Should you visit Boston or Cleveland?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Boston and Cleveland. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Boston
Boston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in New England. It is also the capital of the state of Massachusetts and the largest city in the region. The city proper covers 48 square miles and has a population of more than 600,000. The Greater Boston area has 4.5 million people and is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the country.
Cleveland
Located on the shores of Lake Erie of the Great Lakes, Cleveland is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. As a culturally diverse and thriving metropolitan area, the city is host to a vast range of sights and activities, such as world-class museums, cultural events, professional sports, and golf courses as well as plenty of dining, shopping, and entertainment opportunities.
Which city is cheaper, Cleveland or Boston?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Boston is $203, while the average daily cost in Cleveland 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 Boston and Cleveland in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $264 for a double occupancy room in Boston.
The prices for places to stay in Cleveland can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $60, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $120.
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Boston is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $28 per person, per day, on local transportation in Boston.
To get around in Cleveland, the average visitor spends $15 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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Boston
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Boston are as follows:
-
Taxi
$35
-
Subway Daily Pass
$9.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boston:
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Boston City Downtown to Boston Airport (BOS):
$69
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Boston Airport (BOS) to City Downtown:
$69
-
Transfer from Boston Logan International Airport to Boston:
$85
-
Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Boston Airport:
$30
-
Shared Arrival Transfer: Boston Airport to Hotel:
$30
-
Round trip transfer in private vehicle from Boston city -to Boston Airport (BOS):
$138
-
Round trip Airport Transfer: Logan - Boston:
$181
-
Private transfer: Boston to Boston Airport (BOS):
$622
-
Private transfer: Boston Airport (BOS) to Boston:
$622
-
Private transfer from or to BOS Boston, MA:
$113
-
Private arrival OR departure transfer in Boston (hotel OR airport pick-up):
$132
-
Private Transfer from Boston City to Boston (BOS) Airport:
$117
Typical Local Transportation prices in Cleveland
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cleveland are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cleveland
Also for Cleveland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Departure Transfer to Cleveland Airport (CLE):
$62
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Cleveland Airprot (CLE):
$62
-
Cleveland to Cleveland Hopkins Airport (CLE) - Departure Private Transfer:
$78
-
Cleveland Hopkins Airport (CLE) to Cleveland - Arrival Private Transfer:
$78
-
Cleveland Airport-Hotel Ground Transfer - One Way:
$106
-
CLE Airport Transfer to Downtown Cleveland:
$116
-
Cleveland Hopkins Airport (CLE) to Cleveland - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$157
-
Cleveland Airport - Executive Sedan/SUV Airport/Hotel Round Trip Transfer:
$261
Is it cheaper to fly into Boston or Cleveland?
Prices for flights to both Cleveland and Boston 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
In Boston travelers spend around $40 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.
On average, meal and food prices in Cleveland cost around $29 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 $12.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Boston $40
Cleveland $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Boston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Boston.
-
Boston's North End "Little Italy" Pizza, Cannoli, and Freedom Trail Walking Tour:
$49
-
Boston's North End Small-Group Walking Food Tour:
$71
-
Fenway Neighborhood Food Tour (Boston):
$79
-
Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on Boston Harbor:
$81
-
Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Boston North End:
$103
-
Spirit of Boston Sunset Dinner Cruise with Buffet:
$105
-
Boston Odyssey Dinner Cruise:
$118
-
Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Odyssey:
$122
-
North End Neighborhood Food Tour:
$150
Typical Food prices in Cleveland
For Cleveland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Coffee
$1.79
-
Sandwich
$9.75
-
Large Pizza
$15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cleveland
For Cleveland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
West Side Market Food Tour:
$47
-
Tremont Neighborhood Food Tour:
$65
-
Ohio City Food Tour:
$70
-
Little Italy Neighborhood Food Tour:
$73
-
Tremont Guided Food Tour with Tasting:
$246
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Boston typically cost an average of $26 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
In Cleveland, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $32 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in Boston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Boston are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Boston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boston are as follows:
-
2-Day Trip Philadelphia City Tour from Boston:
$519
-
6-Day Economy East Coast Tour ( Boston Departure) ( BOAP6E):
$448
-
6-Day Economy East Coast Tour (Boston departure)(BO6E):
$448
-
6-Day Tour East Coast Tour ( Boston Departure) ( BOAP6D):
$560
-
6-Day Tour East Coast Tour (Boston Departure)(BO6):
$560
-
6-Day U.S East Coast Tour (Boston departure) BO6U:
$560
-
7-Days Tour US east coast and Canada tour (Boston Departure) (BO7C):
$706
-
Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure: Boston Harbor:
$44
-
Beer Tour:
$80
-
Best of Boston Tour - Private Safe Tour:
$185
-
Boston Back Bay Tourist Scavenger Hunt:
$36
-
Boston Chocolate Tours w/ Private Tour Option:
$204
Tours and Activities in Cleveland
For Cleveland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Virtual Tour of the Lake Erie Shoreline via Coastal Trail:
$10
-
Cleveland History Center General Admission Entry Ticket:
$12
-
Skip the Line: GRAMMY Museum Mississippi General Admission Ticket:
$14
-
Downtown Cleveland Smartphone-Guided Walking Tour:
$24
-
The Original Cleveland Brew Tour:
$108
-
Casual Wine transportation tour:
$225
-
60's Throwback Shopping Tour:
$375
-
The best of Cleveland walking tour:
$498
-
Romantic tour in Cleveland:
$498
-
Stradbroke Island Adventure:
$672
-
Private Wine Full Day Tour from Atlanta City by Luxury Vehicle:
$987
-
Spring Break GREECE Tour:
$3,700
For more ideas for your next trip, check out Free Things to Do in Boston, Must-See Monuments and Memorials In Boston, and The Best Things To Do in Boston with Kids.
Alcohol
The average person spends about $22 on alcoholic beverages in Boston per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Cleveland spend on average $36 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Boston
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Boston:
-
Haunted Boston Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Historic Pub Crawl Tour along the Freedom Trail:
$56
-
Sip of Boston Guided Brewery Tour:
$90
Typical Alcohol prices in Cleveland
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Cleveland are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Cleveland
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cleveland:
-
Cleveland Bar Hunt: Cleveland Climax Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Brewery Tour with Craft Beer Tastings and Lunch:
$105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boston and Cleveland, we can see that Boston is more expensive. And not only is Cleveland much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cleveland would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cleveland 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 Boston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Boston than you might in Cleveland.
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