Which place is cheaper, South Lake Tahoe or Grand Cayman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Grand Cayman or South Lake Tahoe?
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 South Lake Tahoe. 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 South Lake Tahoe?
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.
South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is the largest town on the famous Lake Tahoe that straddles the California-Nevada border in the Sierra Mountain Range. Located just south of Reno, Nevada and about 2 hours east of Sacramento, the Lake Tahoe area is easily accessible to many visitors.
Lake Tahoe is known for skiing and other winter sports, as well as plenty of warm weather activities such as hiking, swimming, boating, mountain biking, and more.
South Lake Tahoe has plenty of accommodations, restaurants, bars, and shopping. This is a good town to base yourself if you're looking to explore the area, as it has a large number of amenities.
Located on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe is the town of Stateline. Here you can find some casinos, as gambling is legal in Nevada.
If you're looking to go skiing or snowboarding, the Heavenly Ski Resort can be found on the southern edge of the town of South Lake Tahoe. Naturally, more ski resorts are located around the lake as well.
As swimming is also popular, several beach areas are on the southern section of the lake including the Regan Memorial City Beach, Lakeside Beach, Pope Beach, Emerald Bay State Park, and the Edgewood Resort area (on the Nevada side).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGrand Cayman $214South Lake Tahoe $118
The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $214, while the average daily cost in South Lake Tahoe is $118. 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 South Lake Tahoe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGrand Cayman $150South Lake Tahoe $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrand Cayman $300South Lake Tahoe $108
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and South Lake Tahoe
Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman or South Lake Tahoe? 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 South Lake Tahoe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grand Cayman $31South Lake Tahoe $24
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 Port to George Town or 7-Mile: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town or 7 Mile to George Town Port: $53
- George Town / 7- Mile Beach area to George Town Port -Departure Private Transfer: $53
- George Town Port to Owen Roberts Airport (GCM) - Departure Private Transfer: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to Owen Roberts AirportGCM: $53
- Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $53
- George Town Cruise Port to George Town or 7-Mile Beach -Arrival Private Transfer: $53
- Airport Transfer - Owen Roberts Intl Airport to GeorgeTown or Seven Mile Beach: $88
- George Town Port to George Town / 7-Mile Beach area -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107
- Airport Transfers to North Side Accommodation (GCM Grand Cayman): $265
Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or South Lake Tahoe?
Prices for flights to both South Lake Tahoe 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 $39South Lake Tahoe $38
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grand Cayman $41South Lake Tahoe $56
Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman
For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- West Bay Sightseeing Tour Plus Seven Mile Beach Visit: $45
- Reagan’s Honey Beekeeping Adventure: $67
- Stingraycity Adventure: $69
- Starfish and Stingray City Fun Tour with Reef Snorkeling- 3 stops: $69
- Stingray City Experience Plus One Snorkeling Stop: $69
- Stingray City Sandbar, Coral Gardens and 7-Mile Beach Tour: $70
- Stingray City Experience Plus Two Snorkeling Stops on Grand Cayman: $75
- Stingrays, Starfish and Snorkeling Tour: $75
- 2-stop Adventure: Stingray City and snorkeling at Cayman Reefs: $79
- Grand Cayman Cruise: Starfish Point, Stingray City, Coral Garden: $80
- Acquarius Stingray City and Snorkel Tours: $80
- Cayman Adventure: Starfish Point, Stingray City and Coral Gardens: $99
Tours and Activities in South Lake Tahoe
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for South Lake Tahoe are as follows:
- 2 Hour Sailing Cruise on Lake Tahoe: $140
- Clear Kayak Paddle Tour at Sand Harbor: $150
- Clear Kayak Tour of Lake Tahoe: $165
- Driving Lake Tahoe: A Self-Guided Audio Tour From Tahoe City to Incline Village: $9.99
- Driving Lake Tahoe: A Self-Guided Tour From Incline Village to South Lake Tahoe: $12
- Driving Lake Tahoe: A Self-Guided Tour from South Lake Tahoe to Tahoe City: $12
- Electric Dirtbike Adventure in Lake Tahoe: $200
- Emerald Bay Helicopter Tour of Lake Tahoe: $110
- Emerald Bay Private Luxury Boat Tours: $750
- Full-Day Lake Tahoe Circle Tour including Squaw Valley: $80
- Guided Tour of Historic Virginia City and Carson City from South Lake Tahoe: $70
- Introductory Snowshoe Shared Experience: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrand Cayman $13South Lake Tahoe $34
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
Sample the Local Flavors in South Lake Tahoe
Also in South Lake Tahoe, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Lake Tahoe: Emerald Bay Sunset Wine Tasting Yacht Cruise: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Grand Cayman and South Lake Tahoe, we can see that Grand Cayman is more expensive. And not only is South Lake Tahoe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand Cayman is in Caribbean Islands and South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe.
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 South Lake Tahoe Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Grand Cayman or South Lake Tahoe?
Grand Cayman has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of South Lake Tahoe. When comparing the sizes of Grand Cayman and South Lake Tahoe, 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.