Should you visit Grand Cayman or Ponce?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Grand Cayman and Ponce. 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. So, let's dig into it.
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.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
Which city is cheaper, Ponce or Grand Cayman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $171, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $164. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Grand Cayman and Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Grand Cayman, $238 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Grand Cayman, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $119, such as in a hostel.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Ponce is $242. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
While meal prices in Grand Cayman can vary, the average travelers spends about $31 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Grand Cayman should cost around $12 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Grand Cayman is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
Ponce food costs typically run travelers around $28 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Grand Cayman $31
Ponce $28
Local Transportation
Grand Cayman's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $25 per person, per day on transportation in Grand Cayman.
The average price of local transportation around Ponce is $8.00 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman
Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Airport Transfer - Owen Roberts Intl Airport to GeorgeTown or Seven Mile Beach:
$45
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Airport Transfer to West Bay Accommodations (GCM - Grand Cayman):
$64
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
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Private Departure Transfer from Ponce Hotel to San Juan Cruise Port:
$228
Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Grand Cayman can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $33 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Ponce's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $45 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman
For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Skip the Line: Pedro St. James Castle General Admission and Guided Tour Ticket:
$13
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Night Bioluminescence Snorkel Tour:
$99
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Grand Cayman Private Island Tour:
$314
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
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Guided Walking Tour in Ponce:
$26
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Grand Cayman spend on average $10 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $13 on alcoholic beverages in Ponce per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Grand Cayman
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:
When comparing the travel costs between Grand Cayman and Ponce, we can see that Grand Cayman 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. Since both cities are in Caribbean Islands, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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