Which place is cheaper, California or Florida?
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 Florida or California?
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 Florida and California. 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: Florida or California?
Florida
The state of Florida, known for sunshine, warm weather, beaches, and Disney World, has much to offer. Orlando and its world-famous parks such as Disney, Epcot, Universal Studios, MGM, Sea World, and more draw massive amounts of visitors every year, and for a good reason. Florida is more than just Disney, however, the state has many other attractions and cities worth visiting.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles.
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Florida Prices
USA PricesCalifornia Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFlorida $296California $284
The average daily cost (per person) in Florida is $296, while the average daily cost in California is $284. 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 Florida and California in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFlorida $135California $116
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFlorida $270California $232
Compare Hotels in Florida and California
Looking for a hotel in Florida or California? 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.Florida $46California $42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florida
Also for Florida, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- VIP Transfer to Miami International Airport and Port of Miami: $118
- Universal Orlando Resorts to Orlando Airport MCO Private Transfer: $125
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Fort Lauderdale APT-HTL (FLL): $285
- Transfers from Miami Airport to any Miami and Miami Beach area: $145
- Transfer: Lake Buena Vista Hotels To/From Orlando Airport: $295
- Transfer from Port Miami to Miami Airport. Up to 11 passengers.: $190
- Transfer from Fort Lauderdale (FLL or Port Everglades) to Miami.: $220
- Tampa hotel or address to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer: $60
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $84
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa Hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $168
- Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Tampa Airport (TPA) to Tampa Bay Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $168
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Los Angeles Private Transfers to LAX: $300
- Los Angeles Airport Transfer and Transportation : $300
- Departure Private Transfer: Los Angeles to Ontario Airport ONT in Luxury Van: $299
- Departure Transfer: Los Angeles to Airport LAX by Luxury Car: $299
- Napa, CA to Sacramento Airport (SMF) - Departure Private Transfer : $294
- Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Napa, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $294
- Los Angeles port to Long Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $284
- Private Transfer from Santa Barbara Cruise Port to Los Angeles: $281
- Private Round-trip Airport Transfer: Long Beach Airport to & from Anaheim Hotels: $280
- Long Beach Airport (LGB) to Los Angeles port Round-Trip Transfer: $278
- Private Transfer: Ontario Airport ONT to Los Angeles in Business Car: $275
- Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $270
Is it cheaper to fly into Florida or California?
Prices for flights to both California and Florida 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 dayFlorida $104California $79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Florida
For Florida, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- St. Johns River Lunch and Dinner Cruises in Sanford, Florida: $43
- Palafox Palete Food Tour: $50
- Daytona Beach: Luau with Polynesian Dinner and Live Show: $53
- Polynesian Fire and Dinner Show Ticket in Daytona Beach: $53
- Fort Lauderdale Intracoastal & Dinner Cruise: $64
- Little Havana Street Food Tour with Enthusiastic Guide: $69
- Orlando Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show Experience: $75
- Taste of Little Havana Food Tour in Miami with Cuban Street Food: $75
- Mornings in the Market Food Tour: $75
- Fort Launderdale: Sushi Cooking Class With Local Chef: $75
- Sushi Making Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in Orlando: $75
- Immersive Sushi Cooking Class in Fort Lauderdale: $75
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
- 2 Hour Ravioli Cooking Class With Local Chef in San Diego : $75
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $76
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $84
- San Francisco North Beach & Chinatown Food Tour with 5 Tastings: $85
- North Park San Diego Walking Food Tour: $85
- Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour: $89
- The Immigrant & Historic Businesses of Silver Lake Food Tour: $89
- Little Italy Food and Drink Walking Tour: Pizza, Pasta & Piazzas: $90
- San Francisco Food Tour: Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market: $95
- San Diego Gaslamp Food Tour with 6 Modern Californian Tastings: $95
- Encinitas Food Tour: $96
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Florida $62California $69
Tours and Activities in Florida
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Florida.
- 1-Hour Virtual Reality Experience Skull & Books VR - Cocoa Beach: $45
- 2 HR Interactive Walking Ghost Tour in Downtown Orlando: $78
- 30 Minute- Ocean Drive Segway Tour: $42
- 90 minute Everglades Airboat Tour near Orlando Florida : $89
- Anna Maria Island - Clear Kayak LED Night Glass Bottom Tour : $65
- Bayside Marketplace Miami Full Day Shopping Experience : $100
- Big Kahuna Sunset Dolphin Cruise Experience: $55
- Bioluminescence Kayak Tour Near Orlando: $80
- Clearwater Beach Yoga Experience : $35
- Discover Miami Beach with a Shared Golf Cart Tour: $55
- Dolphin Cruise in Destin FL : $37
- LED Bio Comb Jelly Clear Bottom Kayak or Paddleboard Tour!: $75
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Hour Private Tour in Malibu Majesty: $35
- Clear Kayak Paddle Tour at Cave Rock: $110
- Day Tour to Kings Canyon National Park: $275
- Electric Bike Tour De San Francisco: $100
- Explore San Francisco Napa Sacramento Oakland Black Exp Car Tour: $244
- Gaslamp Quarter to Little Italy Tour: $39
- Guided Hiking Tour in Big Bear with Sunset Champagne toast on Private Dock: $75
- Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles Private Tour: $249
- Maritime Museum of San Diego Admission Ticket: $28
- Muir Woods and Sausalito Morning Tour Small-Group Half Day: $84
- North Beach & Little Italy Walking Tour: Food, History & Flavor: $86
- Old Town Walking Tour: $129
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFlorida $31California $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Florida
Also in Florida, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Tampa Bar Hunt: Tampa Takeover Bar Crawl: $12
- Key West Bar Crawl: $15
- Fort Lauderdale Bar Crawl: $15
- Tallahassee Bar Crawl: $15
- Naples Bar Crawl Experience: $15
- Miami Florida Bar Crawl: $15
- Walking Ghost Tour Pub Crawl - Boos with Booze : $20
- Walking Pub Tour : $21
- The Tour and Wine Tasting Experience at Aspirations Winery: $25
- Orlando Haunts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $27
- Miami Bar Crawl: $29
- Pub Crawl Miami: $30
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Scavenger Adventure and Lake Tahoe Bar Crawl: $15
- Santa Monica Bar Crawl: $15
- Palm Springs Bar Crawl: $15
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- San Francisco Pub Crawl + Clubbing Experience: $27
- 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
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $36
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $36
When comparing the travel costs between Florida and California, we can see that Florida 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 Florida Expensive? and Is California Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Florida or California?
California has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Florida. When comparing the sizes of Florida and California, 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.