Should you visit Baltimore or Portland?
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 Portland 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.
Portland
Referred to as "The City of Roses", Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It sits on the banks of the Columbia River and offers breathtaking views of Mount Hood when the weather allows. Portland is famous for its alternative vibe, live music scene, and popular microbreweries. It's also a mecca for environmentally conscious urban planning. The downtown area is quite compact and walkable. While the city itself may be smaller than you expect, it is still the largest metropolitan area between San Francisco and Seattle.
Which city is cheaper, Portland 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 Portland is $136. 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 Portland 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 $152 for a double occupancy room in Portland 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.
While meal prices in Portland can vary, the average travelers spends about $34 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Portland should cost around $14 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Portland is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Baltimore $37
Portland $34
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 Portland
For Portland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Afternoon Drinks (for 2)
$9.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portland
For Portland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Arts District Food Tour:
$84
-
Portland's Art District Food Tour:
$84
-
Walking Food Tour in Downtown Portland with Brunch:
$86
-
Downtown Deluxe Food Tour:
$89
-
Tastes of Downtown Portland Walking Food Tour:
$89
-
2.5-Hour Dinner Cruise Through Downtown Portland:
$108
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.
To get around in Portland, the average visitor spends $20 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:
-
Transfer from Baltimore–Washington Airport to Baltimore:
$100
-
Private transfer from or to BWI , PHL , MDT airports and PA:
$350
-
Private Transfer: Baltimore to Baltimore Airport (BWI):
$622
-
Private Transfer from Downtown Baltimore to BWI Airport:
$120
-
Private Transfer Washington Airport BWI to Washington DC in a Business Car:
$96
-
Private Baltimore Transfer: Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port:
$143
-
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
-
Private Airport Transfer: Baltimore to Baltimore–Washington Int. Airport (BWI):
$56
-
Private Airport Transfer to Washington DC from Baltimore:
$280
-
Departure Private Transfer Baltimore to Baltimore Airport BWI - Business Vehicle:
$74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portland
Also for Portland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Arrival Business Class Private Transfer Portland Airport PDX to Portland City:
$75
-
Arrival Private Transfer from Portland Airport PDX to Oregon, West Linn or Tigar:
$82
-
Departure Business Class Private Transfer from Portland Airport PDX to Portland:
$75
-
PDX - Portland Airport Transfer - Chauffeured Round Trip in a Luxury Sedan/SUV:
$267
-
PDX - Portland One Way Airport Transfer in a Chauffeured Sedan/SUV:
$133
-
Portland Airport (PDX) to Beaverton hotel - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$281
-
Portland Airport (PDX) to Beaverton hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$141
-
Portland Airport (PDX) to Lake Oswego - Arrival Private Transfer:
$141
-
Portland Airport (PDX) to Lake Oswego - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$281
-
Portland Airport (PDX) to Portland downtown - Arrival Private Transfer:
$102
-
Portland Airport (PDX) to Portland downtown - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$204
-
Portland Airport (PDX) to Tigard hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$141
Is it cheaper to fly into Baltimore or Portland?
Prices for flights to both Portland 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 Portland, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $19 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
Tours and Activities in Portland
For Portland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Downtown Portland's Outdoor Sculptures Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.20
-
The Eastern Promenade: Explore the sounds and vistas on an audio walking tour:
$5.20
-
Portland Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
Portland Old Town Ghost Tour:
$22
-
Downtown Ghost Tour:
$23
-
Intro to Portland Small Group Walking Tour:
$29
-
Pink Trolley City Tour of Portland - 10am:
$29
-
Pink Trolley City Tour of Portland - 2pm:
$29
-
Underground Donut Tour: Portland's Only Donut Tour:
$30
-
Underground Donut Tour:
$30
-
Portland's Only Underground Donut Tour:
$31
-
Portland, Maine: 2.5-Hour History Tour with Sweet Treat:
$35
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 Portland spend on average $14 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:
-
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 Portland
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Portland:
-
Power Through Portland Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Oregon Priority Wine Tasting Pass:
$40
-
Weird Bar Crawl with Fanatical Local:
$49
-
Portland's Eastside Craft Brewery Walking Tour:
$55
-
Portland Brewery Bike Tour:
$71
-
Oregon Famous Wine Country Wine Tasting Adventure:
$75
-
Brews & Bites - Food Carts & Brewery Tour:
$94
-
Views and Brews, Portland Brewery Bike Tour:
$118
-
5-Hour Willamette Valley Wine Tour with Tastings:
$120
-
Oregon Coast Brewery Tour:
$130
-
Willamette Valley Wine Tasting from Portland:
$139
-
Full-Day City & Oregon Wine Tasting Tour:
$140
When comparing the travel costs between Baltimore and Portland, we can see that Baltimore is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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