A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Albuquerque vs. Moab for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Albuquerque or Moab?

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 Albuquerque and Moab. 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: Albuquerque or Moab?

Albuquerque

Albuquerque is a large city in the middle of the desert, right in the heart of New Mexico. It's the largest city in the state and has a lot to offer visitors. The city has a quaint downtown with a handful of good shops and restaurants. The surrounding area is quite beautiful and every fall the city hosts a famous and spectacular hot air balloon festival.

Moab

Moab is the closest town to Arches National Park in Utah's Canyon Country. It is also a popular base for exploring Canyonlands National Park. It's a small town that serves mainly to accommodate tourists to the popular national parks and other surrounding wildlife areas. It has grown dramatically in recent years and has a population of just over 5,000. In town you will find hotels and motels, a handful of restaurants and a few shops where you can stock up on supplies. There's a small museum, the Museum of Moab, and a variety of tour operators in town. You can easily book river rafting trips, jeep expeditions, and tours of the surrounding area. For many, exploring Arches National Park on your own is a more enjoyable and independent experience.

Which city is cheaper, Moab or Albuquerque?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Albuquerque is $108, while the average daily cost in Moab is $311. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Albuquerque and Moab in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Albuquerque $55
    Moab $269
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Albuquerque $110
    Moab $538
Compare Hotels in Albuquerque and Moab

Looking for a hotel in Albuquerque or Moab? 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.

Hotels in Albuquerque


Hotels in Moab


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Albuquerque Hotel Prices and Moab Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Albuquerque $29
    Moab $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Albuquerque

Also for Albuquerque, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) to Albuquerque: $622
  • Private Transfer: Albuquerque to Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ): $622
  • Albuquerque Airport (ABQ) to Albuquerque - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $177
  • Albuquerque Airport (ABQ) to Albuquerque - Arrival Private Transfer: $88
  • Albuquerque to Albuquerque Airport (ABQ) - Departure Private Transfer: $88
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Albuquerque Airport (ABQ): $81
  • Private Departure Transfer To Albuquerque Airport ABQ: $49
  • Albuquerque International Airport One Way Transfer: $48

Is it cheaper to fly into Albuquerque or Moab?

Prices for flights to both Moab and Albuquerque 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Albuquerque $33
    Moab $30

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Albuquerque

For Albuquerque, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Albuquerque: $71

Typical Food prices in Moab

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Moab:


  • Moab Brewery
    $42
  • Breakfast for Two
    $17

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Moab

For Moab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Moab Dinner Cruise with Sound and Light Show: $81
  • Colorado River Sunset Boat Tour with Optional Dinner: $99
  • Sunset Jetboat Ride with Dinner on the Colorado River from Moab: $102

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Albuquerque $20
    Moab $2.50

Tours and Activities in Albuquerque

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Albuquerque.

  • 12pm - Public High Noon History, Legends & Lore Tour - Guided Old Town Stroll: $35
  • ABQ NM Film locations Tour, tour your favorite movies/shows filmed in ABQ: $45
  • Albuquerque Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
  • Guided Family Walking Tour: $599
  • Turquoise Museum Admission Ticket: $20
  • Breaking Bad RV Tour, visiting locations from Breaking Bad and Better call Saul: $80
  • Breaking Bad RV Virtural Tour: $13
  • Georgia on My Mind: Georgia O'keeffe and Ghost Ranch Country Tour: $395
  • Guided Bicycle Nature Tour of Albuquerque - Daily: $69
  • Mezcla de Culturas A Walking Tour of ABQ Sawmill District & Historic Old Town: $75
  • New Mexico Flavors Tour Of Old Town Albuquerque: $124
  • New Mexico Mines, Wild West Towns and Turquoise Trail Tour from Albuquerque: $295

Typical Entertainment prices in Moab

For Moab, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Slickrock Trail Pass
    $5.00

Tours and Activities in Moab

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Moab.

  • 4 Hours Guided Mountain Biking Tour: $110
  • Arches National Park 4x4 Adventure from Moab: $123
  • Arches National Park Air tour: $119
  • Arches National Park Backcountry 4x4 Half-Day Tour: $131
  • Arches National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour: $10
  • Backcountry Jeep Adventure: $341
  • Bryce Canyon & Capitol Reef National Park: Airplane Tour: $599
  • Canyonlands & Arches National Park Air Tour: $239
  • Canyonlands Backcountry 4x4 Half-Day Tour: $131
  • Canyonlands National Park Air Tour: $194
  • Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab: $123
  • Cataract Canyon Rafting Adventure from Moab: $504

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Albuquerque $16
    Moab $53

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Albuquerque and Moab, we can see that Moab is more expensive. And not only is Albuquerque much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Albuquerque would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Albuquerque 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 Moab would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Moab than you might in Albuquerque.

Budget Your Trip

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Albuquerque vs. Moab Travel Comparison

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