Which place is cheaper, Idaho or California?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit California or Idaho?
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 Idaho. 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 Idaho?
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.
Idaho
Perhaps best known for its "Famous Potatoes," Idaho's true nickname is "The Gem State" and is full of a kind of wild beauty that comes with snow-capped mountains, raging rivers, placid lakes, and dense forests. Agriculture mostly lies in the eastern part of the state, while the wilderness of northern and central Idaho consists of some of the state's greatest natural treasures, dotted with a few cities and college towns.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.
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California Prices
USA PricesIdaho Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCalifornia $286Idaho $193
The average daily cost (per person) in California is $286, while the average daily cost in Idaho is $193. 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 Idaho in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCalifornia $116Idaho $84
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCalifornia $232Idaho $168
Compare Hotels in California and Idaho
Looking for a hotel in California or Idaho? 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 $42Idaho $45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Group Transfer From or To Los Angeles LAX Airport: $15
- San Francisco: SFO Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $31
- Private Arrival Transfer from John Wayne Orange County Airport SNA: $32
- Private Transfer Los Angeles Airport LAX From To LA: $36
- Shared ride Arrival Transfer John Wayne airport to Anaheim hotels: $36
- Los Angeles: Private Transfer to/from Los Angeles LAX Airport: $36
- Oakland Airport Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 passengers: $37
- San Diego Airport Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 passengers: $37
- Los Angeles to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $39
- Private Transfer From or To San Francisco SFO Airport: $39
- Private Departure Transfer to Burbank Airport (BUR): $40
- Sacramento Airport Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 passengers: $43
Is it cheaper to fly into California or Idaho?
Prices for flights to both Idaho 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 $79Idaho $74
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 Holiday Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Cheer & More: $70
- Santa Monica Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Churros, and More: $70
- Sacramento: Chicken Curry Cooking Class With a Local Chef: $75
- Fun Pad Thai Cooking Class With a Local Chef in San Diego: $75
- Chicken Curry Cooking Class With a Local Chef in Sacramento: $75
- Fun Wonton Cooking Class With a Local Chef in Sacramento: $75
- Japanese Gyoza Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in LA: $75
- Sushi Making Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in San Diego: $75
- Flavors of Venice Beach Food Tour By Junket: $75
- Carlsbad Taco Tuesday Walking Food Tour with Margarita or Beer: $84
- San Diego Holiday Sweet Treats, Donuts & Pastries Food Tour: $85
- San Francisco: Chinatown & Litte Italy Food Tour with 5 Dishes: $85
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.California $69Idaho $35
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Discover Yosemite National Park: A Self-Guided Tour: $1.12
- Self-Guided Walking Tour in Los Angeles' Best-Kept Secrets: $3.42
- Solvang Princess Magical Family Adventure: $4.00
- Missing Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.84
- San Francisco Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.86
- Santa Monica Superhero Exploration Game and Tour: $4.86
- Secrets of Venice Boardwalk: Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure in LA: $4.86
- Agnews Historic Park Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- Downtown San Francisco Private Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- Pasadena Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.00
- San Francisco Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.00
- Self-Guided San Diego Walking or Bicycle Tour App: $5.00
Tours and Activities in Idaho
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Idaho are as follows:
- Buried & Blighted in Boise Ghost Tours: $26
- Salt Lake City: 3-Day Yellowstone & Grand Teton Essence Tour: $2,279
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCalifornia $21Idaho $40
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- A Spectacular Bar Crawl: Long Beach Boss: $12
- An Epic Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl: $12
- An Epic Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Awesome Bar Crawl in Lake Tahoe: $15
- Amazing Bar Crawl in Palm Springs: $15
- Myka Estates Wine Tasting Reservation: $15
- Temecula Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided GPS Audio Guide: $20
- Santa Barbara Wine Tour - Self-Guided GPS Audio Tour: $25
- Sacramento Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Little Italy Pub Crawl: $30
- Paso Robles Sonata(Red Blend) Flight Wine Tasting: $30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between California and Idaho, we can see that California is more expensive. And not only is Idaho much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Idaho would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Idaho 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 California would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in California than you might in Idaho.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is California Expensive? and Is Idaho Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, California or Idaho?
California has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Idaho. When comparing the sizes of California and Idaho, 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.