A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Grand Cayman vs. Joshua Tree National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Grand Cayman or Joshua Tree National Park?

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 Grand Cayman and Joshua Tree National Park. 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: Grand Cayman or Joshua Tree National Park?

Grand Cayman

When people think of the Cayman Islands, they typically think of offshore bank accounts and sunny, cruise ship ports. Grand Cayman has more to offer travelers than a playground for the wealthy or a short stopover for cruise passengers. This tropical island is the largest of the three Cayman Islands, it is a shopper's heaven, a center for global finance and an ideal vacation spot.

Joshua Tree National Park

California's high desert has a unique landscape and has become synonymous with Joshua Tree, located in southeastern California. Joshua Tree National Park gained its namesake from its spiky, evergreen, and unusually shaped trees native to the Mojave Desert area, which only grow in arid soils on plains, slopes and mesas. Legend has it that Mormons in the 19th century came across the trees and thought they resembled Joshua from the Bible, with outstretched arms, beckoning them to the promised land. Well, they do kind of look like people.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United States of America, and The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Joshua Tree National Park or Grand Cayman?

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

  • Grand Cayman Prices
    Cayman Islands Prices
    Joshua Tree National Park Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Grand Cayman $242
    Joshua Tree National Park $177

The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $242, while the average daily cost in Joshua Tree National Park is $177. 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 Grand Cayman and Joshua Tree National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Grand Cayman $149
    Joshua Tree National Park $87
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Grand Cayman $298
    Joshua Tree National Park $174
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and Joshua Tree National Park

Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman or Joshua Tree National Park? 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 Grand Cayman


Hotels in Joshua Tree National Park


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: Grand Cayman Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Grand Cayman $31
    Joshua Tree National Park $47

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman

Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Airport to morritts: $180
  • Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $103

Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or Joshua Tree National Park?

Prices for flights to both Joshua Tree National Park and Grand Cayman 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
    Grand Cayman $67
    Joshua Tree National Park $60

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Grand Cayman $41
    Joshua Tree National Park $27

Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman

For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • StingrayCity ,Coral Garden & Starfish Tour. : $69
  • 2 Stop Reef Snorkel and Glass Bottom Boat Adventure: $35
  • 3 Stop Boat Tour Stingray City Coral Gardens and Starfish Point: $65
  • Acquarius Stingray City and Snorkel Tours: $79
  • Cayman 2 in 1 Combo Tour Stingray City Reef Snorkel Adventure: $77
  • Cayman 3 in 1 Combo Adventure Stingray City Reef Snorkeling: $104
  • Cayman Adventure Stingrays Starfish plus Crystal Caves : $89
  • Cayman Bioluminescent Bay Night Tour: $144
  • Cayman Combo Tour: Starfish Point, Stingray City & Coral Gardens: $119
  • Cayman Crystal Caves Tour in Grand Cayman: $143
  • Cayman's Classic Food Tasting & Cultural Experience: $179
  • CaymanVisitor Hide & Seek GeoTour Self-Drive Tour: $13

Tours and Activities in Joshua Tree National Park

For Joshua Tree National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • From San Diego: Joshua Tree National Park Private Tour: $949
  • Rappelling Experience: $255

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Grand Cayman $13
    Joshua Tree National Park $4.93
Typical Alcohol Prices in Grand Cayman

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:


  • Beer
    $4.95

Sample the Local Flavors in Grand Cayman

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Grand Cayman:

  • Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery Tour Pass Ticket Only: $24
  • Cayman Art and Wine Tour: $150


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Grand Cayman Expensive? and Is Joshua Tree National Park Expensive?.


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