Should you visit Baltimore or Winston-Salem?
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 Winston-Salem 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.
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a moderately sized city in Forsyth Country, North Carolina. The city has a population of about 360,000 and is located in the central part of the state in the Piedmont Triad. Winston-Salem goes by several nicknames including the "Twin City", the "City of Arts and Innovation" and "Camel City", a reference to the city's history in the tobacco industry. Like several towns in central North Carolina, the city's economy was also once influenced by the furniture industry, although this sector continues to shrink.
Which city is cheaper, Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem is $120. 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 Winston-Salem 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.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $73. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Winston-Salem the cost is $146 on average.
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.
The price of a meal in Winston-Salem can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $34 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $14 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Baltimore $37
Winston-Salem $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.
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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
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.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $18 per day to get around in Winston-Salem.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baltimore
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baltimore:
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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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Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport One Way Transfer:
$69
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Departure Private Transfer Baltimore to Baltimore Airport BWI - Business Vehicle:
$74
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Private Transfer Washington Airport BWI to Washington DC in a Business Car:
$96
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Transfer from Baltimore–Washington Airport to Baltimore:
$100
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Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) to Washington - Arrival Private Transfer:
$109
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Baltimore Washington International Airport Transfer to Downtown Baltimore:
$120
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Private Transfer from Downtown Baltimore to BWI Airport:
$120
-
Arrival Private Transfer Washington Airport BWI to Washington DC by SUV:
$129
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Private Baltimore Transfer: Cruise Port to Airport or Hotel:
$143
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Private Baltimore Transfer: Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port:
$143
Is it cheaper to fly into Baltimore or Winston-Salem?
Prices for flights to both Winston-Salem 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.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $16 per person, per day in Winston-Salem. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Baltimore
Here are a few actual costs in Baltimore for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Baltimore Monuments Walking Tour:
$12
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2 Hour Chesapeake Signature Cruise:
$15
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Baltimore Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Baltimore Inner Harbor Sightseeing Tour:
$23
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History & Culture Small-Group Tour with a Local:
$41
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History of Chesapeake Bay Sailing Tour:
$49
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Baltimore Inner Harbor Sailing Experience:
$49
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West Bank Tour:
$60
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Inner Harbor Small-Group Culture Tour with a Local:
$69
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Small-Group Food and Drink Tour with Local Snacks:
$73
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Private Baltimore Historical Sightseeing Tours:
$75
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Wine Beer and Spirit Tour in Frederick:
$97
Tours and Activities in Winston-Salem
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Winston-Salem are as follows:
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Winston-Salem Historical Ghost Tour:
$18
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.
The average person spends about $19 on alcoholic beverages in Winston-Salem per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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
-
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 Winston-Salem, we can see that Baltimore is more expensive. And not only is Winston-Salem much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Winston-Salem would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem.
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