Which place is cheaper, Roatan or Surfers Paradise?
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 Surfers Paradise or Roatan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Surfers Paradise or Roatan, 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: Surfers Paradise or Roatan?
Surfers Paradise
A tourist mecca, Surfers Paradise is one of the most popular travel destinations along Australia's famed Gold Coast. The beach stretches for miles and there is an endless supply of almost constant parties. You'll find high rise apartments lined up along the shore and plenty of shopping areas, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Travelers from around the world visit the area, and it's a right of passage for Australia's teens to vacation in or near Surfers Paradise. For many travelers, Surfers Paradise comes across as little more than a mass marketed, over commercialized, party destination, but for others it is a vacation dream. Prices are highly inflated so you have to keep your whits about you to avoid being ripped off. Surfers Paradise is a destination of extremes and it conjures up extreme emotions in many travelers, be it positive or negative.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, The Best Adventure Tours to Australia, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, and The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras.
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Surfers Paradise Prices
Australia PricesRoatan Prices
Honduras Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySurfers Paradise $133Roatan $42
The average daily cost (per person) in Surfers Paradise is $133, while the average daily cost in Roatan is $42. 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 Surfers Paradise and Roatan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSurfers Paradise $72Roatan $10
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSurfers Paradise $144Roatan $20
Compare Hotels in Surfers Paradise and Roatan
Looking for a hotel in Surfers Paradise or Roatan? 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: Surfers Paradise Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Surfers Paradise $12Roatan $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surfers Paradise
Also for Surfers Paradise, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gold Coast Theme Parks: Shared Hotel Transfers: $15
- Chill Out at Byron Bay from Gold Coast (Transfer Only): $82
- Gold Coast Airport Transfers Corporate Chauffeurs Gold Coast: $129
- Private Transfers From Gold Coast to Brisbane: $179
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$3.91
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: $25
- Roatan to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $55
- Roatan West Bay Beach Break with Roundtrip Transfer: $65
- Roatan Private Catamaran Shipwreck, Blue Channel and Starfish with Transfer: $79
- Roatan East End Cultural Experience, Island Lunch & Private Transfer: $95
- Parasailing, Beach Break, Chocolate Factory with Transfer: $150
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $59
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, City Tour and Transfer: $80
- Extreme Zipline, City Tour, Chocolate, Rum Factory, Beach Break, Transfer: $105
- Discover Scuba Diving in Roatan at Upachaya with Private Transfer: $150
- Catch a ride to West End & back to Port, Hotel or Airport (Roundtrip Transfer): $60
- Catch a ride to West Bay & back to Port, Hotel, or Airport (Roundtrip Transfer): $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Surfers Paradise or Roatan?
Prices for flights to both Roatan and Surfers Paradise 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 daySurfers Paradise $49Roatan $15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $85
- Romantic Birthday Dinner Cruise for Two on a Private Gondola: $215
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Roatan Cooking Class and Cultural Experience: $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Surfers Paradise $25Roatan $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Surfers Paradise
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Surfers Paradise's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Surf Lesson$84
Tours and Activities in Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Gold Coast Afternoon River Cruise: $21
- Surfers Paradise - 2 Hour Gold Coast Sightseeing Cruise: $21
- Surfers Paradise Sightseeing Midday River Cruise: $21
- Surfers Paradise Sightseeing River Cruises: $28
- Surfers Paradise Sightseeing City Lights Cruise: $28
- Sandbox Virtual Reality Experience - Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast: $32
- Gold Coast Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Cruise 1 Day Pass: $32
- Gold Coast Ultimate High-Speed Jet Boat Adventure: $35
- Guided Gold Coast Amphibious Bus Tour: $38
- Gold Coast: 360-Degree High-Speed Jet Boat Adventure: $39
- Surfers Paradise Sightseeing Sunset River Cruise: $39
- Gold Coast Quack'rDuck Amphibious Tour from Surfers Paradise: $40
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- 3-Hours Private Tour in Roatan with Pick Up: $66
- 4 Hours Private Tour with Snorkeling and West Bay Beach Break: $80
- ATV Adventure , Zip Line , Horseback Ride Combo Tour: $175
- ATV Off Road Tour and Cultural Experience in Roatan: $129
- ATV Ride and Animals Park Tour Mahogany Bay and Ports Roatan: $135
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $132
- ATVS, Sloths and Monkeys, Beach Break Private Tour: $130
- Adventures of Roatan ATV Pineapple beach break: $159
- Animal Sightings and Walking Tour at Gumbalimba Park with Addons: $115
- Beer and Food Tasting Experience at Roatan Island Brewing Company: $100
- Catamaran Cruise, Open Bar, Food and Snorkeling: $165
- Costumed tours in paradise: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySurfers Paradise $12Roatan $6.49
Sample the Local Flavors in Surfers Paradise
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Surfers Paradise:
- Tamborine Mountain Food & Wine Tour from the Gold Coast: $164
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
- Roatan Coffee and Chocolate Tour with Brewery Stop: $90
- Roatan Horseback Ride, Island Tour and Brewery Tasting: $125
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Surfers Paradise and Roatan, we can see that Surfers Paradise is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Surfers Paradise is in Pacific and Roatan is in Central 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 Surfers Paradise would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise Expensive? and Is Roatan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Surfers Paradise or Roatan?
Surfers Paradise has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Surfers Paradise and Roatan, 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.