How much does it cost to get scuba certified? This seems to be a very popular question online.
And why not?
With scuba diving fast becoming one of the most popular water sports in the world, many people have it on their bucket list.
It will cost you a tidy sum of money, about $500, maybe less … probably less than that. But it will not be below $350, with diving gear included.
Diving abroad – How much does it cost to get scuba certified?
One of the main reasons that people go for scuba diving certification despite the price is so that they can dive abroad. Enjoying a water sport like stand up paddling is not enough. You will never feel satisfied with snorkeling and other surface sports. Deeper!
You can train how to dive abroad. The cost of scuba diving certification will be the same, maybe slightly higher or lower.
For example, when you train for scuba diving certification in Mombasa, Kenya, you will get different packages at different prices. However, for open water diving, you will see that the price is just about the same as you would pay in California.
Still in Mombasa, PADI open water dive certification with 5 lessons for theory, 5 lessons in the pool, 4 ocean dives with full scuba diving gear, and any fee that may need to be paid will cost you €380 or $440. This will get you certification to dive to a depth of 18 meters or 60 feet.
It is better to train at home though so that when you get to your diving destination abroad, you will have enough time to see around. Who wants to be confined to a classroom when you should be out enjoying some tropical sunshine?
You do not want to go to the sandy beaches of Florida for the beach fun alone. You want to venture into the warm turquoise waters, in a wetsuit for diving. It’s irresistible.
As soon as you start training for PADI certification, the theory part, you will start to appreciate just why the training fee is high. Besides, this price includes the scuba gear that you will use for your training.
But is it very important to get scuba certified? Definitely it is. The oceans beckon. However, first things first …
Why you should be scuba certified
For skills. Diving is very much a matter of life and death. See the video below first:
When you have become scuba certified, you will be able to dive in the open water, to a depth of 60 feet. But that is just the start. There is no limit to the wonders that you can explore in the water.
If you wish to dive deeper, you may need a dive buddy who is more qualified. The essence here is to have a buddy who can check after your gear, see to it that everything is fixed properly. And you can also do the same for him or her.
For kids, they are only allowed to dive alongside a chaperone who is at least 18 years old. They are only allowed to dive to a depth of 40 feet.
The good thing is that scuba diving knows no limits. You can enlist for many specialty courses. once you have mastered the basics
Consider enlisting for a course in underwater photography. You may also want to try cave diving, wreck diving or even deep sea diving. Like we said, there are no limits. You can own the oceans.
In future, you can also learn how to use an underwater scooter and explore bigger areas. However, it is paramount that you start with the basics like how to set up your scuba tank, hoses and scuba tank regulator. You can learn about other details later.
Today, if you do your research, you will see that scuba diving is one of the top ten most popular water sports in the world. As people become more intrigued by the mysteries of the deep, many are looking to become divers.
But scuba diving is far different from snorkeling. You see, to dive, you have to be certified. You cannot dive without being certified.
Certification for scuba diving means you have to be trained for diving. You can see more about this in my article on Naui Vs. PADI diving training.
About the cost … it depends on many things. One of the most important of them all is where you are taking the diving course. However, for most of the dive courses, you will find that you require to pay not more than $500.
Scuba diving training package
You will train in a pool, so whatever cost you are charged will include the pool fees. It will also include the cost of renting equipment.
Scuba diving training in San Diego may differ from one dive shop to another. At the same time, if you book online, you may pay less than a person who books on the spot.
You will be diving with a PADI professional, who will give you the very basics of scuba diving. The trainer will eventually lead you to certification. PADI, NAUI and other dice courses cost almost the same amount of money as long as they are for the same level of training.
Since PADI is the most popular of all recreational diver courses, the pricelist may differ from country to country, but the prices are not so far off. The best thing is that as long as you can be able to swim for 200 yards, you can start training to dive. If you are in sound health, there is no maximum age limit in scuba diving.
For kids, they must be at least 10 years old to take the PADI course. They will go for the PADI Junior Open Water Diver Certification. For this training, including the equipments, a parent can expect to pay about $350 to $500. This range is the basic range of PADI certification cost around the world. Don’t worry though, you will never regret spending your money this way.
Scuba diving basics and theory
Scuba certification training is divided into two parts. The first part is the theory, which is also called the knowledge development stage. This is where you learn some of the basic terminologies, scuba diving gear, scuba diving signs and many more.
If you ask professional divers, this is the most important part because you get acquainted with the gear that will save you in the water. So you should take it very seriously.
You will also be taught what to expect from scuba diving. This basically refers to how your body is going to react to scuba diving. The knowledge that you will gather here is going to determine whether you will grasp the practical part.
You had better pay close attention because you will also learn about things like how to pop your ears when diving. If you get a good trainer, by the time you will be done with the theory part, you will feel totally ready to get into the water. However, not just yet …
Many people wonder whether the scuba diving theory part is complex. It is not. It is very simple indeed because it has been developed with youngsters in mind. You should find it easy to wrap your head around. However, it is always a good thing to dig up more information about scuba diving. You can never learn enough.
Also, perhaps you should know that you can also study the theory part of scuba diving basics online. You may also attend a classroom. Even in the classroom, you will still get training manuals and videos. Since these training resources are available in many languages, it is quite possible to train in a language that you understand.
The only disadvantage to taking your scuba diving training theory in the classroom is time limitation. When you take it online, you can study at your own pace, until you feel that you are ready.
Both study modes (classroom and online) have their benefits. Choose the most suitable for you.
Learn important things like how to use a computer for diving, a scuba diving knife and many more things. However, you may not get everything. Some of the stuff you will learn later.
Scuba diving training practical
After you have mastered the scuba diving theory, then comes the practical. This, as a race car driver would say, is where rubber meets the road.
This is where you get inside the water. It is a three-dimensional world. It is an environment where you will feel weightless. You have to learn how to be in control.
Besides, when you get to the practical part of scuba diving training, you will be halfway to earning your scuba certification. The cost is inclusive of everything.
Learn how to dive in a controlled environment, like a pool. You will learn how to calculate the weight you require for diving. You trainer will swim with you in the pool, demonstrating different techniques.
Usually, there are three sessions in the pool, that is, a minimum of three. Five sessions are better, before you can move onto the next stage, that of open water training.
By the time you get to open water diving training, you already know a lot. You know how to wear your scuba diving fins. You also know how to wear your scuba diving mask, your wetsuit or even drysuit for diving.
Also learn important diving risk mitigation skills like how to get water out of your scuba diving mask, how to work your scuba tank regulator, how to take care of your scuba diving tank and many more important skills.
It might be the session for scuba diving basics, but these basics will save your life one day.
Open water dives
And now to the big boy stuff – open water diving. This is what you were gunning for all along. This is the real deal. Mostly, open water dive training is offered in four or five sessions. After that, you will have earned your certification.
The importance of the open water dive is to prepare you for diving locally or abroad. If you would one day love to dive in Dubai, you will need skills.
You will be practicing all the skills that you learned in the confined water dives. Your scuba diving trainer will be with you until you gain confidence in the water. By the time the instructor is done with you, you will be ready to dive with a dive buddy, or a group.
How to lower the scuba certification cost
There are a few ways that you can lower the scuba certification cost. Bring your own scuba equipment so that you can get a discount. Some diving trainers give discounts of up to 20 percent if you have your own equipment.
However, when you are going to dive abroad, you may not have that privilege, but you can still carry what you can. So, anything that will fit in your travel dive gear bag should be tucked in. Snorkeling mask, your neoprene wetsuit and other small gear like diving watch should go into the bag.
If you do not have your gear, ask for discounts anyway. You will be surprised the discounts people miss just because they never ask. Ask and it shall be given! Even if it is just a few dollars, well, it is money saved.
You can also find out whether there are special packages with lower scuba diving certification cost for people who book online.
The good thing is that the scuba certification cost that you pay is a one-off payment. After you have learned how to dive in the open water, you will only need to take refresher diving courses in future.
Also called the ReActivate dive course, it should cost as little as $50 dollars for a single fun dive. In Mombasa Kenya, a single dive will cost you $57, inclusive of gear and other fees.
Conclusion
You have seen the answer to the question of: how much does it cost to get scuba certified. It is close to, if not $500. You will get skills that you will never forget and then you can dive almost anywhere in the world. This certification will open the world of deep sea diving to you. After you have earned your certification, you can go for advanced diving courses such as shark diving, cave and shipwreck diving.
