A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Roatan vs. La Paz for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Roatan or La Paz?

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 La Paz. 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 La Paz?

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.

La Paz

La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico. It has a population of about 215,000 people and is a significant commercial center for the region. The city has a good economy and a high standard of living when compared to much of Mexico. Much of the economy is focused on eco-tourism and there are many protected marine environments in the area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Budget Tours to Mexico, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, La Paz or Roatan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $38, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $118. 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 La Paz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Roatan $11
    La Paz $52
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Roatan $22
    La Paz $104
Compare Hotels in Roatan and La Paz

Looking for a hotel in Roatan or La Paz? 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 Roatan


Hotels in La Paz


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 La Paz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Roatan $19
    La Paz $22
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:


  • Water Taxi
    $4.26

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:

  • Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $15
  • Honduras Airport(RTB) to Honduras -Arrival Private Transfer: $38
  • Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $38
  • Honduras to Honduras Airport (RTB)-Departure Private Transfer: $38
  • Round trip transfers from airport or ferry to hotel: $40
  • Chocolate Factory, Rum Factory, Markets, Island Tour, Private Transfer: $50
  • AJ's Sloth & Monkeys Family Excursion, City Tour & Private Transfer: $57
  • Roatan Private Sloths, Monkeys, Birds Encounters, City Tour and Transfer: $60
  • Roatan Sun & Fun, Sloths & Monkeys, Beach & Private Transfer: $63
  • Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
  • West Bay Beach, Chocolate, & Rum Factory & Transfer: $67
  • Mayan Eden Eco Wildlife Park, City Tour & Private Transfer: $67

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Paz:

  • Roundtrip Transfer to La Paz International Airport: $73
  • La Paz Airport to Costa Baja Private Roundtrip Transfer: $89
  • La Paz Int. Airport (LAP): Private Transfer to La Paz hotels: $174
  • Private Transfer from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas: $240
  • La Paz Airport: Private Roundtrip Transfer to La Ventan: $259

Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or La Paz?

Prices for flights to both La Paz 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Roatan $9.43
    La Paz $38

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.

  • Tiki Boat Sunset Cruise in Roatan with Snorkeling and Dinner : $100
  • Cooking classes from a Local!: $200

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Paz.

  • 4 Hours of Guided La Paz Street Food Tour: $81

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Roatan $27
    La Paz $13

Tours and Activities in Roatan

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:

  • Shore Excursion: Roatan VIP Customizable Island Tour: $35
  • Half Day Roatan Sightseeing and Jungle Island Tour: $41
  • Eco-Walk Nature Tour: $41
  • Private Tour in Roatan with Pick Up: $44
  • Customizable Best Of Roatan Island Tour in Honduras: $45
  • Shore Excursion: Private Half-Day Sightseen Tour and Beach: $45
  • Monkeys and Sloth Hang Out with Island Tour in Roatan: $49
  • Monkeys & sloth hangout,Chocolate Factory,Rum Factory, island tour/Beach : $49
  • Roatan City Tour-Viewpoints, Landmarks, Chocolate and Rum Tasting: $50
  • Guided Tour to Discover Roatán Starting from the Center: $50
  • Goodman's Island Style Roatan Highlights Tour: $50
  • Roatan Shore Excursion: Kayak Harbor Adventure and Reef Snorkel: $51

Tours and Activities in La Paz

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Paz are as follows:

  • Transparent Boat Tour with Mushroom Rock: $64
  • Pearls of Pearl Farm Experience: $64
  • Half Day Sandboarding and Paddleboarding Experience in La Paz: $81
  • Unique Mexican Spirits Tasting & Pairing Experience: $85
  • Sunset Sandboarding at La Paz Dunes Tour: $89
  • City Tour & Beaches from La Paz: $91
  • Supercombo 2-Day City Tour: $105
  • Half Day Private Tour of the Beaches of La Paz: $113
  • From Los Cabos: City Tour La Paz, Balandra and Todos Santos: $115
  • holy spirit island tour: $116
  • Los Cabos Tour from La Paz: $119
  • Snorkel Tour with Whale Shark in La Paz: $119

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Roatan $7.07
    La Paz $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:

  • Half-Day Tour in Roatan With Brewery, Rum and Chocolate Factories visit: $46
  • Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and La Paz, we can see that La Paz 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 La Paz 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 La Paz would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Paz 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 La Paz Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Roatan or La Paz?

La Paz has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan and La Paz, 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.