Which place is cheaper, Hawaii or California?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCalifornia $0.00Hawaii $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in California is $0.00, while the average daily cost in Hawaii is $0.00. 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 California and Hawaii in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCalifornia $523Hawaii -
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCalifornia $1,046Hawaii $0.00
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.
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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.California -Hawaii -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- World Cruise Center to Long Beach Airport(LGB)-Departure Transfer: $66
- World Cruise Center to Long Beach - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in San Diego HTL-APT(SAN): $47
- Transfers between Temecula area and San Diego Airport : $175
- Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco City to Airport: $55
- Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco Airport to City: $35
- Transfer in private Minivan from San Francisco Downtown to Airport (SFO): $183
- Transfer in private Minivan from San Francisco Airport (SFO) to Downtown city: $183
- Transfer from San Francisco to San Francisco Cruise Port by Sedan: $127
- Snow Summit to Ontario Airport (ONT) - Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Snow Summit to Los Angeles Airpor: Departure Private Transfer: $182
- Snow Summit to John Wayne Airport SNA-Departure Private Transfer: $133
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hawaii
Also for Hawaii, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Honolulu HTL-APT (HNL): $81
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Honolulu Airport to Hotel or Cruise Terminal: $39
- Shared Departure Transfer: Kauai Hotels to Kauai International Airport: $13
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotels to Kona International Airport: $18
- Shared Departure Transfer from Waikiki Hotels to Honolulu Airport: $18
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Honolulu Airport to Hotel or Cruise Terminal: $20
- Shared Arrival Transfer from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki Hotels: $18
- Private Transfer: Waikiki to Honolulu Airport HNL by Sedan: $108
- Private Transfer: Honolulu to Honolulu Airport HNL in Sedan Car: $110
- Private Transfer: Honolulu Airport HNL to Honolulu in Luxury SUV: $138
- Private Transfer from to Kona Airport (KOA) to Hilo Cruise Port: $72
- Private Transfer from Maui City Hotels to Lahaina Cruise Port: $81
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
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Food Meals for one dayCalifornia -Hawaii -
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California
For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Monica Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $66
- Thai Cooking Class in Fullerton near Disneyland: $66
- Encinitas Food Tour: $70
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $78
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $79
- Silverlake Food Tour with Comedian Guide : $79
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- Little Italy Food and Drink Walking Tour: Pizza, Pasta & Piazzas: $81
- Private French Cooking Class in La Jolla with Andrea: $88
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour: $89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ahi Uila Fire Show and Dinner: $110
- From Ma'alaea Harbor: Sunset Dinner Cruise Aboard the Quicksilver: $110
- Sunset Dinner Cruise in Honolulu: $125
- Best Food Tours on Kaua'i: $125
- Hanalei, Kauaʻi Walking Food Tour: $129
- Honolulu Sunset & Fireworks Dinner Cruise: $129
- Walking Food Tour Exploring Hanalei: $129
- From Ma'alaea Harbor: Thanksgiving Dinner Cruise Aboard Calypso: $130
- Maui Sunset Luau Dinner Cruise from Ma'alaea Harbor aboard Pride of Maui: $149
- Ma'alaea Harbor: Sunset Prime Rib or Mahi Mahi Dinner Cruise : $150
- Hawaii Food Tour - Off The Beaten Path : $150
- Premium Sunset Dinner Cruise from Ka’anapali Beach: $154
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.California -Hawaii -
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Hour Private Tour in Malibu Majesty: $35
- Clear Kayak Paddle Tour at Cave Rock: $112
- Getty Museum Private Tour: $250
- Guided Hiking Tour in Big Bear with Sunset Champagne toast on Private Dock: $75
- Maritime Museum of San Diego Admission Ticket: $24
- Orange County Beaches Cities Highlights Private Full-day Tour.: $132
- #1 Sonoma Walking Food, Wine & History Tour (Public Tours): $179
- "Summer of Love" tour in Haight-Ashbury in French: $63
- 1 Hour GPS Guided Scooter Tour: Harbor/Gaslamp Quarter: $92
- 1 Hour Hands On Graffiti Lesson Experience in Los Angeles: $45
- 1 Hour Limo Tour of Venice Beach: $70
- 1-Hour Monterey and Cannery Row GoCar Tour: $79
Tours and Activities in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Early Morning Whale Cruise from Kawaihae Harbor: $125
- Guided Kayak Tour to Kailua’s Twin Islands: $219
- Kauai Sea Kayaking 10 mile tour - Na Pali Iki (Polihale to Milolii): $295
- Kayak Whale Watching Tour (7am-10am): $125
- Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial, small group Tour: $80
- Private Upcountry Farm Tour on Maui : $300
- 'Imiloa Express Na Pali Sunset Tour: $179
- 'Imiloa Express Nā Pali Snorkel Tour : $201
- 'Lost' and Movie Tour: $200
- "Capture Memories: One-Hour Photography Experience at Waikiki": $100
- 1 Hour Private Luxury Classic Car Sightseeing City Tour Honolulu: $138
- 1- Day Majestic Maui Scooter Tour With Waterfalls and Sea Cliffs: $145
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCalifornia -Hawaii -
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Self Guided Tour and Bar Crawl in Chinatown San Francisco: $5.00
- Sacramento Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl: $12
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- Calaveras and Tuolumne Digital Wine Tasting Pass: $19
- Placer County Wine Tasting Pass: $19
- Apple Hill and Carson Road Digital Wine Tasting with Pass: $19
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- Wine Tasting Audio Tour - Amador County CA: $30
- Wine Tasting Audio Tour - Lodi California: $35
- Napa Private Wine Tour: $35
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
Sample the Local Flavors in Hawaii
Also in Hawaii, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- WINERY OENO Island Style Wine Tasting: $39
- History Tour Pub Crawl in Waikiki: $45
- Brewery and Beach Cruise in a Vintage VW Bus : $199
When comparing the travel costs between California and Hawaii, we can see that California 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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is California Expensive? and Is Hawaii Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, California or Hawaii?
California has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Hawaii. When comparing the sizes of California and Hawaii, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.