A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mar del Plata vs. Galapagos Islands for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mar del Plata or Galapagos Islands?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Mar del Plata and Galapagos Islands can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Mar del Plata or Galapagos Islands?

Mar del Plata

Mar del Plata is found only 404 km southeast of the city of Buenos Aires, on the Atlantic coast. Today Mar Del Plata is Argentina‘s most well known beach resort. It has successfully married the two worlds of beach and city into a fun, cosmopolitan urban center with the presence of highly developed tourist infrastructure. Founded in 1874, Mar del Plata was at first mainly an industrial and commercial center before becoming a vacation destination for Argentinians. For a peaceful trip and intimate oceanfront promenades, avoid visiting Mar del Plata during summer time, as the gorgeous arced coastline will be crawling with visitors. But the city is more than just beaches. It also offers some culture, lively nightlife, and great food.

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 Luxury Tours to Argentina, and The Best Budget Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Mar del Plata?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Mar del Plata is $9.01, 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 Mar del Plata and Galapagos Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mar del Plata $3.23
    Galapagos Islands $65
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mar del Plata $6.46
    Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Mar del Plata and Galapagos Islands

Looking for a hotel in Mar del Plata 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.

Hotels in Mar del Plata


Hotels in Galapagos Islands


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: Mar del Plata Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mar del Plata $2.56
    Galapagos Islands $54

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
  • Private Transfer from Baltra Airport to Hotels in Santa Cruz Island: $144
  • Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $138
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $60
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $60
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $55
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $48

Is it cheaper to fly into Mar del Plata or Galapagos Islands?

Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Mar del Plata 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
    Mar del Plata $3.91
    Galapagos Islands $33

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mar del Plata $2.33
    Galapagos Islands $35

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mar del Plata $1.82
    Galapagos Islands $15


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mar del Plata and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Mar del Plata much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mar del Plata would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mar del Plata 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 Mar del Plata.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mar del Plata Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands Expensive?.