Should you visit Colorado Springs or Salt Lake City?
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 Salt Lake City 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.
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is the capital city of Utah and one of the largest cities in the southwest region of the US. Salt Lake sits on the border between the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin regions, making it the perfect place for outdoor activities. The city's natural beauty and resources even became the focal point for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Salt Lake experiences all four seasons, with the most popular times to visit being summer and winter. Summer, June-August, sees little rain and temperatures in the high 80's Fahrenheit. Winter, December-March, has temperatures in the 30's Fahrenheit and gets the perfect amount of snow for winter sports.
Which city is cheaper, Salt Lake City or Colorado Springs?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Colorado Springs is $124, while the average daily cost in Salt Lake City is $197. 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 Salt Lake City in more detail.
Accommodation
Colorado Springs's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $130. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $65.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $190 in Salt Lake City For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Colorado Springs costs travelers about $36 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.
The average traveler spends about $40 per day in Salt Lake City 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Colorado Springs $36
Salt Lake City $40
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
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Colorado Springs is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $31 per person, per day, on local transportation in Colorado Springs.
Salt Lake City'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 $36 per person, per day on transportation in Salt Lake City.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salt Lake City
Also for Salt Lake City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Arrival Private Transfer Salt Lake City Airport SLC to City by Sedan or SUV:
$76
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Departure Private Transfer City to Salt Lake City Airport SLC by Sedan or SUV:
$68
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Private Arrival Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport SLC:
$36
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Private Departure Transfer to Salt Lake City Airport SLC:
$36
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Private Transfer: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Park City:
$199
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Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City - Arrival Private Transfer:
$77
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Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$154
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Salt Lake City International Airport One Way Transfer:
$48
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Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) - Departure Private Transfer:
$77
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Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport to Salt Lake City:
$62
Is it cheaper to fly into Colorado Springs or Salt Lake City?
Prices for flights to both Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs 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
Entertainment and activities in Colorado Springs typically cost an average of $27 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Salt Lake City can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $22 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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 Salt Lake City
For Salt Lake City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Sale Lake City Haunted Old Town Tour:
$20
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Salty Queen Adventures: Spanish Fork Festival of Lights in Utah:
$25
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Guided Tour of Great Salt Lake from Salt Lake City:
$39
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Salt Lake City Guided Bus Tour:
$49
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Salt Lake City Big City Loop Bike Tour:
$120
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Best of Salt Lake City Sightseeing Tour:
$125
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Salt Lake City Bike and Brew Tour:
$138
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Salt Lake City Sunset Bike and Brothel Tour:
$139
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Best of Salt Lake City Including Great Salt Lake Sightseeing Tour:
$192
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Cottonwood Canyons Backcountry Ski Tour:
$200
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Private Sightseeing Tour of Salt Lake City:
$260
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Wasatch Backcountry Skiing with Lift Ticket:
$275
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Colorado Springs may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $19 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Salt Lake City spend on average $14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Salt Lake City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Salt Lake City:
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Salt Lake City Bar Hunt: Salt Lake City Bar Crawl:
$12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City, we can see that Salt Lake City is more expensive. And not only is Colorado Springs much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Colorado Springs would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Colorado Springs 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 Salt Lake City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Salt Lake City than you might in Colorado Springs.
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