Should you visit Baltimore or Sacramento?
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 Sacramento 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.
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital city and one of the oldest cities in the state of California. It was founded in 1849 in the midst of the Gold Rush, and has since grown to a population of over 500,000 people. The atmosphere is more laid back than most major cities, and its heritage is rooted in the Gold Rush and Transcontinental Railroad era.
Which city is cheaper, Sacramento 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 Sacramento is $225. 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 Sacramento 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.
The prices for places to stay in Sacramento can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $88, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $176.
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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Sacramento than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $41 on transportation in Sacramento on average per day.
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 Sacramento
Also for Sacramento, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Sacramento Executive Airport to Roseville City - One Way:
$144
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Sacramento Executive Airport to Sacramento City - One Way:
$73
-
Private Sacramento Transfer Airport to Hotel:
$150
-
Private Sacramento Transfer Hotel to Airport:
$150
-
Private transfer from Sacramento to SFO:
$340
-
Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Napa, CA - Arrival Private Transfer:
$228
-
Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Napa, CA - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$455
-
Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Sacramento hotel/address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$72
-
Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Sacramento hotel/address- RoundTrip Private Transfer:
$144
-
Sacramento City to Sacramento Airport (SMF) - Departure Private Transfer:
$72
Is it cheaper to fly into Baltimore or Sacramento?
Prices for flights to both Sacramento 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.
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 Sacramento can vary, the average travelers spends about $42 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Sacramento should cost around $17 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Sacramento is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Baltimore $37
Sacramento $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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sacramento
For Sacramento, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Downtown Sacramento Historical Food Tour:
$82
-
Midtown Sacramento Arts and Food Tour:
$85
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 expenses in Sacramento, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $15 per day, per person.
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 Inner Harbor: 2-Hour Buffet Lunch Cruise:
$77
-
Baltimore Monuments Walking Tour:
$12
-
Baltimore Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
Baltimore Tour-shuttle service:
$190
-
Baltimore Ghosts Haunted Walking Tour:
$22
-
Fells Point Walking Food and History Tour:
$90
-
Bay of a hundred islands cruise. West Cork. Private guided. 50 mins.:
$432
Tours and Activities in Sacramento
For Sacramento, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Sacramento Urban Murals: Cycle the streets of Sacramento with an audio tour:
$5.00
-
California Gold Rush: The Sacramento Grid on a Self-Guided Bicycle Audio Tour:
$8.30
-
Sacramento Historic River Cruise:
$20
-
Sacramento Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
Sacramento Historic River Cruise:
$30
-
Rock The Yacht River Cruise:
$33
-
Sacramento Sutter District History and Food Walking Tour:
$78
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 Sacramento spend on average $9.31 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 Sacramento
Also in Sacramento, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Sacramento Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Bk Best Wine Tasting Tours Amador County 4 Hour Chevrolet Suburban Passengers 7:
$385
-
4 Hour Private Amador County Wine Tasting Tours Mercedes Sprinter Passengers Van:
$409
-
Amador Wine Tour from Sacramento:
$436
-
6 Hour Wine Tasting Tours Napa Valley Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passengers Van:
$625
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Baltimore and Sacramento, we can see that Sacramento 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 Sacramento would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sacramento than you might in Baltimore.
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