A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Eagle Beach vs. Gainesville for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Eagle Beach or Gainesville?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Eagle Beach or Gainesville, 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: Eagle Beach or Gainesville?

Eagle Beach

Aruba, only fifteen miles north of Venezuela, is a top Caribbean tourist destination. It's a small island, only 20 miles long and 6 miles wide, and is an autonomous dependency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. One of the most popular and beautiful beaches on the island is Eagle Beach. It's a popular beach with the locals, and a common destination for many who are looking for a party. The beach is particularly crowded on Easter weekend. The sand is a sugary white and the waters are a stunning crystal blue color. The beach itself is quite flat and the ocean is so calm it's like swimming in a pool. There are a handful of palm trees if you're seeking shade, but otherwise it's the ideal place to soak up some rays. You'll find some shaded picnic areas as well if you're hoping to enjoy a casual lunch.

Gainesville

Home to the University of Florida as well as Santa Fe College, the town of Gainesville has all of the shopping, entertainment, and restaurants that you could want in a college town - plus easy access to a number of outdoor adventures from canoeing, diving, and kayaking to birding, fishing, hiking, and biking. Some of the top features include the Butterfly Rainforest, the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, and Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in United States of America, and The Best Cultural Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Gainesville or Eagle Beach?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Eagle Beach Prices
    Aruba Prices
    Gainesville Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Eagle Beach $500
    Gainesville $267

The average daily cost (per person) in Eagle Beach is $500, while the average daily cost in Gainesville is $267. 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 Eagle Beach and Gainesville in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Eagle Beach $290
    Gainesville $115
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Eagle Beach $580
    Gainesville $230
Compare Hotels in Eagle Beach and Gainesville

Looking for a hotel in Eagle Beach or Gainesville? 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 Eagle Beach


Hotels in Gainesville


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: Gainesville Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Eagle Beach $42
    Gainesville $39
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eagle Beach

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eagle Beach:


  • Round-trip Bus Ticket
    $2.84
  • One Day Scooter Rental
    $51

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Eagle Beach

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Eagle Beach:

  • Round-Trip Aruba Airport Transfer: $23
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Aruba Reina Beatrix Airport (AUA)- Aruba: $25
  • Aruba Private Airport Transfer: Personalized Arrival: $31
  • Private Transfer from Aruba Queen Airport (AUA) to Aruba Island: $36
  • Aruba Island to Aruba Queen Airport(AUA) Departure Transfer: $39
  • Aruba Queen Beatrix Airport(AUA) to Aruba Island-Arrival Transfer: $39
  • Aruba Island to Aruba Queen Airport (AUA) - Departure Transfer: $39
  • Aruba VIP Airport Transfers (Round-Trip) : $40
  • Arubabound Transfers: $40
  • Round-Trip Aruba Airport Express Transfer: $45
  • Private Airport Transfer Round-Trip Aruba: $49
  • Aruba Restaurant Transfers Service (Round-Trip): $50

Is it cheaper to fly into Eagle Beach or Gainesville?

Prices for flights to both Gainesville and Eagle Beach 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
    Eagle Beach $150
    Gainesville $121

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Eagle Beach

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

  • Aruba Dinner and Nightlife Tour: $86
  • Noord, Aruba: Exclusive Private Dinner aboard the Aqua Donut: $90
  • Aruba Caribbean Dinner Sail Experience: $92
  • Sunset Sail Cruise to Boca Catalina with BBQ Dinner: $110
  • Sunset Sail: Aruba Dinner Cruise with Open Bar by Catamaran: $119
  • Tropical Sailing Experience with BBQ Lunch or BBQ Dinner in Aruba: $135
  • Caribbean Cooking Class in Aruba: $160

Typical Food Prices in Gainesville

Some typical examples of dining costs in Gainesville are as follows:


  • Diner Breakfast for Two
    $17
  • Lunch at Chop Stix (for 2)
    $24

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Eagle Beach $155
    Gainesville $43
Typical Entertainment Prices in Eagle Beach

Here are a few typical costs in Eagle Beach for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Full Day Bike Rental
    $32
  • Kayak & Snorkeling Tour
    $126
  • Horseback Riding Tour
    $89
  • 4 Hr Snorkel Trip
    $95

Tours and Activities in Eagle Beach

Here are a few actual costs in Eagle Beach for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Champagne and Diamond Shopping Experience in Aruba: $5.00
  • Aruba Ostrich Adventures Entrance Ticket and Unique Tour: $15
  • Aruba Mangel Halto and Baby Beach Snorkeling Guided Tour: $37
  • Scenic Aruba Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $40
  • Explore Aruba Party Bus Tour: $41
  • Aruba Countryside Tour: $44
  • Aruba Downtown Historic and Cultural Walking Tour: $45
  • Aruba Happy Hour Tour: $50
  • Aruba Jet Ski Rentals — Exciting Water Adventures Await: $58
  • Aruba Sunset Sail Cruise aboard The Dolphin Catamaran: $59
  • Full-Day Aruba History and Must-See Landmarks Tour: $59
  • Highlights of Aruba Island Tour: $60

Typical Entertainment Prices in Gainesville

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Gainesville are as follows:


  • Manatee Tour for Two
    $98
  • Tour Guide Tip
    $5.00

Tours and Activities in Gainesville

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

  • Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Gainesville by Operation City Quest: $10
  • 2 Hour Guided Clear Glass Bottom Kayak Tour Gilchrist Blue Spring: $60

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Eagle Beach $40
    Gainesville $49


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eagle Beach and Gainesville, we can see that Eagle Beach is more expensive. And not only is Gainesville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eagle Beach is in Caribbean Islands and Gainesville 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 Gainesville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gainesville 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 Eagle Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Eagle Beach than you might in Gainesville.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Eagle Beach Expensive? and Is Gainesville Expensive?.