A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Brasilia vs. San Francisco for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Brasilia or San Francisco?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

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 Brasilia and San Francisco can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Brasilia or San Francisco?

Brasilia

The capital city of Brazil, Brasilia is a uniquely-planned city that was constructed in four years from 1956-1960 in the shape of a large bird or airplane. Renowned for its modern architecture, the city listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and attracts architecture aficionados worldwide.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours in Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, San Francisco or Brasilia?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Brasilia Prices
    Brazil Prices
    San Francisco Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Brasilia $95
    San Francisco $256

The average daily cost (per person) in Brasilia is $95, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $256. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Brasilia and San Francisco in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Brasilia $31
    San Francisco $130
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Brasilia $62
    San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Brasilia and San Francisco

Looking for a hotel in Brasilia or San Francisco? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Brasilia


Hotels in San Francisco


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Brasilia Hotel Prices and San Francisco Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Brasilia $20
    San Francisco $16

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:


  • Taxi to SFO
    $45
  • Golden Gate Bridge Toll
    $6.00
  • Alcatraz Tour
    $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco

Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $109
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Luxury SUV: $142
  • California: Oakland Airport Transfer from San Francisco: $180
  • California: Oakland Airport Transfer to San Francisco: $180
  • California: SFE Airport Transfer from San Francisco: $140
  • California: SFE Airport Transfer to San Francisco: $140
  • Napa Valley 1-Way Transfer to/from the San Francisco Airport: $400
  • Private Airport Transfer From SFO to San Francisco Union Square: $150
  • Private Departure Transfer to San Francisco Airport SFO: $44
  • Private Transfer from Downtown to San Francisco Airport: $37
  • Private Transfer from San Francisco City to San Francisco (SFO) Airport: $154
  • Private Transfer from San Francisco International Airport to San Francisco Hotel: $135

Is it cheaper to fly into Brasilia or San Francisco?

Prices for flights to both San Francisco and Brasilia 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Brasilia $49
    San Francisco $79

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:

  • Online Cooking Class Beijing Dumplings by Chef Sunflower Li: $25
  • North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $79
  • Melting Pot of the Mission District Food Tour: $80
  • Mission District Food Tour with Tastings: $85
  • Secret Food Tours San Francisco: $86
  • San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
  • San Francisco Food Tour: Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market: $90
  • Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Bay: $95
  • San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $99
  • San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $99
  • Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $99
  • Mission District Walking Food Tour: $99

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Brasilia $17
    San Francisco $46

Tours and Activities in Brasilia

Here are a few actual costs in Brasilia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Brasilia : Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide: $59
  • Brasilia Tour: $40

Tours and Activities in San Francisco

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.

  • Golden Gate Bridge: Self-guided Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
  • Historical San Anselmo: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.24
  • Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.99
  • San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour of the Golden Gate Bridge: $5.99
  • San Francisco Aquatic Park: Mafia Job Tour and Exploration Game: $6.03
  • Ghosts & Hauntings Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
  • Chinatown Warrior Cat Quest Experience in San Francisco: $7.13
  • Fisherman's Wharf App Guided Walking Tour: $7.49
  • San Francisco's Glen Park and Glen Canyon: A Self-Guided Tour: $7.55
  • Unfolding the Financial District: A San Francisco Chronicle Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
  • Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in San Francisco by Crazy Dash: $10

For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.


Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Brasilia $13
    San Francisco $22

Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:

  • Private Self Guided Tour and Bar Crawl in Chinatown San Francisco: $5.00
  • SF Pub Crawl and Clubbing Experience: $27
  • Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $28
  • Walk with Spirits: A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco: $45
  • Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
  • Half-Day Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings: $126
  • From The Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
  • From Napa & Sonoma Valley Full-Day Wine Tour: $140
  • Alcatraz and Sausalito California Wine Tasting Experience: $150
  • Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour of Napa via San Francisco Ferry: $155
  • Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $155
  • SF Combo: Napa/Sonoma Wine Tour & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: $169


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Brasilia and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco is more expensive. And not only is Brasilia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Brasilia is in South America and San Francisco is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Brasilia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Brasilia 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco than you might in Brasilia.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Brasilia Expensive? and Is San Francisco Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Brasilia or San Francisco?

Brasilia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Francisco. When comparing the sizes of Brasilia and San Francisco, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.