Should you visit Chicago or Pocono Mountains?
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 Chicago and Pocono Mountains can help you decide which place is right for you.
Chicago
Located in the Midwest, Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. It has a population of almost 3 million and a metropolitan area that covers more than 10,000 square kilometers. It is also a hub for music, comedy and theater. It's skyline is beautiful with modern skyscrapers and Lake Michigan as a backdrop. It is easy to stay entertained in Chicago for weeks. There are world class museums, upscale or eclectic shopping opportunities, and impressive architecture.
Pocono Mountains
The Poconos are a region of mountains, small towns, and natural areas in Eastern Pennsylvania. Located just a few hours from both New York City and Philadelphia, this region of 4 counties (Wayne, Pike, Monroe, & Carbon) consists of plenty of mountain scenery, gorgeous lakes, historic small towns, ski resorts, state parks, water parks, and more.
Which city is cheaper, Pocono Mountains or Chicago?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Chicago is $221, while the average daily cost in Pocono Mountains is $139. 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 Chicago and Pocono Mountains in more detail.
Accommodation
Chicago's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $304. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $152.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Pocono Mountains is $142. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
The price of a meal in Chicago can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $37 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $15 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Pocono Mountains food costs typically run travelers around $42 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Chicago $37
Pocono Mountains $42
Typical Food prices in Chicago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Chicago:
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Dinner for 1
$24
-
Dinner for 3
$118
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chicago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chicago.
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Traveling Spoon Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
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Factories to Calories Fulton Market Food Tour:
$46
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Learn to Make Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza with a Local:
$49
-
Chicago Crime & Pizza Walk:
$50
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: Chicago History and Food Tour:
$59
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Lonely Planet Experiences: River North Historical Food Tour:
$61
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Signature Food Tour at Chicago's Navy Pier:
$64
-
Best in Chow: Chicago River North Food Tour:
$64
-
Private Fusion Cooking Class in Downtown Chicago:
$64
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Skip the Line: Tommy Gun's Garage Dinner and Show Ticket:
$67
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Small-Group Chicago Food Tour: Gold Coast and Old Town:
$75
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Best of Chicago Tour Including a Deep-Dish Pizza:
$75
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $29 per day to get around in Chicago.
The average price of local transportation around Pocono Mountains is $39 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Chicago
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Chicago:
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Parking
$19
-
Taxi Ride
$10
-
Taxi from Airport
$45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chicago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chicago:
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Midway Airport Shared Transfers:
$36
-
Private Airport Transfer: O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Chicago:
$43
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Chicago to O’Hare International Airport (ORD):
$43
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Chicago O'Hare International Airport Shared Transfer:
$44
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Chicago to Midway International Airport (MDW):
$55
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Private Airport Transfer: Midway International Airport (MDW) to Chicago:
$55
-
Private Departure Transfer from Chicago City to Midway International Airport:
$66
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Chicago Midway Airport to Chicago City:
$66
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Private Departure Transfer from Chicago City to O'Hare International Airport:
$78
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Chicago City:
$78
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Departure Private Transfer Chicago City to O'Hare Airport ORD by Sedan Car:
$79
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Arrival Private Transfer Chicago O'Hare Airport ORD to Chicago by Sedan Car:
$79
Is it cheaper to fly into Chicago or Pocono Mountains?
Prices for flights to both Pocono Mountains and Chicago 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
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $34 per person, per day in Chicago. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Pocono Mountains's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $24 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Chicago
Here are a few typical costs in Chicago for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Chicago
Here are a few actual costs in Chicago for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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A Storied Neighborhood: Dance the dialectic with Bill Ayers on an audio tour:
$5.00
-
Discovering Vintage The Loop Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.34
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Chicago Riverwalk Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$6.00
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Millennium Park Exploration Game & Self-Guided Tour:
$12
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Skip the Line: American Writers Museum Admission Ticket:
$14
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Pilsen Walking Tour of Local Publicly Displayed Art:
$15
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The Chicago Theatre Marquee Tour:
$18
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Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Historic Chicago Theatre:
$18
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Chicago Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Chicago Skydeck Experience Ticket:
$22
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Ghosts of Lincoln Park Walking Tour:
$22
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Best Architecture Walking Tour for Design Lovers:
$22
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Chicago may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $20 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about $11 on alcoholic beverages in Pocono Mountains per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Chicago
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Chicago:
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Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$25
-
Walking tour to Chicago dive bars:
$41
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Chicago Barrel Bus Craft Distillery Tour:
$90
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Chicago Craft Brewery Barrel Bus Tour:
$90
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Ultimate Girl's Night Out in Sparkling Wine, Photo Shoot, Burlesque:
$900
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chicago and Pocono Mountains, we can see that Chicago is more expensive. And not only is Pocono Mountains much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pocono Mountains would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pocono Mountains 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 Chicago would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chicago than you might in Pocono Mountains.
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