Which place is cheaper, Rapid City or Grand Cayman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Grand Cayman or Rapid City?
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 Rapid City. 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 Rapid City?
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.
Rapid City
Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage, and The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGrand Cayman $214Rapid City $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $214, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $116. 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 Rapid City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGrand Cayman $150Rapid City $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrand Cayman $300Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and Rapid City
Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman or Rapid City? 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 and Rapid City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grand Cayman $31Rapid City $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman
Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from George Town or 7 Mile to George Town Port: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to Owen Roberts AirportGCM: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to George Town or 7-Mile: $53
- Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $53
- George Town Port to Owen Roberts Airport (GCM) - Departure Private Transfer: $53
- George Town Port to George Town / 7-Mile Beach area -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107
- 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
- Airport Transfers to North Side Accommodation (GCM Grand Cayman): $265
- Airport Transfer - Owen Roberts Intl Airport to GeorgeTown or Seven Mile Beach: $88
Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or Rapid City?
Prices for flights to both Rapid City 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 $39Rapid City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Roller Coaster Tickets with Dinner and Show in Rapid City: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grand Cayman $41Rapid City $26
Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman
For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-stop Adventure: Stingray City and snorkeling at Cayman Reefs: $79
- 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
- East Island Tour : $298
- Full Day Private Shore Tour in George Town from George Town Port: $276
- Full Day Private Shore Tour in George Town from George Town Port: $263
- Grand Cayman Cruise: Starfish Point, Stingray City, Coral Garden: $80
- Grand Cayman Reef & Stingray City Snorkeling Adventure: $159
Tours and Activities in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Badlands National Park Private Tour: $650
- Badlands Sunset and Wildlife Adventure : $289
- Badlands Winter Wonderland Adventure: $239
- Black Hills & Badlands: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tours: $20
- Buffalo Jeep Safari & Mammoth Site Tour: $700
- Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
- From Private Devils Tower Tour and Hike: $650
- From Private Spearfish Canyon Tour: $650
- Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in South Dakota: $275
- Mount Rushmore Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
- Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show: $164
- NEW! Half Day Tour of the Black Hills: $289
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrand Cayman $13Rapid City $6.93
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 Rapid City, we can see that Grand Cayman is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand Cayman is in Caribbean Islands and Rapid City is in North 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 Rapid City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rapid City 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 Rapid City.
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 Rapid City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Grand Cayman or Rapid City?
Rapid City has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Grand Cayman. When comparing the sizes of Grand Cayman and Rapid City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.