Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Merida?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Merida or Galapagos Islands?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merida or Galapagos Islands, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Merida or Galapagos Islands?
Merida
Merida is the largest city on the Yucatan Peninsula, which separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea. It is also the capital of the state of Yucatan as a whole. There is a population of 750,000 and is very rich in diversity and culture.
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 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, 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 dayMerida $88Galapagos Islands $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Merida is $88, 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 Merida and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMerida $44Galapagos Islands $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMerida $88Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Merida and Galapagos Islands
Looking for a hotel in Merida 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Merida Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Merida $18Galapagos Islands $54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merida
Also for Merida, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Merida Rejon Airport (MID) to Tulum hotels - Round Trip Transfer: $227
- One-way Airport Transfers to Merida Hotels: $120
- Private Transfer From Uxmal to Merida, English Speaking Driver: $73
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Merida One Way: $47
- Mexico Private Transfer from Merida airport to central Merida: $41
- Mexico Private Transfer from Merida hotels to Merida airport: $41
- Merida hotels to Mérida International Airport (MID) - Private Departure Transfer: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Galapagos Islands
Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $64
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $48
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $55
- Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $159
- Private Transfer from Baltra Airport to Hotels in Santa Cruz Island: $159
Is it cheaper to fly into Merida or Galapagos Islands?
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Merida 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 dayMerida $29Galapagos Islands $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merida
For Merida, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Merida Walking Food Tour. Authentic & Local Cuisine: $62
- Taste of the Yucatan: Merida Cooking Class and Market Visit: $89
- Private Yucatecan Cooking Lesson in a Local Merida Home: $90
- Private Market Tour and Authentic Mexican Cooking Class in Merida with Transfers: $126
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Merida $16Galapagos Islands $35
Typical Entertainment Prices in Merida
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Merida's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Train at the Zoo$0.12
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Uxmal Entrance (for 2)$20
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Mayan Village Entrance (for 2)$6.01
Tours and Activities in Merida
For Merida, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- From Mérida Tour Plus: Chichen Itza Ruins and Cenote Ik-kil: $195
- Romantic tour in Izamal: $159
- 2-hour Temazcal experience in the Mayan world: $179
- 3 Hour Tour in The Sotuta de Peón Live Museum: $60
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Merida, you choose!: $125
- 4 Cenotes Full Day Tour from Merida: $110
- 4x1 Tour Chichen Itza Magic Towns Valladolid & Izamal from Merida: $95
- Ancestral Mayan Private Culinary Experience in Merida: $138
- Beach Tour in Yucalpetén from Mérida: $95
- Celestun Biosphere Reserve Tour from Merida: $208
- Cenotes Santa Barbara, Eknakan Church & Acanceh Ruins Tour: $110
- Chichen Itza Adventure! Cenote and Izamal from Merida: $104
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 dayMerida $16Galapagos Islands $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merida and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Merida much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Merida is in North 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 Merida would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Merida 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 Merida.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Merida 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.