Should you visit Charlotte or Salt Lake City?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Charlotte and Salt Lake City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Charlotte
With a population of almost 800,000, Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina. The city has grown rapidly in recent years and the thriving economy has led to major revitalization efforts in the city's central district. The city is a center for finance, industry, technology, and entertainment within the state. It is the location of the corporate headquarters of Bank of America as well as the east coast operations of Wells Fargo, making it the second largest banking center in the United States. Although Charlotte has never been considered a significant tourist destination, recent efforts to enhance the urban core and develop entertainment venues have begun to appeal to outside visitors.
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is the capital city of Utah and one of the largest cities in the southwest region of the US. Salt Lake sits on the border between the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin regions, making it the perfect place for outdoor activities. The city's natural beauty and resources even became the focal point for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Salt Lake experiences all four seasons, with the most popular times to visit being summer and winter. Summer, June-August, sees little rain and temperatures in the high 80's Fahrenheit. Winter, December-March, has temperatures in the 30's Fahrenheit and gets the perfect amount of snow for winter sports.
Which city is cheaper, Salt Lake City or Charlotte?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Charlotte is $153, while the average daily cost in Salt Lake City is $197. 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 Charlotte and Salt Lake City in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $188 in Charlotte For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $190 in Salt Lake City For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Charlotte costs travelers about $37 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
The average traveler spends about $40 per day in Salt Lake City for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Charlotte $37
Salt Lake City $40
Typical Food prices in Charlotte
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Charlotte:
Local Transportation
Charlotte'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 $27 per person, per day on transportation in Charlotte.
Salt Lake City'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 $36 per person, per day on transportation in Salt Lake City.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charlotte
Also for Charlotte, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Departure Transfer to Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT):
$38
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Private Arrival Transfer from Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT:
$38
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Departure Private Transfer Charlotte to Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT by SUV:
$140
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Departure Private Transfer Charlotte to Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT Sedan Car:
$85
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Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) to Charlotte City - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$106
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Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) to Charlotte City - Arrival Private Transfer:
$54
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Charlotte City to Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) - Departure Private Transfer:
$54
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Arrival Private Transfer Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT to Charlotte by Sedan car:
$86
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Arrival Private Transfer Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT to Charlotte by SUV:
$141
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salt Lake City
Also for Salt Lake City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Park City:
$199
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Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$154
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Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City - Arrival Private Transfer:
$77
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Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) - Departure Private Transfer:
$77
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Arrival Private Transfer Salt Lake City Airport SLC to City by Sedan or SUV:
$76
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Departure Private Transfer City to Salt Lake City Airport SLC by Sedan or SUV:
$68
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Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport to Salt Lake City:
$62
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Salt Lake City International Airport One Way Transfer:
$48
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Private Arrival Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport SLC:
$36
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Private Departure Transfer to Salt Lake City Airport SLC:
$36
Is it cheaper to fly into Charlotte or Salt Lake City?
Prices for flights to both Salt Lake City and Charlotte 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 Charlotte can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $34 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Salt Lake City can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $22 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Charlotte
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Charlotte.
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Belize Jungle Limo - Triple Activity Tour:
$50
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Charlotte Beyond the Grave Haunted History Walking Ghost Tour:
$18
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Charlotte Comedy City PG-13 Tour:
$35
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Charlotte Comedy City Tour:
$30
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Charlotte Ghost Walking Tour:
$23
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Charlotte's Historical City Tour:
$38
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Discover Charlotte Historic City: Segway Tour:
$234
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Historic Uptown Neighborhood Segway Tour of Charlotte:
$60
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Private and Custom Tours:
$75
Tours and Activities in Salt Lake City
For Salt Lake City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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3-Hour Guided Tour in Park City or Midway and Heber Areas:
$513
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4-Day Small Group Tour: Yellowstone and Tetons Camping from Salt Lake City:
$695
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4-Day Yellowstone and Grand Teton Park Winter Tour for Small Private Group:
$1,880
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4-Day Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park Private Tour:
$1,116
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5 Day Yellowstone and Grand Teton Winter Tour - Private Small Group Tour:
$2,309
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5-Day Utah All-Inclusive Tour from Salt Lake City:
$2,256
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5-Day Utah Mighty 5 National Parks Limousine Tour from Salt Lake City:
$2,500
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Best of Salt Lake City Including Great Salt Lake Sightseeing Tour:
$192
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Best of Salt Lake City Sightseeing Tour:
$125
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From Private Bryce Canyon National Park Tour:
$300
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From Private Canyonlands Off-Road Tour:
$300
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From Private Capitol Reef National Park Tour:
$300
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 Charlotte, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $16.
Typically, people visiting Salt Lake City spend on average $14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Charlotte
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charlotte:
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Haunted Charlotte Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
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Trolley Pub Tour of Charlotte:
$41
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3-Hour Charlotte Brewery Crawl Tour:
$54
Sample the Local Flavors in Salt Lake City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Salt Lake City:
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Salt Lake City Bar Hunt: Salt Lake City Bar Crawl:
$12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Charlotte and Salt Lake City, we can see that Salt Lake City is more expensive. And not only is Charlotte much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Charlotte would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Charlotte 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 Salt Lake City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Salt Lake City than you might in Charlotte.
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