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 $10
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrand Cayman $298Roatan $20
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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grand Cayman $31Roatan $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman
Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer to West Bay Accommodations (GCM)-Round Trip: $88
- Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town-Arrival Private Transfer: $151
- Owen Roberts Airport (GCM) to George Town Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $151
- Airport Transfers to East End Accommodations (GCM) - Round Trip: $239
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$3.91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- West Bay Beach Day Pass & Private Transfer – Roatán: $89
- Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $25
- South Side Horseback Riding, Beach Break & Roundway Transfer: $120
- Scuba Dive in the West End of Roatan with Private Transfer: $155
- Roatan Zipline, Monkey, Macaws & Sloths Eco Park, Snorkeling, Transfer: $120
- Roatan West End Beach Break with Private Transfer: $45
- Roatan East End Cultural Experience, Island Lunch & Private Transfer: $95
- Roatan Buggy Adventure, Snorkeling, Beach Pass plus Private Transfer: $199
- Roatan Airport Private Shuttle – Island Transfers: $65
- Private Transfer from Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan Hotels: $155
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $62
- Let's Go Native Roatan City Cultural Tour, Transfer: $80
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $300
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grand Cayman $41Roatan $25
Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman
For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Bling and Beverages Cayman Jewelry Shopping Experience: $22
- Diamonds and Cocktails a Shopping Experience in Grand Cayman: $25
- Stingray City Catamaran Sunset Tour: $59
- Stingray City Catamaran Sunset Tour: $59
- Stingray City Sandbar 3.5 hr Snorkel Tour & Starfish Beach: $60
- 4 Stops Tour: Stingray, Snorkeling, Starfish & 7 Mile Beach: $60
- Stingray City and Starfish Experience with Coral Reef Snorkeling: $62
- Cayman Best Stingray City Reef Snorkel and Starfish Point Tour: $63
- 3 Stop Boat Tour Stingray City Coral Gardens and Starfish Point: $65
- Fun Family 3 stops StingrayCity Adventure: $69
- Stingray City Experience Plus One Snorkeling Stop: $75
- 3-Stop Stingray City, Reef Snorkel & Starfish Point Tour: $79
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- 1 Stop Snorkel Adventure with Beach Break: $45
- 2 Hour Zip Lining Private Tour in Mahogany Bay: $65
- 2-Hour Private Off Road ATV and Beach Experience in Bay Islands: $81
- 4 Hours Private Tour with Snorkeling and West Bay Beach Break: $80
- ATV & community adventure, Mangrove tour, food tasting and Beach: $145
- ATV Off Road Tour and Cultural Experience in Roatan: $147
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $99
- ATVS, Sloths and Monkeys, Beach Break Private Tour: $130
- Adventures of Roatan ATV Pineapple beach break: $120
- Atv Island Tour: $140
- Cruise Ship Family Chocolate Factory, Sloths & Monkeys, Beach, Transportation: $59
- Cruise Ship Multiple Snorkeling, Snacks, Music & Private Vehicle: $55
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrand Cayman $13Roatan $6.49
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
- Taste of Cayman Distillery Experience: $75
- Distillery Tour with Gin Tasting: $75
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
- Roatan ATV Adventure, Island Tour and Craft Brewery Experience: $99
- Roatan Horseback Ride, Island Tour and Brewery Tasting: $125
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.