Why We Nearly Skipped the Galápagos
We almost were not going to go the Galápagos during the mini-retirement. Why? Because The Frugal Doctor thought that the cost was going to take about a quarter to a fifth of the mini-retirement budget. The Handsome Surfer was keen to visit the Galápagos Islands as there would be some great surf there. In the end The Frugal Doctor had to embrace an abundance mindset and take on the die with zero mantra. Let’s build those memory dividends and visit the famous islands.
Choosing Our Base: San Cristobal & Isabela Islands
With limited time and a love for nature over crowds, we chose San Cristobal and Isabela as the islands to visit. Each offering its own rhythm , charm and wildlife encounters. We opted to make San Cristobal (Puerto Baquerizo Moreno) our home base. We had booked our Airbnb 6 months in advance for 16 days, that is we were stalking their calendar to book as soon as their calendar opened. We knew we would want to visit Isabela Island (Puerto Villamil) but figured we will decide on when once we arrive. We both did not think we needed to go to Santa Cruz (Puerto Arora) as that seemed to be more busy. On San Cristobal the focus would be diving and surfing. On Isabela we would do some water based & land tours.
Getting There: Flights and Transport Logistics
Our flights inbound and outbound of the Galápagos were both from San Cristobal. We opted to fly to Isabela Island as that would be the best use of our time. If we had decided to get the “ferry” we would have to go to Santa Cruz possibly stay a night then from there go to Isabela as there is no direct ferry from San Cristobal to Isabela. If seas are rough the journey would be more than nauseating.
Frugal strategy: Markets & Self-Catering
Because we were paying for accomodation in San Cristobal whilst we were on Isabela we chose basic accomodation (double bed and private bathroom) in a hostel. Both of the accomodations we booked had access to a kitchen. On San Cristobal we were happy to find the local markets (Mercado Municipal San Cristobal) which meant we could choose whatever seafood, fruit and vegetables we wanted. We only ate or drank out 4 times whilst on San Cristobal. On Isabela because of limited selection of groceries and the hostel not having basic pantry staples we ate out lunch and dinners for the 5 days we were there.
Cost breakdown (for Two People in USD)
So how much did we spend? The figures are in USD. The costs are for 2 people:
Flights, Park Fees and Accommodation
- Flight Santiago SCL – San Cristobal SCY (layover in Guayaquil GYE ): $1048 (surfboard baggage included)
- Departure flight SCY – GYE – LIM – SCL – CAL: $1028 (we flew to Calama, Chile so we could make our way to Argentina.
- Flight upgrade to Premium Economy SCL – GYE – SCY: $100 (last minute bid through LATAM app)
- Galápagos National Park entry $400, Airport Tourist card $40, Isabela airport tax $20, luggage trolley GYE $3
- Accomodation San Cristobal $600 (16 nights), Isabela $138 (5nights)
- Laundry costs $21 (San Cristobal $1 per kg , Isabela $1 per pound)
- Return Flight San Cristobal to Isabela: $604
- Taxis to and from airport San Cristobal and Isabela $16
- So the total for total for the above for 2 people is $4018
Food costs
Food wise we spent a total of $582 for the 16 days. This includes any food costs in transit to the Galapagos. The markets were a life saver. Also in Isabela there were restaurants at the market that had a menu of the day these will generally be 6-10 USD per person depending on what’s on offer.
Activity costs: Diving & Surfing
Now that we are in the Galápagos. What are we going to do? ¿Qué vamos a hacer? How much is the cost? ¿Cuánto cuesta?
- PADI Advanced Open water certification $2466 (7 dives including the famous León Dormido Kicker rock X2 and a night dive we booked this with Galapagos Blue Evolution
- Dive computer rental and go-pro for one day: $133 (The Frugal Doctor) carried their Shearwater Peregrine all the way so no need to hire one.
- Tip for the dives $105
- Total dive costs: $2704
The Handsome Surfer had brought two surfboards so there was no need to hire any boards. Getting out to the reef for a surf meant taking a water taxi. We tried to negotiate a lower taxi ride to no avail, as our Airbnb hosts said $20 a return trip was too much. So total for water taxi was $120. Extra surf wax was $10 so total surf costs were $130. For most of the time The Handsome Surfer had the left hand reef break to himself (not quite alone there were some sea-lions in the line-up). He was in surfing bliss. The Frugal Doctor was more than happy to chill in a hammock or log some runs here and there.
Land and On Water Tours
In San Cristobal we did not pay for any other tours. We visited the San Cristobal Interpretation and hiked to Tirjetas hill & Punta Carola beach this was free. A naturalist guide was not needed for this. On Isabela our tours included Los Tuneles, Tintoreras, Sierra Negra volcano hike, & Tortoise sanctuary. We also bought 2 hats as souvenirs. Total for the Isabela tours including tips was $625. We booked all our Isabela tours with Galapagos bike & surf their prices were very competitive and communication was excellent.
Total Spend vs Budget – Did We Stay Under?
So all in for all that we did in the Galapagos the total was US$8059 for the 16 days in August 2025 (AUD $12 246). We had anticipated that we would need at least US$10 000, so was glad we came in under budget. We got to dive, surf, hike, snorkel and see the most amazing wildlife. The Galápagos is a magical place. We did not splurge on sailing the islands and diving from a live aboard who knows once we are F.I.R.E.d (Financial Independence Retire Early) and the markets are rallying we will do this.
Final Thoughts: Is the Galápagos Worth it?
For us, the answer was a resounding yes. The Galapagos is more than a destination – it’s a reminder that mindful travel and financial freedom can coexist beautifully.
So if you are thinking of visiting The Galápagos do it, you won’t regret it. Take a look at some of the amazing wildlife you get to see.
