Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or Quepos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Quepos 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 Quepos and Galapagos Islands can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Quepos or Galapagos Islands?
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
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 Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in 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 dayQuepos $117Galapagos Islands $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $117, 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 Quepos and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuepos $77Galapagos Islands $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuepos $154Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in Quepos and Galapagos Islands
Looking for a hotel in Quepos 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: Quepos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quepos $9.56Galapagos Islands $54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Manuel Antonio/Quepos : $300
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Monteverde: $276
- Manuel Antonio & Quepos one way transfer to SJO hotels - Airport up to 5 people.: $274
- Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $209
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $125
- Private Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to San Jose City Hotels: $91
- Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
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 Quepos or Galapagos Islands?
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and Quepos 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 dayQuepos $30Galapagos Islands $33
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$15
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $59
- 3 Hour Cooking Class and Medical Plants Garden: $77
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quepos $17Galapagos Islands $35
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 10 in 1 Tour! Zip Lines, Rappels, Tarzan Swing, Waterfalls & More: $130
- 2-Hour Boat Tour in Quepos: $55
- ATV Tour Half Day Trip From Manuel Antonio: $90
- All Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure from Manuel Antonio: $83
- All-Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure with Lunch: $93
- All-Inclusive Full-Day Nauyaca Waterfall and Beach Town Tour: $142
- Beach Day Experience in Manuel Antonio: $20
- Birding at El Rey. (Marshes,rice fields,canals) Private Birding Tour : $120
- Birdwatching Tour: $130
- Catamaran Adventure From Manuel Antonio: $116
- Chocolate Tour Manuel Antonio: $60
- Chocolate and Coffee Tour Manuel Antonio: $62
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 dayQuepos $15Galapagos Islands $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and Galapagos Islands, we can see that Galapagos Islands is more expensive. And not only is Quepos much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos 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 Quepos would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Quepos 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 Quepos.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quepos 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.