A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) vs. Galapagos Islands for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Galapagos Islands can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Galapagos Islands?

Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)

Situated in the Golfo Dulce, Puerto Jiminez has grown from a logging and gold mining town in the 1960s to become the largest town on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula. Today, it serves as a main gateway to Corcovado National Park, a last stopping point before visitors enter the park. Puerto Jiminez also has a lively night life, a beach, and easy access to a number of outdoors activities.

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 Costa Rica, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.


Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) Prices
    Costa Rica Prices
    Galapagos Islands Prices
    Ecuador Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $140
    Galapagos Islands $160

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is $140, while the average daily cost in Galapagos Islands is $160. 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Galapagos Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $49
    Galapagos Islands $65
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $98
    Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Galapagos Islands

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)


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: Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -
    Galapagos Islands $54

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: $56
  • Private Transfer from Baltra Airport to Hotels in Santa Cruz Island: $123
  • Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $123

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Galapagos Islands?

Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) 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
    Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $60
    Galapagos Islands $55
Typical Food Prices in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)

Some typical examples of dining costs in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:


  • Dinner at Finca Exotica
    $54

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $119
    Galapagos Islands $35

Tours and Activities in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:

  • 30-minute Corcovado National Park Tour by Plane: $256
  • 4 Hour Private Guided Tour in Osa Jungle : $163
  • Bio-Luminescence and Sunset Kayak Tour: $67
  • Corcovado La Leona Day Tour from Puerto Jimenez - All Inclusive: $120
  • Corcovado National Park - Day Tour from Drake Bay: $145
  • Corcovado National Park - Private Siren Day Tour: $190
  • Gold Panning Private Adventure in Puerto Jimenez: $35
  • Isla del Caño snorkel tour from Drake Bay (Cano island) : $125
  • Kayak experience on Playa Blanca in Puerto Jiménez: $65
  • One Day Tour To Caño Island From Drake Bay: $145
  • One Day Tour to Corcovado (La Leona Station) From Puerto Jiménez: $230
  • Puerto Jimenez Birdwatching Tour Osa Peninsula Golfo Dulce: $60

Tours and Activities in Galapagos Islands

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.

  • Giant Turtle Watching and Lava Tunnels Tour: $39
  • Santa Cruz Bay Tour: Half-Day Tour with 5 Sights: $48
  • Bay Tour in Santa Cruz - Galapagos Islands: $60
  • Half Day Bay Tour in Santa Cruz Island: $62
  • Isabela Island Tour in Galapagos with Kayak : $64
  • Hiking Tour to Sierra Negra Volcano: $67
  • Private BiciTour Giant Tortoises and Lava Tunnel in Galapagos: $90
  • Half-Day Hiking Tour to Sulfur Fumaroles on Isabela Island: $95
  • Trekking experience at Sierra Negra Volcano: $100
  • The Galapagos Giant Tortoise Experience + Los Gemelos | Shared: $105
  • Tintoreras Islet Tour from Isabela - Hiking & Snorkeling : $108
  • Santa Cruz Highland Tour: Giant Tortoises, Lava Tunnel & Gemelos: $158

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -
    Galapagos Islands $15


When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is in Central America and Galapagos Islands is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) Expensive? and Is Galapagos Islands Expensive?.