Which place is cheaper, Hawaii or Texas?
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 Texas or Hawaii?
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 Texas and Hawaii. 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: Texas or Hawaii?
Texas
Texas is the second largest and second most populated state in the United States. It measures 267,000 square miles in size and exploring even a large section of the state takes longer than you might expect. The size and distinctive culture of the area brings much pride to the state's natives. The state was briefly its own country for ten years, starting in 1836 after the residents rebelled as a territory of first Spain and then Mexico. It then joined the United States in 1845. The state maintains its independent personality and many Texans proudly display the state flag near their home or car.
Hawaii
Located towards the center of the Pacific Ocean and the northeast corner of Polynesia, Hawai'i is the 50th state of the United States of America. It is a major tourist destination for travelers from around the world and as such, its economy is very dependent on the tourist dollar. Historically, the state had strong whaling, sugar and pineapple industries, but today tourism and the military make up a significant part of the economy. The state includes many islands that spread over 1,500 miles, but there are eight main islands which have a diversity of natural beauty and interesting landscapes. The islands offer visitors many impressive features from the beautiful beaches to the lush interior. There is a lot of hiking, snorkeling and scuba diving available throughout the islands. The capital of the state is Honolulu, which is also the largest city. Both Hawaiian and English are spoken throughout.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in United States of America, The Best Camping Tours in United States of America, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, and The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in United States of America.
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Texas Prices
USA PricesHawaii Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTexas $228Hawaii $393
The average daily cost (per person) in Texas is $228, while the average daily cost in Hawaii is $393. 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 Texas and Hawaii in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTexas $81Hawaii $214
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTexas $162Hawaii $428
Compare Hotels in Texas and Hawaii
Looking for a hotel in Texas or Hawaii? 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.Texas $49Hawaii $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Texas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Texas:
- Sedan Airport Transfer in Houston: $165
- San Antonio to San Antonio Airport (SAT) - Departure Private Transfer: $73
- San Antonio Airport (SAT) to San Antonio - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $146
- San Antonio Airport (SAT) to San Antonio - Arrival Private Transfer: $73
- SUV Airport Transfer in Houston: $200
- Private Transfer in a Luxury Vehicle to and/or from SAT Airport: $50
- Private Transfer in a Luxury Vehicle to and/or from AUS Airport: $125
- Private Transfer from Houston Airport (HOU) to Galveston Port : $156
- Private Transfer from George Bush Airport(IAH) to Galveston Port : $222
- Private Transfer from Dallas to Dallas Airport DFW in Business Car: $119
- Private Transfer from Dallas Airport DFW to Dallas in Luxury SUV: $138
- Private Transfer from Dallas Airport DFW to Dallas in Business Car: $119
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hawaii
Also for Hawaii, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Departure - Private Transfer Waikiki Hotel to Airport: $35
- Honolulu HNL Airport Round-Trip Private Transfer in SUV: $298
- Kahului, Lahaina Airport, Kaanapali & Kapalua Private Transfer : $85
- Private Transfer Honolulu Airport and Ko Olina Hotels: $134
- Arrival - Private Transfer Honolulu Airport to Waikiki Hotel : $40
- Arrival Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu To Ko'olina: $53
- Arrival Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal: $18
- Arrival Transfer: Kona International Airport (KOA) to Hotels - Big Island: $15
- Chief's Luau Admission Including Transfers: $174
- Departure Transfer from Hotels to Kona International Airport: $15
- Departure Transfer: Airport Shuttle From Ko'olina To Honolulu Airport: $53
- HNL Airport & Waikiki Private Transfer by Brand New Mercedes Van: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Texas or Hawaii?
Prices for flights to both Hawaii and Texas 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 dayTexas $71Hawaii $128
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Texas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Texas.
- Downtown Dallas Walking Food Tour History and Cocktail Package : $25
- Billy Bob's Texas Honky Tonk Dinner and Photo Package: $51
- Pizza & Pours: Tasting & Lunch at Flat Creek Estate: $55
- Sushi Making Cooking Class at a Local Tap Room in Austin: $75
- Pasta Making Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in Austin: $75
- Asian Dumplings Cooking Class in San Antonio: $75
- The Haunted Dinner Tour: $80
- Downtown Houston Food Tour: $80
- The Heights Food Tour in Houston: $80
- Houston Downtown Food Tour with 6 Tastings of Tradition & Fusion: $85
- Discover Downtown Dallas Food Tour with Food Tours of America: $95
- San Antonio Centre Food Tour of 6 Tastings with Tacos & Ice Cream: $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tour of Kaua'i: $125
- Walking Food Tour of Hanalei, KauaŹ»i : $129
- Waikiki Fireworks Dinner Cruise: Sail & Sparkle on Friday Nights: $129
- Honolulu's Walking Food Tour: $129
- Sunset Dinner Cruise in Honolulu: $140
- From Ma'alaea Harbor: Sunset Dinner Cruise Aboard the Quicksilver: $140
- Farm to Taco: A Farm to Table Cooking Class: $149
- Ma'alaea Sunset Prime Rib or Fresh Island Fish Dinner Cruise : $150
- Hawaii Off The Beaten Path Food Tour: $150
- Da Local's Food Tour of Oahu: $150
- Honolulu Sunset & Friday Fireworks Dinner Cruise: $151
- Premium Sunset Dinner Cruise from Ka’anapali Beach: $154
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Texas $23Hawaii $38
Tours and Activities in Texas
Here are a few actual costs in Texas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hour Dallas Night Sightseeing E-Scooter Tour: $60
- Austin's Best Speakeasies 3-Hour Guided Tour: $50
- Best of Houston and Galveston Tour 7 Hours Small Group: $120
- Fort Worth Historical Tour from Dallas: $86
- H- Town 3rd Ward Tour with 15ft Party Truck : $46
- Houston: Driving Tour & NASA Space Center Ticket/Transport: $95
- 1 Hour Private Christmas Lights Tour in Houston : $39
- 1 Hour Private Electric Duffy Cruise on Lake Austin: $200
- 1-Hour JFK Assassination Walking Tour: $28
- 1-Hour JFK Assassination Walking Tour : $28
- 1.5-Hour Historical Jet Ski Experience in South Padre Island: $186
- 1/2-day San Antonio Alamo Legends Walk guided Small Group tour : $129
Tours and Activities in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Honolulu Downtown Walking Tour: $5.00
- Downtown Honolulu Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- Oahu Grand Circle Guided Tour: $5.00
- Waikiki Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $5.00
- Waikiki Surf Legends History Tour: $5.00
- Kona Coffee Farm Tour from Tree to Tasting Room: $5.00
- Hilo History and Legends (APP) Audio Self Guided Walking Tour: $6.50
- Walk The Deck of The USS Arizona Virtual Reality Experience: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Haleakala: $7.99
- Honolulu's Waikiki Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.99
- Diamond Head Official Self-Guided Narrated Audio Tour: $8.99
- Downtown Honolulu Self Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTexas $19Hawaii $19
Sample the Local Flavors in Texas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Texas:
- Epic San Antonio Bar Crawl: By Let’s Roam: $12
- Corpus Christi Bar Crawl: $15
- Houston Hustle Bar Crawl: $15
- San Antonio Texas Bar Crawl: Drinks Up in San Antonio!: $15
- Sip & Savor: Wine Tasting at Flat Creek Estate: $22
- Galveston's Best Pub Crawl and Historical Tour near The Strand: $29
- Haunted Pub Crawl & Scandalous Red Light Tour in Galveston: $29
- Galveston Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- Austin Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- San Antonio Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- River City: Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl: $36
- 1-Hour Distillery Tour & Tasting in Dallas: $40
Sample the Local Flavors in Hawaii
Also in Hawaii, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Honolulu Self Guided Bar Crawl and Sightseeing: $15
- Brewery and Beach Cruise in a Vintage VW Bus : $229
- Maui Tour : Iao Valley, Hawaiian Distillery and Lavender Farm Tour: $300
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Texas and Hawaii, we can see that Hawaii is more expensive. And not only is Texas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Texas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Texas and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Hawaii would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hawaii than you might in Texas.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Texas Expensive? and Is Hawaii Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Texas or Hawaii?
Texas has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Hawaii. When comparing the sizes of Texas and Hawaii, 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.