A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Grand Cayman vs. San Pedro La Laguna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Grand Cayman or San Pedro La Laguna?

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 San Pedro La Laguna. 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 San Pedro La Laguna?

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.

San Pedro La Laguna

Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Eco Tours in Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna 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.

The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $242, while the average daily cost in San Pedro La Laguna is $45. 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 San Pedro La Laguna in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Grand Cayman $149
    San Pedro La Laguna $8.34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Grand Cayman $298
    San Pedro La Laguna $17
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and San Pedro La Laguna

Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman or San Pedro La Laguna? 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.

Hotels in Grand Cayman


Hotels in San Pedro La Laguna


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Grand Cayman $31
    San Pedro La Laguna $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman

Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Airport to morritts: $180
  • Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $103

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro La Laguna

Also for San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Shared Transfer from Panajachel Atitlan to Guatemala City: $47
  • Private transfer from Panajachel to Antigua Guatemala: $65

Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or San Pedro La Laguna?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Grand Cayman $67
    San Pedro La Laguna $19

Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lemonade
    $2.09
  • Cake
    $1.30
  • Ice cream
    $0.39
  • Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread
    $3.00

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $44
  • Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Grand Cayman $41
    San Pedro La Laguna $22

Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman

For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • StingrayCity ,Coral Garden & Starfish Tour. : $69
  • 2-stop Adventure: Stingray City and snorkeling at Cayman Reefs: $79
  • 3 Stop Boat Tour Stingray City Coral Gardens and Starfish Point: $65
  • 3-stop Adventure: Stingray City and snorkeling at Cayman Reefs: $107
  • Acquarius Stingray City and Snorkel Tours: $79
  • Cayman 2 in 1 Combo Tour Stingray City Reef Snorkel Adventure: $77
  • Cayman 3 in 1 Combo Adventure Stingray City Reef Snorkeling: $104
  • Cayman Adventure Stingrays Starfish plus Crystal Caves : $89
  • Cayman Bioluminescent Bay Night Tour: $144
  • Cayman Combo Tour: Starfish Point, Stingray City & Coral Gardens: $119
  • Cayman Crystal Caves Tour in Grand Cayman: $143
  • Cayman Ultimate Tour: Stingray City, Snorkeling & Beach Lunch: $168

Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Canopy Tour (for 2)
    $39
  • Kayaking (for 2)
    $1.96
  • Coffee Tour (for 2)
    $7.04

Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Lake Atitlan Boat tour from Puerto Quetzal (Group): $125
  • 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
  • Authentic local experience with a community of women: $74
  • Authentic tour of Mayan art and culture in Lake Atitlan: $42
  • Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
  • Bicycle Tour Around Lake Atitlan with Weaving Coops and Coffee Plantations: $112
  • Boat tour in Mayan villages: $85
  • Chichicastenango Market Day Tour from Panajachel: $96
  • Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
  • Full Day Tour to Chichicastenango from Panajachel : $160
  • Half-Day Private Indian Nose Peak Tour from Lake Atitlan: $140
  • Half-Day Scenic Bicycle Tour from Panajachel: $71

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Grand Cayman $13
    San Pedro La Laguna $5.65
Typical Alcohol Prices in Grand Cayman

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:


  • 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 San Pedro La Laguna, we can see that Grand Cayman is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand Cayman is in Caribbean Islands and San Pedro La Laguna 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 San Pedro La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 San Pedro La Laguna.

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 San Pedro La Laguna Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Grand Cayman or San Pedro La Laguna?

Grand Cayman has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of Grand Cayman and San Pedro La Laguna, 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.