Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Montego Bay and Galapagos Islands can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
As with most places around the tropical oasis of Jamaica, Montego Bay (or "MoBay") is an ideal place to visit for a Caribbean getaway. It is Jamaica's second largest city and the capital of St. James parish on the northern coast. Montego Bay is considered to be the tourist capital of the country and is where the largest airport is located, bringing in many international travelers.
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 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 Montego Bay is $203, 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 Montego Bay and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
Also for Galapagos Islands, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay.
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.
Also in Montego Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Galapagos Islands much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands 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 Galapagos Islands would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Galapagos Islands 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 Montego Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montego Bay than you might in Galapagos Islands.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Montego Bay Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands Expensive?.