Should you visit Baltimore or Boise?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Baltimore and Boise can help you decide which place is right for you.
Baltimore
Baltimore is a large, industrial city and popular tourist destination in the state of Maryland. It is about an hour outside of Washington, D.C. and is a hub of tourism and entertainment for the area. It has a vibrant nightlife, comfortable climate, and is a great place to visit when you're in the area. The city proper has a population of about 600,000 and the metropolitan area has 2.7 million. Its economy is centered around science, technology, engineering and math and it has many undergraduate and graduate schools including the world renowned Johns Hopkins University.
Boise
The capital of the U.S. state of Idaho, Boise is an urban center with the adventure of the outdoors just a step away. The metropolis itself has an active arts community and a lively downtown filled with shops and restaurants. Boise is a regional hub for jazz, theater, and indie music, hosting musical festivals throughout the year and several theater groups that operate in the city. There is even a Department of Arts and History that was created with the goal of promoting the arts, culture, and history of the city among its residents and visitors.
Which city is cheaper, Boise or Baltimore?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Baltimore is $145, while the average daily cost in Boise 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Baltimore and Boise in more detail.
Accommodation
Baltimore's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $150. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $75.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $120 in Boise For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about $37 per day in Baltimore 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.
Boise food costs typically run travelers around $36 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Baltimore $37
Boise $36
Typical Food prices in Baltimore
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Baltimore:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Baltimore
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Baltimore.
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Federal Hill Food Tour:
$71
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Little Italy and Jonestown Food Tour:
$71
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Fells Point Food Tour in Baltimore:
$73
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Spirit of Baltimore Dinner Cruise with Buffet:
$100
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Baltimore Helicopter Sightseeing Tour Plus Dinner:
$288
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Platinum Package - Helicopter Tour with Dinner at Ruth's Chris or Capital Grille:
$315
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Baltimore Helicopter Tour plus Lunch or Dinner Cruise:
$321
Typical Food prices in Boise
For Boise, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Boise
For Boise, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Vegan Food Tour Experience in Boise:
$91
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Baltimore is $17 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Boise's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $27 per person, per day on transportation in Boise.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baltimore
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baltimore:
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Transfer from Baltimore–Washington Airport to Baltimore:
$100
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Private transfer from or to BWI , PHL , MDT airports and PA:
$350
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Private Transfer: Baltimore to Baltimore Airport (BWI):
$622
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Private Transfer from Downtown Baltimore to BWI Airport:
$120
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Private Transfer Washington Airport BWI to Washington DC in a Business Car:
$96
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Private Baltimore Transfer: Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port:
$143
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Private Baltimore Transfer: Cruise Port to Airport or Hotel:
$143
-
Private Baltimore Transfer: Airport to Hotel or Cruise Port:
$143
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Baltimore Washington Airport BWI:
$54
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Private Airport Transfer: Baltimore to Baltimore–Washington Int. Airport (BWI):
$56
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Private Airport Transfer to Washington DC from Baltimore:
$280
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Departure Private Transfer Baltimore to Baltimore Airport BWI - Business Vehicle:
$74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boise
Also for Boise, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Boise Air Terminal Airport One Way Transfer:
$80
Is it cheaper to fly into Baltimore or Boise?
Prices for flights to both Boise and Baltimore 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
Baltimore's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $14 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Boise can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $24 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Baltimore
Here are a few actual costs in Baltimore for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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2 Hour Chesapeake Signature Cruise:
$15
-
Baltimore City Historical Tours with a local private tour guide.:
$250
-
Baltimore Helicopter Sightseeing Tour:
$151
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Baltimore Inner Harbor Sailing Experience:
$49
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Baltimore Inner Harbor Sightseeing Tour:
$23
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Baltimore Monuments Walking Tour:
$12
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Baltimore Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Baltimore Tour-shuttle service:
$190
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Bay of a hundred islands cruise. West Cork. Private guided. 50 mins.:
$432
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Christmas in Baltimore tour:
$250
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From Inner Harbor to Happy Hour Small Group Tour with Local:
$139
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Highlights of Baltimore - Food and History Tour:
$199
Typical Entertainment prices in Boise
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Boise's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Boise
For Boise, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Boise Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Sunday Brunch Tour in Downtown Boise:
$77
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Culinary and Cultural Tour of Boise:
$81
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Boise Booze and Bites Cocktail Tour:
$91
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Baltimore may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $14 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Boise spend on average $19 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Baltimore
Also in Baltimore, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Sip of Baltimore Brewery Tour:
$90
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Westminster Region Wine Tour:
$97
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Chesapeake Region Wine Tour:
$97
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Heritage Region Wine Tour:
$97
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Chocolate and Wine Tour:
$106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Baltimore and Boise, we can see that Baltimore is more expensive. And not only is Boise much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boise would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boise 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 Baltimore would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Baltimore than you might in Boise.
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