Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Guatemala City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Guatemala City or Galapagos Islands? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.
The Galapagos Islands are a small archipelago of islands belonging to Ecuador in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The Galapagos archipelago is world-renowned for its unique and fearless wildlife, much of which was inspiration for Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection. Thanks to a lack of natural predators, friendly wildlife such as sea lions and gigantic sea tortoises let visitors get up close. This archipelago of about 19 islands and many smaller islets found over 620 miles off Ecuador's coast in the Pacific Ocean is a double World Heritage site, where both land and sea are protected. Each island boasts its own unique landscape, ranging from black, volcanic rocks to white sand beaches and gemstone-blue waters. There is no bad time to visit the Galapagos Islands but the busiest months for tourism tend to be June, July and August, as well as mid-December to mid-January. This is when prices are at their highest.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Guatemala City is $44, while the average daily cost in Galapagos Islands is $138. 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 Guatemala City and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Guatemala City or Galapagos Islands? 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.
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Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Guatemala City 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guatemala City and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Guatemala City is in Central America and Galapagos Islands is in South 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 Guatemala City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guatemala 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 Galapagos Islands would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Galapagos Islands than you might in Guatemala City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guatemala City Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands Expensive?.