Egypt's Red Sea is the best value worldwide, roughly $110–190 per night. Thailand, the Philippines and parts of Indonesia follow; Galápagos and Cocos are the most expensive.
Liveaboard pricing follows fuel, distance, park fees and crew costs, which is why the cheapest destinations are the ones with short crossings and reefs close to a well-supplied port.
Egypt is consistently the best value in the world
A 7-night Red Sea trip typically costs $800 to $1,400 including all diving, which works out at roughly $110 to $190 a night. Thailand's Similan and Richelieu Rock trips and Philippine itineraries around Tubbataha and Visayas sit in the $150 to $250 a night bracket. Indonesian trips vary widely: Komodo and Alor can be affordable, while Raja Ampat and Banda Sea crossings cost more because of the distance.
Mid-range destinations include the Maldives at roughly $200 to $350 a night, Mexico's Sea of Cortez, Belize and the Bahamas. The premium tier is expedition territory: Socorro, Galápagos, Cocos, Malpelo and Antarctica, where $400 to $900 a night is normal once park fees and hyperbaric-chamber levies are added.
Two ways to cut cost without cutting quality: travel in shoulder season, when the same vessel can be 20 to 30 percent cheaper, and book last-minute cabins on departures the operator wants to fill. Both are listed on our Deals page.
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