Which place is cheaper, Halifax or Charleston?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Charleston or Halifax?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Charleston or Halifax, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Charleston or Halifax?
Charleston
Charleston is a beautiful, southern city and seaport town in South Carolina. It has a wonderful, historic downtown area that the city government works hard to maintain. Located on a peninsula that is created by two rivers, the city is a stunning setting with much character. It is a popular place to visit for its culture, architecture and cuisine. In recent years Charleston has gained popularity and it continues to grow as both a regional and international travel destination. With its rising popularity comes increasing costs. Travel costs continue to go up as restaurants and hotels raise their prices, particularly during the peak travel season and holiday periods.
Halifax
The quaint and charming coastal town of Halifax, Nova Scotia has an interesting personality. While it caters to travelers from all over the world, it maintains the pace and lifestyle of a small town.
Steeped in maritime history, Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia, and one of the world's greatest natural harbors. This busy seaport serves as the economic and cultural hub of Eastern Canada.
When planning your trip keep in mind that this city has a climate like other coastal cities. Summers are nice with the occasional humidity. Winters are mild, but still full of snow and wind. The best time of year to visit is most certainly the fall.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco, The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCharleston $170Halifax $114
The average daily cost (per person) in Charleston is $170, while the average daily cost in Halifax is $114. 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 Charleston and Halifax in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCharleston $90Halifax $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCharleston $180Halifax $130
Compare Hotels in Charleston and Halifax
Looking for a hotel in Charleston or Halifax? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Charleston Hotel Prices and Halifax Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Charleston $33Halifax $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charleston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Charleston:
- Private Transfer from Charleston Port to Charleston Airport (CHS): $59
- Private Transfer from Charleston Cruise Port to Charleston city: $55
- Private Transfer from Charleston City to Charleston Cruise Port: $55
- Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island to Charleston Airport –Departure Private Transfer: $104
- From Boone Hall Plantation Entry with Transfers: $71
- Folly Beach to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $104
- Charleston city to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $88
- Charleston Airport: One-Way Transfer to Charleston: $153
- Charleston Airport to Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island– Arrival Private Transfer: $104
- Charleston Airport to Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island -Roundtrip Private Transfer: $208
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Kiawah/Seabrook Islands – Arrival Private Transfer: $118
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Folly Beach - Arrival Private Transfer: $104
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halifax
Also for Halifax, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Halifax Stanfield Airport (YHZ) to Halifax Port-Arrival Transfer: $34
- Halifax Stanfield Airport(YHZ) to Halifax Port - Arrival Transfer: $34
- Private Transfer from Halifax Stanfield Airport to Halifax: $36
- Transfer to/from Stanfield International Airport: $44
- Halifax Airport (YHZ) to Halifax Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $68
- From Peggy’s Cove Small-Group Tour with Transfers: $80
- Halifax Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Halifax hotels: $133
- Halifax Stanfield Airport (YHZ): Transfer to Halifax Port: $209
Is it cheaper to fly into Charleston or Halifax?
Prices for flights to both Halifax and Charleston 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 dayCharleston $58Halifax $31
Typical Food Prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of dining costs in Charleston are as follows:
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Lunch in downtown Charleston for two$21
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Breakfast$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Charleston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Charleston.
- Charleston Sunset Blues & BBQ Dinner Cruise: $72
- Charleston Harbor Luxury Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $88
- Luxury Harbor Dinner Cruise: $93
- Savor the Flavors Upper King Street Food Tour: $95
- Charleston Food Tour: $99
- Historic Downtown Food Tour with Tastings: $99
- 3-Hour Secret Food Tour: $108
- Charleston Farm-to-Table Food Tour and Chef's Challenge: $109
- Charleston Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $110
- Downtown Charleston Food Tour: $110
- Savor the Flavors of Charleston Walking Food Tour: $110
- Charleston's Savor the Flavors of Upper King Street Walking Food Tour: $110
Typical Food Prices in Halifax
For Halifax, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Bluenose II Restaurant$45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halifax
For Halifax, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Peggy's Cove Small Group Night Tour with Dinner: $160
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Charleston $22Halifax $28
Typical Entertainment Prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Charleston are as follows:
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Patriots Point (for 2)$60
Tours and Activities in Charleston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Charleston are as follows:
- 2 Hours Private Morris Island and River Cruise: $295
- 1.5-Hour Charleston Harbor Cruise with Live Narration: $42
- 2 Hours Shem Creek Safari Kayak Tour: $52
- 2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour in Charleston: $54
- 300 Years of War and Peacetime in A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- 90-Minute Charleston City Sightseeing Bus Tour : $37
- Access Tour to the Cameron House from Outer Banks: $225
- Afternoon Schooner Sightseeing Dolphin Cruise on Charleston Harbor: $56
- An Amazing Guided Ghost Tour: $30
- Behind the Scenes of Shem Creek Shrimp Walking Tour: $25
- Boone Hall Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston: $78
- Boone Hall Plantation All-Access Admission Ticket: $28
Tours and Activities in Halifax
For Halifax, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Discover the Halifax Explosion Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Churches, Gardens, & Graveyards Smartphone Tour: $5.11
- Halifax Boardwalk and Seaport: Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Exlore Halifax with 3 Unique Smartphone Audio Walking Tours: $13
- Halifax self-guided walking tour and scavenger hunt: $38
- From City and Peggy's Cove Sunset Guided Tour: $65
- City Segway Tour: $67
- Small-Group Tour with Citadel and Peggy's Cove: $94
- Small Group Walking Tour with Citadel & Museum: $102
- From Small Group Lunenberg Express Tour: $120
- Guided Harbourfront Food Walking Tour: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCharleston $36Halifax $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Charleston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charleston:
- Charleston Women and Wine Tour: $20
- Women and Wine Tour: $20
- Charleston Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $27
- Guided Pub Crawl and Haunted History Tour: $30
- Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl Shared Tour in Charleston : $35
- Speakeasy Sagas Prohibition Pub Crawl: $35
- Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- Historic District Haunted Pub Crawl Tour: $40
- Charleston Brewery District Cruise (Public Tour): $95
- Wadmalaw Island Wine Tasting and Tea Garden Trip: $135
- Half Day Party Bus Brewery Tour of Charleston: $140
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Charleston and Halifax, we can see that Charleston is more expensive. And not only is Halifax much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Halifax would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halifax 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 Charleston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Charleston than you might in Halifax.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Charleston Expensive? and Is Halifax Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Charleston or Halifax?
Halifax has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Charleston. When comparing the sizes of Charleston and Halifax, 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.
When is the best time to visit Charleston or Halifax?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Charleston or Halifax in the Summer?
Both Halifax and Charleston during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Charleston because of the beaches, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Charleston is much warmer than Halifax. Typically, the summer temperatures in Charleston in July average around 82°F (28°C), and Halifax averages at about 18°C (64°F).
In Halifax, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Charleston. In the summer, Charleston often gets more sunshine than Halifax. Charleston gets 293 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Halifax receives 230 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Charleston. Charleston usually gets more rain in July than Halifax. Charleston gets 6.9 inches (176 mm) of rain, while Halifax receives 99 mm (3.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCharleston 82°F (28°C)Halifax 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Charleston or Halifax in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Charleston and Halifax. The shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Charleston this time of year.
In October, Charleston is generally much warmer than Halifax. Daily temperatures in Charleston average around 67°F (19°C), and Halifax fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).
Charleston usually receives more sunshine than Halifax during autumn. Charleston gets 197 hours of sunny skies, while Halifax receives 148 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Halifax receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Charleston usually receives less rain than Halifax. Charleston gets 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain, while Halifax receives 121 mm (4.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCharleston 67°F (19°C)Halifax 10°C (49°F)
Should I visit Charleston or Halifax in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Charleston as well as Halifax. Many travelers come to Charleston for the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Halifax can get quite cold in the winter. Charleston is much warmer than Halifax in the winter. The daily temperature in Charleston averages around 47°F (9°C) in January, and Halifax fluctuates around -4°C (24°F).
In the winter, Charleston often gets more sunshine than Halifax. Charleston gets 188 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Halifax receives 111 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Halifax. Charleston usually gets less rain in January than Halifax. Charleston gets 3.3 inches (85 mm) of rain, while Halifax receives 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCharleston 47°F (9°C)Halifax -4°C (24°F)
Should I visit Charleston or Halifax in the Spring?
Both Halifax and Charleston are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Charleston in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty.
Halifax can be very cold during spring. In the spring, Charleston is much warmer than Halifax. Typically, the spring temperatures in Charleston in April average around 64°F (18°C), and Halifax averages at about 4°C (39°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Charleston. Charleston usually receives more sunshine than Halifax during spring. Charleston gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Halifax receives 148 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Halifax. In April, Charleston usually receives less rain than Halifax. Charleston gets 2.7 inches (69 mm) of rain, while Halifax receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCharleston 64°F (18°C)Halifax 4°C (39°F)
Typical Weather for Halifax and Charleston
| Charleston | Halifax | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 47°F (9°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) | -4°C (24°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) |
| Feb | 50°F (10°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) | -5°C (24°F) | 108 mm (4.2 in) |
| Mar | 58°F (14°C) | 4.3 inches (110 mm) | -1°C (31°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) |
| Apr | 64°F (18°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) | 4°C (39°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 72°F (22°C) | 4.2 inches (106 mm) | 9°C (48°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Jun | 78°F (26°C) | 6.4 inches (163 mm) | 14°C (57°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Jul | 82°F (28°C) | 6.9 inches (176 mm) | 18°C (64°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Aug | 81°F (27°C) | 7.1 inches (181 mm) | 18°C (65°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) |
| Sep | 76°F (25°C) | 4.8 inches (121 mm) | 15°C (58°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Oct | 67°F (19°C) | 2.9 inches (74 mm) | 10°C (49°F) | 121 mm (4.7 in) |
| Nov | 58°F (15°C) | 2.5 inches (63 mm) | 5°C (40°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Dec | 51°F (10°C) | 3.1 inches (78 mm) | -1°C (29°F) | 152 mm (6 in) |
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.