Should you visit Cape Canaveral or Gainesville?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Cape Canaveral or Gainesville, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Cape Canaveral
As a part of the region known as the "Space Coast," Cape Canaveral is best known as the home of America's launch pad, the Kennedy Space Center. The Space Center is located just to the west of the city on Merritt Island. Other features of the cape include the Cape Canaveral lighthouse and Port Canaveral, one of the busiest cruise ports in the world.
Gainesville
Home to the University of Florida as well as Santa Fe College, the town of Gainesville has all of the shopping, entertainment, and restaurants that you could want in a college town - plus easy access to a number of outdoor adventures from canoeing, diving, and kayaking to birding, fishing, hiking, and biking. Some of the top features include the Butterfly Rainforest, the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, and Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park.
Which city is cheaper, Gainesville or Cape Canaveral?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Canaveral is $130, while the average daily cost in Gainesville is $135. 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 Cape Canaveral and Gainesville in more detail.
Accommodation
The prices for places to stay in Cape Canaveral can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $78, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $156.
A hotel room in Gainesville is about $138 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
In Cape Canaveral travelers spend around $34 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.
While meal prices in Gainesville can vary, the average travelers spends about $46 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Gainesville should cost around $18 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Gainesville is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cape Canaveral $34
Gainesville $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Canaveral
For Cape Canaveral, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Port Canaveral Food Tours:
$101
Typical Food prices in Gainesville
Some typical examples of dining costs in Gainesville are as follows:
Local Transportation
Cape Canaveral's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $28 per person, per day on transportation in Cape Canaveral.
The cost of a taxi ride in Gainesville is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $33 per person, per day, on local transportation in Gainesville.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gainesville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Gainesville:
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$676
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Port Canaveral:
$658
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$453
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Canaveral or Gainesville?
Prices for flights to both Gainesville and Cape Canaveral 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Cape Canaveral can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $14 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Entertainment and activities in Gainesville typically cost an average of $14 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Cape Canaveral
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cape Canaveral.
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Cocoa Beach Aerial Adventures ticket:
$55
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Fully Guided Kayaking Backwater Manatee and Dolphin Tour:
$75
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Cocoa Beach Night Time Bioluminescence Kayak Tour:
$79
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SUP Paddleboard Lesson and Tour - Port Canaveral & Cocoa Beach:
$95
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Polaris Slingshot Local Adventure Tour For up to TWO People:
$130
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Full-Day (8 hour) Polaris Slingshot Adventure Rental for up to TWO people:
$200
Typical Entertainment prices in Gainesville
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Gainesville are as follows:
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Manatee Tour for Two
$98
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Tour Guide Tip
$5.00
Tours and Activities in Gainesville
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Gainesville are as follows:
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Butterfly Rainforest at Florida Museum of Natural History Ticket:
$14
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Cape Canaveral, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $10.
The average person spends about $39 on alcoholic beverages in Gainesville per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When comparing the travel costs between Cape Canaveral and Gainesville, we can see that Gainesville 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.
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