Which place is cheaper, Roatan or Grand Cayman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Grand Cayman or Roatan?
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 Roatan. 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 Roatan?
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.
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, and The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras.
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Grand Cayman Prices
Cayman Islands PricesRoatan Prices
Honduras Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGrand Cayman $242Roatan $42
The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $242, while the average daily cost in Roatan is $42. 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 Roatan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGrand Cayman $149Roatan $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrand Cayman $298Roatan $22
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and Roatan
Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman or Roatan? 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 Roatan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grand Cayman $31Roatan $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman
Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $103
- Private Transfer from Airport to morritts: $180
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.00
Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or Roatan?
Prices for flights to both Roatan 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 $67Roatan $15
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grand Cayman $41Roatan $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:
- CaymanVisitor Hide & Seek GeoTour Self-Drive Tour: $13
- Diamonds and Cocktails a Shopping Experience in Grand Cayman: $25
- Stingray City and Snorkeling Tour Starfish Point Adventure: $53
- Stingray City, Snorkeling, & StarFish Adventure: $55
- Stingray City and Starfish Experience with Coral Reef Snorkeling: $55
- Stingray City Catamaran Sunset Tour: $59
- 3 Stop Boat Tour Stingray City Coral Gardens and Starfish Point: $65
- Stingray City Sandbar Experience: $65
- StingrayCity ,Coral Garden & Starfish Tour. : $69
- Stingrays and Starfish Point Tour: $70
- Small Group 7 Mile Beach Stingray City and Coral Gardens Tour: $70
- Stingray City Experience Plus One Snorkeling Stop: $75
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Monkeys and sloths, private tour , and beach: $89
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrand Cayman $13Roatan $6.64
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$4.95
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
- Cayman Art and Wine Tour: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Grand Cayman and Roatan, we can see that Grand Cayman is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand Cayman is in Caribbean Islands and Roatan is in Central 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 Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Roatan.
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 Roatan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Grand Cayman or Roatan?
Grand Cayman has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Grand Cayman and Roatan, 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.