Should you visit Baltimore or Honolulu?
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 Honolulu 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.
Honolulu
Hawaii's capital city of Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is the state's center for government, finance, and transportation. It's also the home of Waikiki Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the state of Hawaii. Nearly one million people live in this Honolulu metropolitan area. This is almost 80% of the state's population. The city is not the relaxed Hawaiian destination that you might be searching for, but is instead a fast paced, cosmopolitan city. In addition to attracting many tourists every year, you'll also find international businesses, military defense and a diverse culture and population.
Which city is cheaper, Honolulu or Baltimore?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Baltimore is $143, while the average daily cost in Honolulu is $196. 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 Honolulu 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.
Travelers usually pay around $230 for a double occupancy room in Honolulu If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end 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.
In Honolulu travelers spend around $42 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Baltimore $37
Honolulu $42
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.
-
Federal Hill Food Tour:
$71
-
Little Italy and Jonestown Food Tour:
$71
-
Fells Point Food Tour in Baltimore:
$73
-
Spirit of Baltimore Dinner Cruise with Buffet:
$100
-
Baltimore Helicopter Sightseeing Tour Plus Dinner:
$288
-
Platinum Package - Helicopter Tour with Dinner at Ruth's Chris or Capital Grille:
$315
-
Baltimore Helicopter Tour plus Lunch or Dinner Cruise:
$321
Typical Food prices in Honolulu
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Honolulu:
-
Dinner for Two
$73
-
Lapperts Hawaii Ice Cream
$5.55
-
Chai's Island Bistro (for 2)
$53
-
Cheeseburger Waikiki (for 2)
$34
-
Matsumoto Shave Ice (for 2)
$7.50
-
Hot Dog with the Fixins'
$8.30
-
Sushi Dinner for Two
$73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Honolulu
For Honolulu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
After Dinner Tour along the Famous Waikiki Beach Strip:
$68
-
Majestic Sunset Dinner and Cocktail Cruise with Live Entertainment:
$97
-
Hawaii Food Tour - Off The Beaten Path:
$110
-
Hawaiian Style Cooking Classes in Honolulu:
$125
-
Da Local's Food Tour:
$130
-
Three Star Deluxe Sunset Dinner & Show:
$151
-
Private Hawaiian Food Tour by Bike in Oahu:
$159
-
Oahu Fireworks Dinner Cruise:
$162
-
4th of July Sunset Dinner and Fireworks Cruise:
$170
-
Oahu Food Tour with Emmy-Winning 'Cooking Hawaiian Style' Host:
$177
-
Aloha Plate Food Tour:
$177
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Baltimore is $15 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.
To get around in Honolulu, the average visitor spends $21 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baltimore
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baltimore:
-
Private Transfer: Baltimore to Baltimore Airport (BWI):
$622
-
Baltimore City to New York City - Private Car Transfer:
$454
-
Baltimore City to New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$448
-
Baltimore to New York J.F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) - Departure Private Transfer:
$448
-
Baltimore City to Newark International Airport (EWR)- Departure Private Transfer:
$411
-
Private transfer from or to BWI , PHL , MDT airports and PA:
$350
-
Baltimore City to Philadelphia City - Private Car Transfer:
$311
-
Private Airport Transfer to Washington DC from Baltimore:
$280
-
Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) to Washington - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$219
-
Baltimore City to Washington City - Private Car Transfer:
$168
-
Private Baltimore Transfer: Cruise Port to Airport or Hotel:
$143
-
Private Baltimore Transfer: Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port:
$143
Typical Local Transportation prices in Honolulu
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Honolulu are as follows:
-
Rental Car for One Day
$35
-
Airport Shuttle for Two
$30
-
Hilton Parking
$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Honolulu
Also for Honolulu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Arrival Lei Greeting and Round Trip Waikiki Transfers:
$57
-
Arrival Private Transfer Honolulu Airport HNL to Beach Resorts by Executive Car:
$138
-
Arrival Private Transfer Honolulu Airport HNL to Beach Resorts by Executive SUV:
$164
-
Arrival Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu To Ko'olina:
$22
-
Arrival Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal:
$15
-
Departure Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal:
$15
-
Honolulu Airport (HNL) to Honolulu / Waikiki - Arrival Private Transfer:
$116
-
Honolulu Airport (HNL) to Honolulu / Waikiki - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$231
-
Honolulu Airport Transfer - Private Sedan:
$140
-
Honolulu Hawaii Airport Transfer:
$66
-
Honolulu Private Airport Transfer by Minivan - To Hotels in Waikiki:
$48
-
Honolulu to Honolulu Airport (HNL) - Departure Private Transfer:
$116
Is it cheaper to fly into Baltimore or Honolulu?
Prices for flights to both Honolulu 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.
In Honolulu, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $32 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Baltimore
Here are a few actual costs in Baltimore for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
2 Hour Chesapeake Signature Cruise:
$15
-
Baltimore City Historical Tours with a local private tour guide.:
$250
-
Baltimore Helicopter Sightseeing Tour:
$151
-
Baltimore Inner Harbor Sailing Experience:
$49
-
Baltimore Inner Harbor Sightseeing Tour:
$23
-
Baltimore Monuments Walking Tour:
$12
-
Baltimore Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
Baltimore Tour-shuttle service:
$190
-
Bay of a hundred islands cruise. West Cork. Private guided. 50 mins.:
$432
-
Christmas in Baltimore tour:
$250
-
From Inner Harbor to Happy Hour Small Group Tour with Local:
$139
-
Highlights of Baltimore - Food and History Tour:
$199
Typical Entertainment prices in Honolulu
For Honolulu, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Honolulu
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Honolulu.
-
Honolulu Downtown Walking Tour:
$5.00
-
Diamond Head Hiking Narrated Tour:
$5.00
-
Pearl Harbor Virtual Reality Center Tour:
$6.99
-
USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour:
$7.99
-
East Oahu Shoreline Drive Audio Tour:
$12
-
Oahu Grand Circle Island Audio Driving Tour:
$12
-
USS Arizona Memorial Deluxe Tour:
$13
-
Arrival Trasfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Cruise Terminal:
$13
-
North Shore Grand Circle Island Tour’s Honolulu Airport Shuttle Waikiki Hotel:
$14
-
USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour and Pearl Harbor Virtual Reality Center:
$15
-
Honolulu Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$15
-
Bishop Museum General Admission Ticket:
$25
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.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Honolulu, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $5.18.
Sample the Local Flavors in Baltimore
Also in Baltimore, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Sip of Baltimore Brewery Tour:
$90
-
Westminster Region Wine Tour:
$97
-
Chesapeake Region Wine Tour:
$97
-
Heritage Region Wine Tour:
$97
-
Chocolate and Wine Tour:
$106
Sample the Local Flavors in Honolulu
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Honolulu:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Baltimore and Honolulu, we can see that Honolulu is more expensive. And not only is Baltimore much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Baltimore would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Baltimore 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 Honolulu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Honolulu than you might in Baltimore.
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