Should you visit Austin or Chicago?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Austin or Chicago, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Austin
Located in the Texas Hill Country, Austin is the capital city of the state. It is a relatively small city with a compact downtown area and many sprawling suburbs stretching out along the interstate. Austin prides itself on its eclectic culture and alternative vibe which is epitomized by the city's unofficial slogan "Keep Austin Weird." The University of Texas at Austin is also located downtown. The school's large student population helps give the city a youthful feel with a lively nightlife and no shortage of activities on weekends. The city is also the self proclaimed live music capital of the country. As such, it has many music venues and bars, most of which are clustered around the 6th Street area downtown. There are also many free outdoor concerts, particularly during the summer months.
Chicago
Located in the Midwest, Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. It has a population of almost 3 million and a metropolitan area that covers more than 10,000 square kilometers. It is also a hub for music, comedy and theater. It's skyline is beautiful with modern skyscrapers and Lake Michigan as a backdrop. It is easy to stay entertained in Chicago for weeks. There are world class museums, upscale or eclectic shopping opportunities, and impressive architecture.
Which city is cheaper, Chicago or Austin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Austin is $114, while the average daily cost in Chicago is $221. 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. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Austin and Chicago in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Austin is about $90 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Chicago's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $304. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $152.
Food
The average traveler spends about $28 per day in Austin for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
The price of a meal in Chicago can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $37 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $15 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Austin $28
Chicago $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Austin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Austin.
-
Austin Food Tour by Bus with Live Band On Board:
$93
-
Austin Beer and Food Tour by Bike:
$97
-
Private Secret Food Tour of Downtown Austin:
$103
-
East Austin Urban Farms & Brewery Food Tour by Bike:
$106
-
Wood Fired Dinner Series at the Austin Winery:
$159
-
Secret Food Tour of Downtown Austin w/ Private Tour Option:
$221
-
Secret Food Tour:
$288
Typical Food prices in Chicago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Chicago:
-
Dinner for 1
$24
-
Dinner for 3
$118
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chicago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chicago.
-
Traveling Spoon Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Factories to Calories Fulton Market Food Tour:
$46
-
Learn to Make Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza with a Local:
$49
-
Chicago Crime & Pizza Walk:
$50
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: Chicago History and Food Tour:
$59
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: River North Historical Food Tour:
$61
-
Signature Food Tour at Chicago's Navy Pier:
$64
-
Best in Chow: Chicago River North Food Tour:
$64
-
Private Fusion Cooking Class in Downtown Chicago:
$64
-
Skip the Line: Tommy Gun's Garage Dinner and Show Ticket:
$67
-
Small-Group Chicago Food Tour: Gold Coast and Old Town:
$75
-
Best of Chicago Tour Including a Deep-Dish Pizza:
$75
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Austin is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $38 per person, per day, on local transportation in Austin.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $29 per day to get around in Chicago.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Austin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Austin:
-
Austin City to Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS) - Departure Private Transfer:
$93
-
Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS) to Austin City - Arrival Private Transfer:
$93
-
Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS) to Austin City - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$187
-
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport One Way Transfer:
$69
-
Private Airport and Hotel Transfer Services in Austin:
$86
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Austin Bergstrom Airport AUS:
$40
-
Private Austin Transfer: Airport to Hotel:
$128
-
Private Austin Transfer: Hotel to Airport:
$114
-
Private Departure Transfer to Austin Bergstrom Airport AUS:
$40
-
Transfer from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to Austin:
$109
Typical Local Transportation prices in Chicago
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Chicago:
-
Parking
$19
-
Taxi Ride
$10
-
Taxi from Airport
$45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chicago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chicago:
-
Arrival Private Transfer Chicago O'Hare Airport ORD to Chicago City by SUV:
$96
-
Arrival Private Transfer Chicago O'Hare Airport ORD to Chicago by Sedan Car:
$79
-
Arrival Private Transfer Chicago O'Hare Airport to Chicago City by Minibus:
$333
-
Chicago Airport Private Arrival Transfer by SUV:
$115
-
Chicago Airport Private Arrival Transfer by Sedan:
$96
-
Chicago Airport Private Departure Transfer by SUV:
$115
-
Chicago Airport Private Departure Transfer by Sedan:
$96
-
Chicago Airport Transfer by Private Sedan:
$119
-
Chicago Airport Transfer: Midway Airport MDW to O'Hare Airport ORD in Luxury SUV:
$133
-
Chicago Airport Transfers : Chicago City to O'Hare Airport ORD by Luxury SUV:
$119
-
Chicago Airport Transfers : Chicago City to O'Hare Airport ORD in Business Car:
$100
-
Chicago Airport Transfers : Chicago City to O'Hare Airport ORD in Luxury Car:
$123
Is it cheaper to fly into Austin or Chicago?
Prices for flights to both Chicago and Austin 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.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Austin typically cost an average of $22 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $34 per person, per day in Chicago. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Typical Entertainment prices in Austin
Here are a few typical costs in Austin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Austin
Here are a few actual costs in Austin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Austin Digital Private Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$11
-
Austin Trails Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$20
-
Austin Capital Photo Tour:
$21
-
Haunted History Ghost Tour:
$21
-
Double Decker Austin Single Loop Sightseeing Tour:
$23
-
Spy Adventure: Operation Mindfall:
$25
-
Spy Adventure at the Domain in Austin:
$25
-
Operation Mindfall, A Spy Adventure in Austin:
$25
-
Austin Street Art Walking Tour:
$25
-
Haunted Austin Walking History Tour:
$26
-
Austin and Hill Country Sightseeing Tour:
$26
-
Downtown Austin Photo Tour:
$26
Typical Entertainment prices in Chicago
Here are a few typical costs in Chicago for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Chicago
Here are a few actual costs in Chicago for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
A Storied Neighborhood: Dance the dialectic with Bill Ayers on an audio tour:
$5.00
-
Discovering Vintage The Loop Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.34
-
Chicago Riverwalk Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$6.00
-
Millennium Park Exploration Game & Self-Guided Tour:
$12
-
Skip the Line: American Writers Museum Admission Ticket:
$14
-
Pilsen Walking Tour of Local Publicly Displayed Art:
$15
-
The Chicago Theatre Marquee Tour:
$18
-
Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Historic Chicago Theatre:
$18
-
Chicago Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
Chicago Skydeck Experience Ticket:
$22
-
Ghosts of Lincoln Park Walking Tour:
$22
-
Best Architecture Walking Tour for Design Lovers:
$22
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Austin may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $23 per day on alcoholic beverages.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Chicago may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $20 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Austin
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Austin:
-
Austin Bar Hunt: Sixth Street Spree: Austin Bar Crawl:
$12
-
More than a Pub Crawl:
$24
-
Haunted Austin Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Brewery Tours through East Austin via Motorized Pedicab:
$40
-
Austin Pedicab Brewery Tour with Beer Flights Included Option:
$46
-
The Brew Bus: Austin Brewery Tour with Live Band:
$81
-
Half-Day Craft Beer and Brewery Tour:
$82
-
Private Texas Hill Country Half-Day Wine Tour from Austin:
$140
-
Texas Hill Country Wine Tour by Limousine:
$175
-
Customizable Austin Distillery and Brewery Tour:
$206
-
Half-Day Brewery and Craft Beer Tour in Austin with Tastings:
$240
Sample the Local Flavors in Chicago
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Chicago:
-
Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$25
-
Walking tour to Chicago dive bars:
$41
-
Chicago Barrel Bus Craft Distillery Tour:
$90
-
Chicago Craft Brewery Barrel Bus Tour:
$90
-
Ultimate Girl's Night Out in Sparkling Wine, Photo Shoot, Burlesque:
$900
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Austin and Chicago, we can see that Chicago is more expensive. And not only is Austin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Austin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Austin 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 Chicago would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chicago than you might in Austin.
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