Which place is cheaper, Galapagos Islands or San Pedro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit San Pedro or Galapagos Islands?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Pedro or Galapagos Islands, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: San Pedro or Galapagos Islands?
San Pedro
San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize. Here you can find a tropical paradise with warm weather, clear blue waters, plenty of activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving, and a host of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.
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 Budget Tours to Belize, The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro $135Galapagos Islands $138
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro is $135, 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 San Pedro and Galapagos Islands in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro $66Galapagos Islands $65
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro $132Galapagos Islands $130
Compare Hotels in San Pedro and Galapagos Islands
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro 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.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro $34Galapagos Islands $54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure (Boat Transfer): $205
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 San Pedro or Galapagos Islands?
Prices for flights to both Galapagos Islands and San Pedro 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 daySan Pedro $40Galapagos Islands $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Pedro.
- Belizean Sunset and Cultural Dinner Cruise: $120
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro $33Galapagos Islands $35
Tours and Activities in San Pedro
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Pedro are as follows:
- The best of San Pedro Town walking tour: $202
- 3 Hours Barrier Reef Tour in Caye Caulker, Belize: $54
- 5-Hour Guided Jetboat Tour to Secret Beach, San Pedro, Belize.: $200
- All-Inclusive Full-Day Hol Chan Snorkeling Tour : $120
- Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from San Pedro Ambergris Caye: $250
- Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $75
- Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $93
- Cave Tubing and Zip line Adventure from San pedro Ambergris caye: $250
- Double Activity Limo Tour: Xunantunich Ruins & Cave Tubing Adventure: $220
- Exclusive All-in-1 Full Day Shared Guided Tour: $139
- Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkeling and Marine Life Tour: $95
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $89
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
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro $16Galapagos Islands $15
When comparing the travel costs between San Pedro 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 San Pedro 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 San Pedro 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.