Should you visit Colorado Springs or Albuquerque?
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 Colorado Springs and Albuquerque can help you decide which place is right for you.
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is the second largest city in the state of Colorado. It is located in the northeastern tip of the south central region of the state and is in a beautiful area surrounded by mountains and alpine trees. It is also referred to as "America's Olympic City" because it is the location of the United States Olympic Training Center.
Albuquerque
Albuquerque is a large city in the middle of the desert, right in the heart of New Mexico. It's the largest city in the state and has a lot to offer visitors. The city has a quaint downtown with a handful of good shops and restaurants. The surrounding area is quite beautiful and every fall the city hosts a famous and spectacular hot air balloon festival.
Which city is cheaper, Albuquerque or Colorado Springs?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Colorado Springs is $104, while the average daily cost in Albuquerque is $72. 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 Colorado Springs and Albuquerque in more detail.
Accommodation
Colorado Springs's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $108. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $54.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Albuquerque, $50 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Albuquerque, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $25, such as in a hostel.
Food
Food in Colorado Springs costs travelers about $21 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.
Albuquerque food costs typically run travelers around $20 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
Colorado Springs $21
Albuquerque $20
Typical Food prices in Colorado Springs
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Colorado Springs:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Colorado Springs
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Colorado Springs.
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The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Colorado Springs:
$77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Albuquerque
For Albuquerque, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Albuquerque:
$71
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Colorado Springs is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $4.03 per person, per day, on local transportation in Colorado Springs.
To get around in Albuquerque, the average visitor spends $42 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Albuquerque
Also for Albuquerque, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Albuquerque Airport (ABQ) to Albuquerque - Arrival Private Transfer:
$88
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Albuquerque Airport (ABQ) to Albuquerque - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$177
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Albuquerque International Airport One Way Transfer:
$48
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Albuquerque to Albuquerque Airport (ABQ) - Departure Private Transfer:
$88
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Private Arrival Transfer from Albuquerque Airport (ABQ):
$81
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Private Departure Transfer To Albuquerque Airport ABQ:
$49
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Private Transfer: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) to Albuquerque:
$622
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Private Transfer: Albuquerque to Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ):
$622
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Colorado Springs typically cost an average of $104 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
In Albuquerque, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $25 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Colorado Springs
Here are a few actual costs in Colorado Springs for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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2 Hour Segway Tour in Cheyenne Cañon and Broadmoor Area:
$99
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Broadmoor History Segway Tour:
$69
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Combo Course Zipline Tour:
$232
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Fins Course Scenic Zipline Tour:
$164
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Foothills & Garden of the Gods: Jeep Tour:
$88
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Garden of the Gods Segway Tour through Juniper Loop:
$118
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Jeep Tour - Foothills & Garden of the Gods:
$107
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Lovell Gulch Hike with Experienced Guide:
$99
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Old West High Country 4X4 Jeep Tour:
$180
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Scenic Bike Tour Of Colorado Springs:
$99
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Segway Tour of Cheyenne Cañon Art, History and Nature:
$69
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Segway Tour: Garden of the Gods: Juniper Loop:
$92
Tours and Activities in Albuquerque
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Albuquerque.
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Breaking Bad RV Virtural Tour:
$13
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Albuquerque Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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The Ghost Tour of Old Town on New Mexico's oldest Ghost Walk - Since 2001:
$35
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12pm - Public High Noon History, Legends & Lore Tour - Guided Old Town Stroll:
$35
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VIP PRIVATE History, Legends & Lore Tour - Guided Old Town Stroll = 10a-2p-4p-6p:
$43
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ABQ NM Film locations Tour, tour your favorite movies/shows filmed in ABQ:
$45
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Guided Bicycle Nature Tour of Albuquerque - Daily:
$69
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Mezcla de Culturas A Walking Tour of ABQ Sawmill District & Historic Old Town:
$75
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Small-Group E-Bike Tour in Albuquerque:
$79
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Breaking Bad RV Tour, visiting locations from Breaking Bad and Better call Saul:
$80
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New Mexico Flavors Tour Of Old Town Albuquerque:
$124
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Private Tour: Albuquerque Half Day:
$175
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Colorado Springs and Albuquerque, we can see that Colorado Springs is more expensive. And not only is Albuquerque much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Albuquerque would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Albuquerque 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 Colorado Springs would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Colorado Springs than you might in Albuquerque.
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