Should you visit Baltimore or San Antonio?
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 San Antonio 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.
San Antonio
The third largest city in Texas, San Antonio, has grown in recent years as a popular travel destination. It's a beautiful city that is strategically situated at the edge of Texas's Hill Country near the South Texas Plains and Prairie Lakes areas. The city holds on to its small town feel despite having a population of about 1.4 million and 2.3 million in the greater metropolitan area. The city holds tight to its Spanish and Mexican heritage, making it a fascinating cultural destination. The Hispanic population has much influence in the city and this makes it a fun and unique city to visit, particularly during Fiesta week, which is an annual celebration with parades, music and food.
Which city is cheaper, San Antonio 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 San Antonio is $106. 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 San Antonio 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.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $110 for a double occupancy room in San Antonio.
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 San Antonio travelers spend around $32 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.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Baltimore $37
San Antonio $32
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 San Antonio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Antonio.
-
San Antonio Walking Food Tour: Downtown Delicacies:
$66
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.
The cost of a taxi ride in San Antonio is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $16 per person, per day, on local transportation in San Antonio.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baltimore
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baltimore:
-
Arrival Private Transfer Washington Airport BWI to Washington DC by SUV:
$129
-
Baltimore City to New York City - Private Car Transfer:
$454
-
Baltimore City to New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$448
-
Baltimore City to Newark International Airport (EWR)- Departure Private Transfer:
$411
-
Baltimore City to Philadelphia City - Private Car Transfer:
$311
-
Baltimore City to Washington City - Private Car Transfer:
$168
-
Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) to Washington - Arrival Private Transfer:
$109
-
Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) to Washington - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$219
-
Baltimore Washington International Airport Transfer to Downtown Baltimore:
$120
-
Baltimore to New York J.F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) - Departure Private Transfer:
$448
-
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport One Way Transfer:
$69
-
Departure Private Transfer Baltimore to Baltimore Airport BWI - Business Vehicle:
$74
Typical Local Transportation prices in San Antonio
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Antonio are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Antonio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Antonio:
-
Private Arrival Transfer from San Antonio Airport SAT:
$35
-
Private Departure Transfer to San Antonio Airport SAT:
$35
-
Private San Antonio Transfer: Airport to Hotel:
$147
-
Private San Antonio Transfer: Hotel to Airport:
$138
-
Private Transfer from San Antonio Airport to San Antonio City:
$78
-
Private Transfer from San Antonio to Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport:
$270
-
Private Transfer from San Antonio to San Antonio Airport:
$78
-
Private transfer San Antonio Pier to Airport:
$125
-
Private transfer: San Antonio Airport (SAT) to San Antonio:
$622
-
Private transfer: San Antonio to San Antonio Airport (SAT):
$622
-
San Antonio Airport (SAT) to San Antonio - Arrival Private Transfer:
$93
-
San Antonio Airport (SAT) to San Antonio - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$187
Is it cheaper to fly into Baltimore or San Antonio?
Prices for flights to both San Antonio 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.
Entertainment and activities in San Antonio typically cost an average of $28 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Baltimore
Here are a few actual costs in Baltimore for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Baltimore Monuments Walking Tour:
$12
-
2 Hour Chesapeake Signature Cruise:
$15
-
Baltimore Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
Baltimore Inner Harbor Sightseeing Tour:
$23
-
History & Culture Small-Group Tour with a Local:
$41
-
History of Chesapeake Bay Sailing Tour:
$49
-
Baltimore Inner Harbor Sailing Experience:
$49
-
West Bank Tour:
$60
-
Inner Harbor Small-Group Culture Tour with a Local:
$69
-
Small-Group Food and Drink Tour with Local Snacks:
$73
-
Private Baltimore Historical Sightseeing Tours:
$75
-
Wine Beer and Spirit Tour in Frederick:
$97
Typical Entertainment prices in San Antonio
Here are a few typical costs in San Antonio for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in San Antonio
Here are a few actual costs in San Antonio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
San Antonio Ranger Creek Brewstillery Tour:
$13
-
Skip the Line: San Antonio Zoo General Admission Ticket:
$17
-
LEGOLAND Discovery Center San Antonio Admission Ticket:
$18
-
San Antonio Ghost Walking Tour:
$18
-
Walking Ghost Tour of Downtown San Antonio:
$19
-
River City Ghost Walking Tour of San Antonio:
$20
-
Ripley's San Antonio Haunted Adventure Haunted House:
$20
-
San Antonio Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
San Antonio Haunted History Ghost Tour:
$21
-
The Madames and Mayhem Walking Ghost Tour:
$23
-
Mutiny: Pirate Adventure Escape Room at Extreme Escape San Antonio:
$32
-
Trapped Below: Underground Escape Room Adventure at Extreme Escape San Antonio:
$32
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.
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 San Antonio
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Antonio:
-
Epic San Antonio Bar Crawl: By Let’s Roam:
$12
-
Haunted San Antonio Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Texas Hill Country and LBJ Ranch Tour with Wine Tasting Options:
$109
-
Taste of Fredericksburg Wine Tour from San Antonio:
$149
-
San Antonio port, wine tasting an off the beaten path destination:
$151
-
Fredericksburg Wine Tour with Five Winery Stops:
$325
-
Fredericksburg Wine Tour with Five Winery Stops and Transport to Local Eatery:
$375
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Baltimore and San Antonio, we can see that Baltimore is more expensive. And not only is San Antonio much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Antonio would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Antonio 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 San Antonio.
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