Should you visit Berkeley or San Francisco?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Berkeley or San Francisco, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Berkeley
Berkeley is considered to be perhaps the most progressive or liberal city in the United States. The town has deep roots in the Free Speech movement of the 1960s. Visitors, students, and locals alike will find an eclectic mix of cultures and viewpoints. The city's free-thinking environment has witnessed the creation of quality attractions, great food from many world cultures, and of course the internationally renowned University of California, Berkeley (also known as "Cal" or "Cal Berkeley").
San Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
Which city is cheaper, San Francisco or Berkeley?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Berkeley is $152, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $172. 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 Berkeley and San Francisco in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Berkeley is about $210 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
The prices for places to stay in San Francisco can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $103, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $206.
Food
The price of a meal in Berkeley can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $29 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $12 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
On average, meal and food prices in San Francisco cost around $32 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $13.
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Food
Meals for one day
Berkeley $29
San Francisco $32
Typical Food prices in Berkeley
Some typical examples of dining costs in Berkeley are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Berkeley
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Berkeley.
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Learn to Make New Orleans-Style Gumbo in a Private Berkeley Cooking Class:
$66
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Best of North Berkeley Food Tour:
$110
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North 3-Hour Food Tour:
$116
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide:
$15
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Traveling Spoon Pad Thai and Papaya Salad Private Online Cooking Class:
$25
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Lonely Planet Experiences: North Beach & Chinatown Food Tour:
$66
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North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour:
$69
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Mission District Walking Food Tour:
$75
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San Francisco North Beach Food Tour:
$75
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Cooking with Ale: let's make Tiramisu - private groups:
$80
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San Francisco Food Tour: Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market:
$80
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Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour:
$82
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American Cooking Class in San Francisco with a Local near Golden Gate Park:
$82
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San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour:
$89
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Russian Hill Gourmet Food Tour:
$97
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $24 per day to get around in Berkeley.
San Francisco's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $13 per person, per day on transportation in San Francisco.
Typical Local Transportation prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
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Taxi to SFO
$45
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Golden Gate Bridge Toll
$6.00
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Alcatraz Tour
$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Airport Transfer between San Francisco Airport & City Center:
$17
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San Francisco Airport Public Transfer by BART:
$21
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Private Arrival Transfer from San Francisco Airport SFO:
$40
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Private Departure Transfer to San Francisco Airport SFO:
$40
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Private Airport Transfer: from San Francisco to San Francisco Int. Airport (SFO):
$43
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Private Departure Transfer from San Francisco to SFO San Francisco Airport:
$57
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San Francisco Airport (SFO) to Cruise Terminal - Arrival Private Transfer:
$60
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Cruise Terminal to San Francisco Airport (SFO) - Departure Private Transfer:
$60
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San Francisco Departure Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer by Executive Sedan:
$65
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San Francisco Departure Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer:
$65
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Private transfer from San Francisco to SFO Airport for up to 4 passengers:
$73
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Private SFO Departure Transfer from San Francisco:
$74
Is it cheaper to fly into Berkeley or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco and Berkeley 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
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $24 per person, per day in Berkeley. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in San Francisco can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $37 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
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San Francisco Private Tour: 19th Century Gold Rush Exploration Game:
$4.96
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Syn City SF: The Synesthesia Walking Audio Tour of Haight-Ashbury by VoiceMap:
$5.34
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San Francisco's Barbary Past Walking Audio Tour:
$5.34
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Food, History, and Resistance: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of San Francisco's Japantown:
$5.34
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Union Square to Lotta's Fountain Walking Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.40
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Walk the Haight Audio Tour: Tune into San Francisco’s Hippie Counterculture:
$5.99
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San Francisco Private Tour: 70s Hippie Culture Exploration Game:
$6.21
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The Remarkable History of San Francisco's Glen Park and Glen Canyon Audio Tour:
$7.55
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Ultimate San Francisco Self-Driving Audio Tour:
$8.00
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Bike Tour of Tucson:
$10
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The Flyer San Francisco Admission Ticket:
$12
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San Francisco Scavenger Hunt: SF Park Tour and Haight-Ashbury Experience:
$12
Alcohol
The average person spends about $10 on alcoholic beverages in Berkeley per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In San Francisco, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $15.
Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
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San Francisco Bar Hunt: Soul of San Francisco Bar Crawl:
$12
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3-Hour Pub Crawl in San Francisco:
$18
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San Francisco North Beach Pub Tour:
$58
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San Francisco North Beach Pub Crawl:
$60
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From Tri-Valley Half-Day Wine Tour:
$75
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Half-Day Sonoma Wine Tour:
$100
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San Francisco City & Wine tour:
$115
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Shore Excursion: Napa and Sonoma Ultimate Wine Tasting Experience Full-Day Tour:
$135
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Napa & Sonoma Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with Optional Lunch:
$135
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Full-Day Muir Woods with Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour:
$135
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Chariot wine tour:
$145
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Viticulture with Charm: Sonoma Valley Wine Tour from San Francisco:
$149
When comparing the travel costs between Berkeley and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco 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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