A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America California vs. Hawaii for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit California or Hawaii?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for California and Hawaii. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: California or Hawaii?

California

California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is known for a variety of attractions such as Hollywood, warm beaches, the San Francisco bay area, Redwood trees, national parks, and stunning mountain vistas. With a variety of locations and activities to offer, California has become one of the premier travel destinations in the world.

Hawaii

Located towards the center of the Pacific Ocean and the northeast corner of Polynesia, Hawai'i is the 50th state of the United States of America. It is a major tourist destination for travelers from around the world and as such, its economy is very dependent on the tourist dollar. Historically, the state had strong whaling, sugar and pineapple industries, but today tourism and the military make up a significant part of the economy. The state includes many islands that spread over 1,500 miles, but there are eight main islands which have a diversity of natural beauty and interesting landscapes. The islands offer visitors many impressive features from the beautiful beaches to the lush interior. There is a lot of hiking, snorkeling and scuba diving available throughout the islands. The capital of the state is Honolulu, which is also the largest city. Both Hawaiian and English are spoken throughout.

Which city is cheaper, Hawaii or California?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in California is $200, while the average daily cost in Hawaii is $274. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for California and Hawaii in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    California $92
    Hawaii $170
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    California $184
    Hawaii $340
Compare Hotels in California and Hawaii

Looking for a hotel in California or Hawaii? 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 California


Hotels in Hawaii


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: California Hotel Prices and Hawaii Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    California $34
    Hawaii $29

Hired Cars and Shuttles in California

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

  • Sedan Airport Transfer from Walnut Creek to SFO (one way): $199
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from Vallejo to SFO (one way): $259
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from St Helena to SFO (one way): $497
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to Yountville (one way): $372
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to St Helena(one way): $497
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to Sonoma (one way): $376
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to Napa (one way): $372
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to East Bay (one way): $262
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to Calistoga (one way): $499
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from Napa to SFO (one way): $372
  • Sedan Airport Transfer Sonoma to SFO(one way): $423
  • San Diego: Private Transfer to/from San Diego Airport (SAN): $69

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hawaii

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

  • Private SUV Transfer on Maui To Wailea: $289
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer: Maui Kahului Airport to Maui Hotels: $456
  • Oahu: Private Transfer to/from HNL International Airport: $101
  • Honolulu Airport: Private Transfer to/from Waikiki by SUV: $130

Is it cheaper to fly into California or Hawaii?

Prices for flights to both Hawaii and California 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
    California $38
    Hawaii $61

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California

For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Carlsbad Village: 3-Hour Local Food Tour: $70
  • San Francisco: Mission District Walking Food Tour: $75
  • San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $75
  • San Francisco: Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $79
  • North Beach: Curated 4-Course Food Tour: $99
  • Monterey: Guided Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $150
  • Napa Valley Wine Train: Gourmet Express Lunch or Dinner: $175
  • Los Angeles: 3-Hour Secret Food Tour: $217
  • Napa or Sonoma Dinner Transportation: $500

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hawaii

For Hawaii, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Allerton Garden and Estate Tour with Sunset Dinner: $106
  • Honolulu: City Lights and Dinner Tour: $166

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    California $49
    Hawaii $31

Tours and Activities in California

For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 6-Hour Private Sedan Napa or Sonoma Wine Country Tour from Napa: $557
  • 90-Minute San Diego SEAL Tour: $44
  • Amazing Temecula Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $27
  • Bay Area Sight Seeing Tours: $500
  • Bay Area Tour With A Cantonese Interpreter: $225
  • Bay Area Tour With A Chinese Interpreter: $225
  • Bay Area Tour With A Farsi Interpreter: $225
  • Bay Area Tour With A French Interpreter: $239
  • Bay Area Tour With A Mandarin Interpreter: $225
  • Bay Area Tour With A Pashto Interpreter: $252
  • Bay Area Tour With A Persian Interpreter: $225
  • Bay Area Tour With A Portuguese Interpreter: $252

Tours and Activities in Hawaii

For Hawaii, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Big Island: 1-Hour Eco-Friendly Glass Bottom Reef Tour: $62
  • Big Island: Eco-Friendly Twilight Manta Ray Adventure: $134
  • Big Island: Full Day Adventure through Kohala Waterfalls: $209
  • Deluxe Big Island Mercedes Guided Tour to Anywhere: $1,240
  • From Kona and Waikoloa: Intimate Volcano Discovery Tour: $257
  • From Waikiki: Pearl Harbor Premium Tour: $191
  • Hilo: Dolphin Adventure and Tropical Reef Snorkel Boat Tour: $150
  • Hilo: Hilo Bay and Coconut Island SUP Guided Tour: $109
  • Hilo: Wailoa River to King Kamehameha Guided Kayaking Tour: $109
  • Hilo: Wailoa River to King Kamehameha Statue Guided SUP Tour: $109
  • Honolulu: Beginner Scuba Diving Adventure: $89
  • Honolulu: Beginner Snorkeling Tour with Videos: $39

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    California $17
    Hawaii $16

Sample the Local Flavors in California

Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Healdsburg Wine Tasting and Food Pairing Guided Walking Tour: $119
  • San Francisco: Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $149
  • Malibu: Vintage VW Hippie Sightseeing Tour with Wine Tasting: $179
  • Golf Somm - A Sommelier-Led Golf and Wine Tour in Napa Valley: $308
  • 6-Hours Customized Private NAPA Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • 6-Hour Customized Private LIVERMORE Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • 6-Hours Customized Private RUSSIAN RIVER Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay: $480
  • 6-Hours Customized Private SONOMA Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • Napa Wine Tour: $500
  • Sonoma Wine Tours: $500
  • Napa Valley Wine Tour Planning and Transportation: $513
  • 8-Hour Napa Valley Wine Tour: $570

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between California and Hawaii, we can see that Hawaii is more expensive. And not only is California much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to California would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in California 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 Hawaii would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hawaii than you might in California.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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California vs. Hawaii Travel Comparison

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