Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Ilha Grande?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ilha Grande or Galapagos Islands?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ilha Grande 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.
Where Should I go: Ilha Grande or Galapagos Islands?
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.
Galapagos Islands
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 Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIlha Grande $68Galapagos Islands $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $68, 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 Ilha Grande and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIlha Grande $37Galapagos Islands $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIlha Grande $74Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Galapagos Islands
Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande 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.
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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ilha Grande $18Galapagos Islands $54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- All Private Transfer from Ilha Grande to Rio de Janeiro: $275
- Departure Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Van: $246
- Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $190
- Departure Private Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Sedan Car: $116
- From Rio de Janeiro:Shared Roundtrip Transfer to Araçatiba: $104
- Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
- Shuttle Transfer from Ilha Grande (Abraão) to Paraty: $79
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $56
- From Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
- Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $37
- From Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
- From Angra dos Reis: Speedboat Transfer to Araçatiba: $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Galapagos Islands
Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer in + Visit to the giant turtle nature reserve: $205
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $48
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $64
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $55
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $60
- Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $138
- Private Transfer from Baltra Airport to Hotels in Santa Cruz Island: $144
Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or Galapagos Islands?
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Ilha Grande 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 dayIlha Grande $21Galapagos Islands $33
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ilha Grande $6.61Galapagos Islands $35
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 360 Tour of Ilha Grande - Speed Boat Tour: $74
- Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $69
- Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $79
- Angra dos Reis with Speedboat Tour and Paradise Islands: $58
- Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $21
- From Abraão, Lopes Mendes Beach Tour & Trekking: $21
- From Ilha Grande - Paradise Island 7 h - Speedboat tour: $55
- From Rio: Full-Day Angra dos Reis Cruise & Island Tour: $76
- Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $67
- Half-Day Blue Lagoon Schooner Tour: $40
- Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $40
- Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25
Tours and Activities in Galapagos Islands
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.
- Isla Pinzón - Day Tour - From Santa Cruz - Islas Galápagos: $250
- Tour of the city to Isabela + Tintoreras from Santa Cruz: $256
- Bay Tour in Santa Cruz - Galapagos Islands: $60
- Beach Wildlife and Snorkel Adventure with Underwater Specialist : $129
- Cabo Rosa (Tuneles) Hiking & Snorkeling Tour from Isabela: $199
- Daily diving tour in Gordon Rocks: $280
- Day Tour to Floreana Island with Snorkeling and Fishing: $249
- Day Tour to Isabela Island with Tintorera Islet, Snorkeling Wetlands & Flamingos: $249
- Day Tour to Santa Fe Island and Hidden Beach with snorkeling and fishing: $219
- Day tour to Pinzón Island and La Fé/Palmitas Bay with snorkeling and fishing: $239
- Day tour to San Cristobal Island with private Land Tour and snorkeling: $249
- FERRY TICKET From: Isabela / To: Santa Cruz (AM): $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIlha Grande $11Galapagos Islands $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Ilha Grande much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ilha Grande would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ilha Grande Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands Expensive?.
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.