Which place is cheaper, Minneapolis or Cincinnati?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Cincinnati or Minneapolis? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Cincinnati is a blue collar, authentic, and hard-working city. Visitors also love the shopping, museums, and nightlife.
Minneapolis is a innovative, diverse, and dynamic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.
You'll generally find more things to do in Minneapolis than Cincinnati. Minneapolis is bigger than Cincinnati, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Minneapolis is more touristy than Cincinnati and is popular for its professional sports teams, countless outdoor activities, and friendly people. Also, Minneapolis is famous for Mall of America. Cincinnati is well known for its breweries and down-to-earth personality.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Minneapolis and Cincinnati. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Plenty of people visit the very good sights and museums in both Cincinnati and Minneapolis.
Cincinnati offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. You'll find both traditional and quirky museums around town. For outside-the-box, check out the American Sign Museum or the Behringer-Crawford Museum. Art museums include the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Contemporary Arts Center, and the Taft Museum of Art. Other popular museums include the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal.
Many visitors head to Minneapolis specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. There's a wide variety of museums that include art, history, science, and local culture. Some of the favorite museums in the city are the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Walker Art Center, the American Swedish Institute, and the Weisman Art Museum.
Minneapolis is a popular place for its restaurant scene. However, Cincinnati is not a culinary destination.
Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Minneapolis. Dishes in the Midwest are known for being hearty comfort foods, and the food in Minneapolis is no exception. You'll find cheese-stuffed burgers that are known as Juicy Lucys, Tator Tot casseroles, and deep-fried cheese curds. For international food, there's a variety of Scandinavian options around town.
Cincinnati is not a culinary destination.
Minneapolis is well known for nightlife and partying. Also, Cincinnati is still popular, but not quite as popular for its evening party scene.
Minneapolis is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. There are diverse neighborhoods that each have their own personality. You'll find rooftop lounges in Uptown, international venues in Whittier, and trendy bars in the North Loop. But at the heart of the city's nightlife scene is Downtown Minneapolis.
If you're looking for night time activities Cincinnati has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene is diverse and includes music venues, breweries, and nightclubs. In addition to the city's downtown, you'll find trendy places to hang out in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Breweries are popular in the city, in part because of its German roots.
Minneapolis is a world-class destination for its shopping opportunities. Also, Cincinnati is still popular, but not quite as popular for its shopping areas.
The abundance of shops in Minneapolis make it a world-class shopping destination. Known for the megamall, Mall of America, this is a shopper's paradise. Mall of America is the largest shopping mall in the country and it even has an aquarium and a theme park within it. In addition to this iconic shopping mall, Minneapolis also has many shopping districts including the Minnehaha Mile.
Cincinnati has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. There are large shopping malls and retail outlets. You'll also find local boutiques in the Montgomery or Mariemont areas.
Minneapolis is well known for its family-friendly activities. Also, Cincinnati is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.
Minneapolis is a very kid-friendly city. Mall of America is at the top of the list for most families, but there's also plenty of kid-friendly museums around town as well as nature centers, parks, and playgrounds. There's the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, the Minnesota Zoo, and Afton Apple Orchard. For museums, kids will love the Minnesota Children's Museum or the Science Museum of Minnesota.
Cincinnati offers lots of family activities. There's a surprising number of kid-friendly activities around town like the Cincinnati Zoo, the Cincinnati Museum Center, Newport Aquarium, and Smale Riverfront Park.
Minneapolis is a popular place for its romantic activities. However, Cincinnati is not particularly known for couples.
Minneapolis makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There are beautiful parks and outdoor spaces to explore as well as museums and fine dining. Couples will appreciate stopping by the Stone Arch Bridge or wandering through the Lyndale Park Rose Garden.
Cincinnati is not always the best place to visit for a couple. If you do find yourself in town for a few days, there are several good restaurants and a number of music venues that can keep the visit fun and entertaining.
Cincinnati is a nice place to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Minneapolis is lacking in good options for backpackers.
It's common for backpackers to visit Cincinnati. There are actually a couple of hostels in town for backpackers or students.
Minneapolis is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. While it's not a popular destination for backpackers, there is at least one hostel in town.
Minneapolis is well known for students. However, Cincinnati is not popular with students.
Minneapolis is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. There are a number of colleges and universities in the area including the University of Minnesota. The city is known for its academic and intellectual focus, and students will enjoy being challenged educationally while enjoying a dynamic city.
Cincinnati is not popular with students.
You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Cincinnati and Minneapolis.
You'll find some public transit in Cincinnati, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are two bus systems around town - the METRO and TANK bus systems. There's also a streetcar that travels through the downtown.
While Minneapolis offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are buses, light rail, and commuter trains that stop at many of the major entertainment centers around town.
Cincinnati is a very popular place for its high level of walkability. Also, Minneapolis is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its ease of walking around.
Cincinnati is a very walkable city. There are several surprisingly walkable areas, particularly downtown and the nearby neighborhoods.
Minneapolis is a somewhat walkable city. There are neighborhoods that are dense enough to be walkable, but the city is still very car-focused.
For even more information, also check out Is Cincinnati Worth Visiting? and Is Minneapolis Worth Visiting?.
It's fun to spend time in either Cincinnati or Minneapolis. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Minneapolis due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Cincinnati, and 2-4 days is enough time in Minneapolis.
Families should spend more time in Minneapolis than Cincinnati. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Minneapolis, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Couples should spend more time in Minneapolis than Cincinnati. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Minneapolis that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.
Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Cincinnati than Minneapolis if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Cincinnati.
Visitors enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting the hard-working city of Cincinnati. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.
With museums and nightlife around the dynamic city of Minneapolis, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. One of the main draws to the area is the shopping. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.
Visitors enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the hard-working destination of Cincinnati. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.
With nightlife and food around the destination of Minneapolis, there's plenty to do. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. One of the main draws to the area is the shopping. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this city.
The blue collar city of Cincinnati offers museums and nightlife. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.
Minneapolis, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.
Many people enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting Cincinnati. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.
Minneapolis is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One of the main draws to the area is the shopping. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in United States of America, The Best Camping Tours in United States of America, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, and The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in United States of America.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cincinnati is $183, while the average daily cost in Minneapolis is $206. 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 Cincinnati and Minneapolis in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Cincinnati or Minneapolis? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cincinnati:
Also for Minneapolis, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Minneapolis and Cincinnati 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cincinnati.
For Minneapolis, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Here are a few actual costs in Cincinnati for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
For Minneapolis, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Also in Cincinnati, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
Also in Minneapolis, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When comparing the travel costs between Cincinnati and Minneapolis, we can see that Minneapolis 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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cincinnati Expensive? and Is Minneapolis Expensive?.
Minneapolis has a larger population, and is about 20% larger than the population of Cincinnati. When comparing the sizes of Cincinnati and Minneapolis, 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.
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.
The summer brings many poeple to Cincinnati as well as Minneapolis. Many travelers come to Cincinnati for the family-friendly experiences. Additionally, many visitors come to Minneapolis in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
Cincinnati is around the same temperature as Minneapolis in the summer. The daily temperature in Cincinnati averages around 79°F (26°C) in July, and Minneapolis fluctuates around 76°F (25°C).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Minneapolis. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cincinnati this time of the year. In the summer, Cincinnati often gets less sunshine than Minneapolis. Cincinnati gets 298 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Minneapolis receives 357 hours of full sun.
Cincinnati usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Minneapolis. Cincinnati gets 3.5 inches (90 mm) of rain, while Minneapolis receives 3.4 inches (86 mm) of rain this time of the year.
Both Minneapolis and Cincinnati are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Cincinnati in the autumn for the shopping scene. Also, most visitors come to Minneapolis for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene during these months.
In the autumn, Cincinnati is a little warmer than Minneapolis. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Cincinnati in October average around 58°F (15°C), and Minneapolis averages at about 52°F (11°C).
Cincinnati usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Minneapolis during autumn. Cincinnati gets 188 hours of sunny skies, while Minneapolis receives 178 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Cincinnati usually receives more rain than Minneapolis. Cincinnati gets 2.2 inches (56 mm) of rain, while Minneapolis receives 1.8 inches (45 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
Both Minneapolis and Cincinnati during the winter are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Cincinnati for the museums and the shopping scene during these months. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Minneapolis because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Minneapolis can be very cold. Cincinnati can be very cold during winter. In January, Cincinnati is generally much warmer than Minneapolis. Daily temperatures in Cincinnati average around 31°F (-0°C), and Minneapolis fluctuates around 15°F (-10°C).
In the winter, Cincinnati often gets less sunshine than Minneapolis. Cincinnati gets 129 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Minneapolis receives 157 hours of full sun.
Cincinnati usually gets more rain in January than Minneapolis. Cincinnati gets 2.2 inches (57 mm) of rain, while Minneapolis receives 0.9 inches (22 mm) of rain this time of the year.
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Cincinnati and Minneapolis. Also, the activities around the city are the main draw to Minneapolis this time of year.
Cincinnati is a little warmer than Minneapolis in the spring. The daily temperature in Cincinnati averages around 56°F (14°C) in April, and Minneapolis fluctuates around 49°F (10°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Minneapolis this time of the year. In Cincinnati, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cincinnati usually receives less sunshine than Minneapolis during spring. Cincinnati gets 215 hours of sunny skies, while Minneapolis receives 244 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Cincinnati usually receives more rain than Minneapolis. Cincinnati gets 3.5 inches (89 mm) of rain, while Minneapolis receives 2.1 inches (53 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
Cincinnati | Minneapolis | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 31°F (-0°C) | 2.2 inches (57 mm) | 15°F (-10°C) | 0.9 inches (22 mm) |
Feb | 35°F (2°C) | 2.5 inches (64 mm) | 21°F (-6°C) | 0.7 inches (19 mm) |
Mar | 46°F (8°C) | 3.9 inches (100 mm) | 34°F (1°C) | 1.7 inches (43 mm) |
Apr | 56°F (14°C) | 3.5 inches (89 mm) | 49°F (10°C) | 2.1 inches (53 mm) |
May | 66°F (19°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) | 62°F (16°C) | 2.9 inches (74 mm) |
Jun | 74°F (24°C) | 3.1 inches (80 mm) | 71°F (22°C) | 3.2 inches (82 mm) |
Jul | 79°F (26°C) | 3.5 inches (90 mm) | 76°F (25°C) | 3.4 inches (86 mm) |
Aug | 77°F (25°C) | 2.9 inches (73 mm) | 73°F (23°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) |
Sep | 71°F (21°C) | 2.9 inches (73 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 2.2 inches (57 mm) |
Oct | 58°F (15°C) | 2.2 inches (56 mm) | 52°F (11°C) | 1.8 inches (45 mm) |
Nov | 48°F (9°C) | 2.7 inches (68 mm) | 36°F (2°C) | 1.3 inches (33 mm) |
Dec | 37°F (3°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) | 21°F (-6°C) | 0.9 inches (22 mm) |