Which place is cheaper, Key West or Roatan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Roatan or Key West?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Roatan and Key West. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Roatan or Key West?
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
Key West
Key West is both a city and an island as well as the southern most Florida Key. It is also the southern most city in the continental United States. The island is only about four miles long and one mile wide. The total land mass covers just 4.2 square miles. The most famous street in town is Duval Street, which runs just 1.1 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. There are 14 blocks. The size of the island doubled during the 1950s when many of the salt ponds along the eastern side of the island were filled in.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America.
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Roatan Prices
Honduras PricesKey West Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $42Key West $247
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $42, while the average daily cost in Key West is $247. 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 Roatan and Key West in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $10Key West $132
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $20Key West $264
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Key West
Looking for a hotel in Roatan or Key West? 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: Roatan Hotel Prices and Key West Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $17Key West $51
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$3.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- Ultimate West Bay Beach Day: Pass & Transfers Included: $55
- Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $62
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
- Roatan West Bay Beach Break with Roundtrip Transfer: $75
- Let's Go Native Roatan City Cultural Tour, Transfer: $80
- Roatan East End Cultural Experience, Island Lunch & Private Transfer: $99
- Roatan Private Transfers: Airport, Cruise Port or Hotel: $110
- Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan -Round-Trip Transfer: $114
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $123
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, City Tour and Transfer: $130
- Private Transfer from Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan Hotels: $154
- Roatan Buggy Adventure, Snorkeling, Beach Pass plus Private Transfer: $207
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Key West
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Key West:
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Rental Car for One Day$38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Key West
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Key West:
- One Way Airport Transfer Service: $54
- Private Transfer from Key West Port to Key West Airport (EYW): $111
- Private Transfer from Key West Cruise Port to Key West hotels: $112
- Private Transfer from Key West hotels to Key West Cruise Port: $112
- Private Arrival Transfer from Key West Airport EYW: $144
- Key West Airport (EYW) to Key West - Arrival Private Transfer: $154
- Key West to Key West Airport (EYW) - Departure Private Transfer: $154
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Key West?
Prices for flights to both Key West and Roatan 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 dayRoatan $15Key West $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Private Roundtrip Transfer to West End for Dinner and Nightlife: $70
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $245
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Key West
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Key West.
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar & Live Music: $74
- Cooking Show Chef Demonstration with Meal: $81
- Southernmost Food & Cultural Walking Tour by Key West Food Tours: $90
- Key West Cooking Show Chef Demonstration with Meal: $91
- Key West Sunset Cruise: Dinner, Live Music & Drinks Included: $93
- Secret Walking Food Tour: $115
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $25Key West $33
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Organized trips and adventures: $26
- Roatan Fun Bus Group Sightseeing Island Private Tour: $37
- Roatan Private and Public Action Snorkel Tours and Charters: $39
- Roatan Island Tours, Sightseeing and Shopping Adventures: $39
- Roatán Ron and Chocolate Custom Tour.: $40
- Half Day Roatan Sightseeing and Jungle Island Tour: $41
- Roatan Zipline & Eco walk/Suspension Bridge Combo Tours: $43
- Customizable Island Tour While on Roatan: $45
- Roatan Jungle Top Wildlife Guided Eco-Park Tour: $45
- Roatán Private costume Tour Chocolate Rum Culture & Local Snacks: $45
- Roatan Private Tour , Culture and Views Experience: $45
- Customizable Best Of Roatan Island Tour in Honduras: $45
Tours and Activities in Key West
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Key West are as follows:
- Hemingway's Key West Self Guided outdoor Walking Audio Tour: $8.00
- Key West History Audio Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- Key West GPS Audio Tour: From Seaside Village to Micro State: $12
- Key West’s Old Town Treasures: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Admission Ticket: $18
- Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum Tickets: $19
- Skip the Line: Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Admission Ticket and Audio Tour: $20
- Key West Aquarium Tickets: $23
- Truman Little White House Guided Tour Ticket: $26
- Key West Ghost Tours: Southernmost Shadows and Ghosts: $27
- Ghosts of Key West Walking Tour: $30
- A Self Guided Key West Cemetery Tour: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $6.56Key West $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
Sample the Local Flavors in Key West
Also in Key West, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- A Spectacular Bar Crawl in Key West: $15
- Bone Island Haunted Pub Crawl: $32
- Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- Key West Spirits and Haunted Pub Crawl: $36
- Original Key West Pub Crawl: The Best Bars with Free T-Shirt: $43
- 2.5-Hour Duval Street Pub Crawl: $43
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and Key West, we can see that Key West is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Roatan is in Central America and Key West is in North 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 Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Key West would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Key West than you might in Roatan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Roatan Expensive? and Is Key West Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Roatan or Key West?
Key West has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan and Key West, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.