A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Aspen vs. Rapid City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Aspen or Rapid City?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Aspen and Rapid City can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Aspen or Rapid City?

Aspen

Aspen is a famous, and notably expensive travel destination. The town is one of the country's most famous and recognizable ski destinations, and prices can climb high during the ski season. Although still expensive, you can often find better deals during the summer months or shoulder seasons. For visitors who want to enjoy the area's hiking, natural beauty, and charm, these are the times to visit.

Rapid City

Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.

Which place is cheaper, Rapid City or Aspen?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Aspen is $293, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $116. 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 Aspen and Rapid City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Aspen $170
    Rapid City $60
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Aspen $340
    Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Aspen and Rapid City

Looking for a hotel in Aspen or Rapid City? 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 Aspen


Hotels in Rapid City


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: Aspen Hotel Prices and Rapid City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Aspen $56
    Rapid City $53

Is it cheaper to fly into Aspen or Rapid City?

Prices for flights to both Rapid City and Aspen 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
    Aspen $85
    Rapid City $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rapid City

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

  • Roller Coaster Tickets with Dinner and Show in Rapid City: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Aspen $45
    Rapid City $26

Tours and Activities in Aspen

Here are a few actual costs in Aspen for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Aspen's DarkSide Ghost Tour: $40
  • Aspen's Off the Beaten Path Scenic Walking Tour: $40
  • Aspen's Off the Beaten Path Tour: $40
  • Aspen's Past to Present Historic Tour: $40
  • City Highlights Walking Tour: $40
  • Dark History Ghost-Themed Guided Walking Tour: $40
  • From Past to Present History Walking Tour: $40
  • Highlights of Aspen Tour: $40

Tours and Activities in Rapid City

For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Mount Rushmore Self Guided Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Black Hills & Badlands: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour: $20
  • Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
  • Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show: $164
  • NEW! Half Day Tour of the Black Hills: $255
  • Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in South Dakota: $275
  • Badlands Premium Van Tour - Public: $299
  • Badlands National Park Adventure, Wall Drug and Baja: $299
  • Private Half Day Mt Rushmore & Black Hills Tour: $325
  • Badlands Sunset, Stars and Silhouettes Tour: $329
  • Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon and Northern Black Hills Adventure: $369
  • Private Badlands National Park Day Tour : $370

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Aspen $20
    Rapid City $6.93

How are these travel costs calculated?

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

Which is Bigger, Aspen or Rapid City?

Rapid City is bigger, and its population is about 10.7 times larger than the population of Aspen. When comparing the population of Aspen vs. Rapid City, 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 and the activities 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.
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Aspen vs. Rapid City Travel Comparison

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