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

Should you visit Roatan or Paracas?

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 Paracas. 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 Paracas?

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.

Paracas

Paracas, also known as El Chaco, is a resort town on the Southern coast of the country, about 150 miles south of Lima. The town in located in one of the oldest regions of Peru, with a history dating back to 900 BC and offers many pre-Inca cultural sites throughout the area. Paracas is possibly best known for being home to the Paracas National Reserve, a nature reserve boasting one of the most abundant and diverse ecosystems in the world.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Eco Tours in Peru, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Paracas or Roatan?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $42, while the average daily cost in Paracas is $84. 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 Paracas in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Roatan $11
    Paracas $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Roatan $22
    Paracas $48
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Paracas

Looking for a hotel in Roatan or Paracas? 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 Paracas


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 Paracas Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Roatan $18
    Paracas $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan

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


  • Water Taxi
    $4.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paracas

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paracas:

  • Paracas Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
  • Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
  • Private Transfer From San Juan Airport (SJU) to /from San Juan: $44
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $220
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima hotels: $220

Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Paracas?

Prices for flights to both Paracas 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 $15
    Paracas $42

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Roatan $26
    Paracas $26

Tours and Activities in Roatan

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

  • Monkeys and sloths, private tour , and beach: $89

Tours and Activities in Paracas

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

  • Paracas Desert Bike Adventure: $15
  • Ballestas Islands Group Tour from Paracas : $15
  • Ballestas Islands and Candelabro Boat Tour: $15
  • Ballestas Islands: Peru’s Natural Paradise boat tour: $16
  • BALLESTAS ISLANDS TOUR: $16
  • Ballestas Islands Guided Boat Tour: $17
  • speedboat BALLESTAS ISLANDS TOUR: $17
  • From Ballestas Islands tour all Inclusive: $17
  • Ballestas Islands tour all Inclusive: $18
  • Tours to Ballestas Islands by Speed Boat: $20
  • Tour Ballestas Islands: $20
  • Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour: $20

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Roatan $6.64
    Paracas $12


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


Which is Bigger, Roatan or Paracas?

Roatan has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Paracas. When comparing the sizes of Roatan and Paracas, 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.