Which place is cheaper, Alaska or California?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit California or Alaska?
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 California and Alaska. 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: California or Alaska?
California
California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is known for a variety of attractions such as Hollywood, warm beaches, the San Francisco bay area, Redwood trees, national parks, and stunning mountain vistas. With a variety of locations and activities to offer, California has become one of the premier travel destinations in the world.
Alaska
Alaska joined the United States of America as the 49th state. The US purchased the area from the Russian Empire in 1867 for just 7.2 million dollars (about two cents an acre). It became an organized territory in 1912 and a state in 1959. It is separated from the rest of the country by Canada and, although it is the largest state, it is the least densely populated and for many years had the lowest population. It covers an area equal to California, Texas and Montana combined and lies on the Arctic Circle. Many people consider Alaska to be the United State's "final frontier" because of its vast wilderness. It is also where you will find the highest point in North America.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.
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California Prices
USA PricesAlaska Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCalifornia $284Alaska $280
The average daily cost (per person) in California is $284, while the average daily cost in Alaska is $280. 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 California and Alaska in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCalifornia $116Alaska $135
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCalifornia $232Alaska $270
Compare Hotels in California and Alaska
Looking for a hotel in California or Alaska? 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.
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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.California $42Alaska $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- San Francisco Airport Transfer to SFO City (Special Offer): $31
- Private Arrival Transfer from John Wayne Orange County Airport SNA: $32
- Los Angeles Airport LAX Transfer to Long Beach Hollywood Irvine: $33
- Private Departure Transfer San Fransisco City to SFO Airport: $34
- Shared ride Arrival Transfer John Wayne airport to Anaheim hotels: $36
- Shared Airport Departure Transfer Anaheim and Orange County to John Wayne Airport: $36
- Private Departure Transfer to Los Angeles Airport LAX: $39
- Private Departure Transfer to Burbank Airport (BUR): $40
- Los Angeles Airport (LAX) to Los Angeles - Arrival Private Transfer: $41
- Los Angeles to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $41
- Private Transfer Los Angeles Internal Airport LAX From To LA: $41
- Private Arrival Transfer from San Francisco Airport SFO: $44
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alaska
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alaska:
- Whittier to Anchorage Land Transfer Tour With AWCC: $199
- Whittier to Anchorage Direct Transfer Tour: $77
- Seward to Anchorage- Post Cruise Curated Wildlife Tour +Transfer: $227
- Seward to Anchorage transfer with National Park hike and AWCC: $249
- Seward to Anchorage Scenic Transfer Photo Tour: $295
- Seward to Anchorage Direct Transfer Tour: $79
- Private Transfer, Whittier Cruise ship to Anchorage: $299
- Private Transfer, Seward Cruise ship to Anchorage : $299
- Private Transfer, Anchorage to Whittier Cruise Ship Terminal: $299
- Private Transfer, Anchorage to Seward Cruise Ship Terminal: $299
- Private Transfer Alaska Anchorage Airport ANC to Anchorage City: $180
- Private Departure Transfer - to Anchorage Airport (ANC): $62
Is it cheaper to fly into California or Alaska?
Prices for flights to both Alaska and California 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
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Food Meals for one dayCalifornia $79Alaska $94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California
For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Monica Delicious Donut Adventure and Walking Food Tour: $70
- Flavors of Venice Beach Food Tour By Junket: $74
- Melting Pot of the Mission District Food Tour: $74
- Sushi Making Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in San Diego: $75
- 2 Hour Ravioli Cooking Class With Local Chef in San Diego : $75
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $76
- Tijuana Street Food Tour for Foodies: $79
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $84
- San Francisco North Beach & Chinatown Food Tour with 5 Tastings: $85
- Mission District or North Beach & Chinatown Authentic Food Tours: $85
- North Park San Diego Walking Food Tour: $85
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alaska
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alaska.
- Aurora Viewing and Dinner : $120
- Alaskan Salmon Cooking Class & Dining Experience: $179
- City of Anchorage SIGHTSEEING & FOOD Tour - Winter & Summer: $195
- "Aurora Ice" - Ice Fishing & Salmon Dinner Tour: $239
- Electric Moose Studios Aurora Adventure W/Portraits & Hot Pizza!!: $270
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.California $69Alaska $65
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Walking Tour in Los Angeles' Best-Kept Secrets: $3.57
- San Francisco Uncovered Self-Guided Adventure: $3.58
- Self-Guided Golden Gate Bridge Bike or Walking App Tour: $5.00
- San Francisco Private Car Tour: $5.00
- Self-Guided San Diego Walking or Bicycle Tour App: $5.00
- Missing Gem Quest Experience in Morgan Hill: $5.95
- Santa Monica Superhero Exploration Game and Tour: $5.96
- Historical San Anselmo: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Avalon City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Hollywood Boulevard’s Haunting History and Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Pasadena Puzzle Adventure: Stop the Bomb!: $7.16
Tours and Activities in Alaska
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Alaska are as follows:
- PREMIUM Sitka Scenic Tour: $110
- Spenard Neighborhood FOOD & TRUE CRIME Walking Tour: $150
- Whittier to Anchorage Half Day Transit Tour From the Port: $199
- Whittier to Anchorage Post Cruise Wildlife Glacier Tour: $197
- “OVER THE TOP TOURS” city highlights, wildlife and more!: $100
- 1 Day Shared Tour Arctic Circle and Aurora Viewing in Alaska: $150
- 1 Hour Fall Sled Dog Experience in Two Rivers: $130
- 1 Hour Snowmobile Adventure in Boreal Forest: $159
- 1-hr. Dog Sledding Tour in Fairbanks (without transportation): $170
- 1.5-Hour Beer and Puppies Guided Experience in Fairbanks: $58
- 2 Hour Alaska Rainforest Walk and Totem Park Small Group Tour: $95
- 2 Hour Custom Wildlife and Historical Tour: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCalifornia $21Alaska $20
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Self Guided Tour and Bar Crawl in Chinatown San Francisco: $6.99
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Palm Springs Bar Crawl: $15
- Scavenger Adventure and Lake Tahoe Bar Crawl: $15
- Santa Monica Bar Crawl: $15
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- San Francisco Pub Crawl + Clubbing Experience: $27
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $29
- Paso Robles Aria (Syrah Dominant) Flight Wine Tasting : $30
- Paso Robles Sonata(Red Blend) Flight Wine Tasting : $30
- Hillcrest: LGBTQ+ Pub Crawl with Local Drag Queen: $35
Sample the Local Flavors in Alaska
Also in Alaska, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Haunted Pub Crawl : $75
- Walking Pub Crawl in Downtown Juneau: $115
- Distillery Tour and Signature Bottle Infusion Experience: $149
- Craft Brews & Epic Views: Juneau's Brewery & Sightseeing Tour!: $159
- Half-Day Anchorage Craft Brewery Tour and Tastings: $179
When comparing the travel costs between California and Alaska, we can see that California is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is California Expensive? and Is Alaska Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, California or Alaska?
California has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Alaska. When comparing the sizes of California and Alaska, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.