $126
- Cayman's Classic Food Tasting & Cultural Experience: $179
- East End Activities and Tour in Grand Cayman: $158
- Full Day Private Shore Tour in George Town from George Town Port: $275
- Full Day Private Shore Tour in George Town from George Town Port: $262
- Grand Cayman - Bioluminescent Bay Tour: $95
- Grand Cayman Cruise: Starfish Point, Stingray City, Coral Garden: $80
- Grand Cayman Reef & Stingray City Snorkeling Adventure: $159
- West Island Guided Tour with Entry Tickets: $120
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrand Cayman $13Galapagos Islands $15
Typical Alcohol Prices in Grand Cayman
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:
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Beer$4.97
Sample the Local Flavors in Grand Cayman
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Grand Cayman:
- Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery Tour Pass Ticket Only: $24
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Grand Cayman and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Grand Cayman is more expensive. And not only is Galapagos Islands much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand Cayman is in Caribbean Islands and Galapagos Islands is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Galapagos Islands would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Galapagos Islands 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 Grand Cayman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grand Cayman than you might in Galapagos Islands.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Grand Cayman Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands 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.