Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $115Galapagos Islands $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is $115, 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $49Galapagos Islands $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $98Galapagos 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.
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
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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: $48
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $55
- Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $64
- 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 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
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Food Meals for one dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $35Galapagos Islands $33
Typical Food Prices in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:
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Dinner at Finca Exotica$54
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $119Galapagos 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 : $120
- Bio-Luminescence and Sunset Kayak Tour: $62
- Corcovado day tour- Sirena Station With Lunch- Small Group : $160
- Day tours Corcovado Total Adventure: $150
- Kayak experience on Playa Blanca in Puerto Jiménez: $65
- One Day Tour To Caño Island From Drake Bay: $125
- One Day Tour to Corcovado (La Leona Station) From Puerto Jiménez: $299
Tours and Activities in Galapagos Islands
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Galapagos Islands.
- Private Tour Sighting Giant Tortoises and Lava Tunnels: $36
- Isabela Island Wetlands Walking Tour: $40
- Bay Tour in Santa Cruz - Galapagos Islands: $60
- Isabela Island Tour in Galapagos with Kayak and Snorkeling: $64
- FERRY TICKET From: Santa Cruz / To: San Cristobal (PM): $65
- FERRY TICKET From: Isabela / To: Santa Cruz (AM): $65
- Hiking Tour to Sierra Negra Volcano: $67
- Half Day Bay Tour in Santa Cruz Island: $72
- Half Day Tour in Sierra Negra Volcano & Lava Fields: $90
- Private BiciTour Giant Tortoises and Lava Tunnel in Galapagos: $90
- Kayaking Experience in Franklin Bay: $95
- Tintoreras Islet Tour from Isabela - Hiking & Snorkeling in Galapagos Islands: $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -Galapagos Islands $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is in Central 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park).
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?.
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.