Should you visit Clearwater or Key West?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Clearwater and Key West. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Clearwater
Clearwater is a city in Florida's Tampa Bay area known for its sunny weather and gulf coast beaches. Its most famous beach (Clearwater Beach) is located on a barrier island with white sands and crystal waters - a perfect setting for activities such as fishing, sailing, kayaking, jet skiing, dolphin and sunset tours, parasailing, and more.
Key West
Key West is both a city and an island as well as the southern most Florida Key. It is also the southern most city in the continental United States. The island is only about four miles long and one mile wide. The total land mass covers just 4.2 square miles. The most famous street in town is Duval Street, which runs just 1.1 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. There are 14 blocks. The size of the island doubled during the 1950s when many of the salt ponds along the eastern side of the island were filled in.
Which city is cheaper, Key West or Clearwater?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Clearwater is $241, while the average daily cost in Key West is $170. 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 Clearwater and Key West in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $208 for a double occupancy room in Clearwater.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $106. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Key West the cost is $212 on average.
Food
The average traveler spends about $38 per day in Clearwater 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.
The price of a meal in Key West can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $38 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Clearwater $38
Key West $38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Key West
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Key West.
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Key West Sunset Dinner Cruise with Tropical Buffet:
$68
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Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Open Bar:
$69
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Private Secret Food Tour of Key West:
$103
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Secret Food Tour of Key West w/ Private Tour Option:
$221
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Clearwater is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $177 per person, per day, on local transportation in Clearwater.
The average price of local transportation around Key West is $41 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Clearwater
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Clearwater:
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Clearwater Beach to St.Pete–Clearwater Airport (PIE) -Departure Private Transfer:
$37
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St. Pete–Clearwater Airport (PIE) to St. Petersburg - Arrival Private Transfer:
$37
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St.Pete–Clearwater Airport (PIE) to Clearwater Beach -Roundtrip Private Transfer:
$72
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St. Pete–Clearwater Airport (PIE) to Clearwater Beach - Arrival Private Transfer:
$75
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Clearwater Beach to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$83
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St. Pete–Clearwater Airport (PIE) to St. Petersburg - Roundtrip Private Transfer:
$147
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Private Transfer from Clearwater Beach to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$453
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Private Transfer from Clearwater Beach to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$588
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Private Transfer from Clearwater Beach to Port Canaveral:
$658
Typical Local Transportation prices in Key West
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Key West:
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Rental Car for One Day
$38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Key West
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Key West:
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Key West International Airport One Way Transfer:
$53
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Private Arrival Transfer: Key West Airport to Hotel:
$116
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Key West Airport:
$116
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Round-Trip Transfer: Fort Lauderdale to Key West:
$198
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Private Airport Transfer in Key West, Florida:
$209
Is it cheaper to fly into Clearwater or Key West?
Prices for flights to both Key West and Clearwater 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
Key West's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $26 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.
Tours and Activities in Clearwater
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Clearwater are as follows:
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Beach Cruiser Bicycle:
$15
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Journey through Space Simulator Experience:
$15
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Clearwater Encounters with Dolphins Tour:
$20
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Dolphin Sightseeing Tour of Clearwater Beach with Free Ice Cream:
$21
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Clearwater Daytime Yacht Music Cruise with Optional Dining:
$22
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Clearwater Evening Yacht Cruise with Optional Dining:
$22
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Adventure Boat in Clearwater Beach:
$23
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Sea Screamer Dolphin Tour Boat Ride Ticket:
$25
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Sunset Cruise from Clearwater:
$27
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Clearwater Dolphin-Watching Tour:
$27
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Dolphin Adventure at Clearwater Beach:
$32
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Calypso Queen Tropical Party Buffet Cruise:
$35
Tours and Activities in Key West
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Key West are as follows:
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Self-Guided Bike Tour to Key West Beaches and Back Roads:
$7.19
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Easy Stroll Audio Tour Downtown Key West:
$7.99
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The Ghosts of Key West Walking Tour:
$20
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Key West Scavenger Hunt Adventure Mobile Experience:
$21
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Key West Ghost Tour:
$24
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6th Sense Haunted Tour of Key West:
$25
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The Dark Side of Key West Ghost Tour:
$28
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Southernmost Key West History and Culture Small-Group Walking Tour:
$28
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History and Culture Southernmost Walking Tour:
$30
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Old Town Key West Literary Walking Tour:
$30
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Key West Ghost and Mysteries Guided Tour:
$32
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Key West Ghost and Gravestone Trolley Tour:
$33
Alcohol
The average person spends about $13 on alcoholic beverages in Key West per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Key West
Also in Key West, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Key West Haunted Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour:
$23
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Yes, Queen! Drag Queen Pub Crawl of Key West:
$34
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Key West Pub Crawl:
$35
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Clearwater and Key West, we can see that Clearwater is more expensive. And not only is Key West much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Key West would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Key West 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 Clearwater would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Clearwater than you might in Key West.
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