Should you visit Charlotte or Santa Fe?
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 Santa Fe 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.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe is the state capital of New Mexico as well as the oldest state capital in the United States, founded in 1607. It has become a popular travel destination due to the surrounding scenic beauty, its long history, cultural diversity especially with its proximity to American Indian pueblos and culture, and a rich concentration of arts, music, and food.
Which city is cheaper, Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe is $127. 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 Santa Fe 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 $128 in Santa Fe 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.
In Santa Fe travelers spend around $35 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Charlotte $37
Santa Fe $35
Typical Food prices in Charlotte
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Charlotte:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Fe
For Santa Fe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Dinner at the Coffee Farm:
$55
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Santa Fe Railyard Arts District Food Tour:
$102
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New Mexican Flavors Food Tour of the Santa Fe Plaza:
$138
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.
Santa Fe'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 $49 per person, per day on transportation in Santa Fe.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charlotte
Also for Charlotte, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Arrival Private Transfer Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT to Charlotte by SUV:
$141
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Departure Private Transfer Charlotte to Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT by SUV:
$140
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Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) to Charlotte City - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$106
-
Arrival Private Transfer Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT to Charlotte by Sedan car:
$86
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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 - Arrival Private Transfer:
$54
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Charlotte City to Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) - Departure Private Transfer:
$54
-
Private Departure Transfer to Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT):
$38
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT:
$38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Fe
Also for Santa Fe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Departure Transfer to Santa Fe Airport SAF:
$125
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Santa Fe Airport (SAF):
$62
Is it cheaper to fly into Charlotte or Santa Fe?
Prices for flights to both Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $13 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
-
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 Santa Fe
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Fe.
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Bantayan Island Day Tour From Cebu:
$173
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Beer and Art Tour:
$40
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Guided Tour: 'Love Stories of Santa Fe":
$498
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Land Tour | Bantayan Island - Sightseeing - Guided Tour:
$46
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Lonely Planet Experiences: Private Walking Tour of Santa Fe:
$170
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Santa Fe Architectural Walking Tour:
$115
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Santa Fe Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Search for The Story-Documentary Film School Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$52
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Small-Group Canyon Road Art Tour:
$37
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Small-Group E-Bike Adventure Tour through Hidden Santa Fe:
$155
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The Best of Santa Fe Walking Tour:
$498
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Walk Granada's Skyline Tour:
$49
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.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Santa Fe, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.74.
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 Santa Fe
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Santa Fe:
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Join-In Wine Tours:
$152
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White Water Rafting and Wine Tour:
$217
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Charlotte and Santa Fe, we can see that Charlotte is more expensive. And not only is Santa Fe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Fe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Fe 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 Charlotte would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Charlotte than you might in Santa Fe.
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