Should you visit Columbus or El Paso?
Should I visit Columbus or El Paso? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Columbus
The capital city of Ohio, Columbus sits at the meeting point of America's Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Plains. It is also home of Ohio State University, which is a major financial and economic force in the city. You'll likely need a car to navigate the city, although there is a bus system, COTA, which can take you to some of Columbus' highlights.
El Paso
El Paso is a city in west Texas, along the waters of the Rio Grande. Outside the city, Franklin Mountains State Park is home to cacti and desert wildlife like coyotes and golden eagles. The park's Wyler Aerial Tramway ascends to Ranger Peak for views of the city and over to Mexico. El Paso is coming up in the world and starting to make a name for itself. A sleek new hotel has opened downtown, luring locals back to the city’s core for socializing and dining. The new Montecillo entertainment and residential district to the west is booming. The city even has a new baseball team, the El Paso Chihuahuas. And the city’s first microbrewery opened in 2015. Outdoorsy types also have it made here: there’s cycling and hiking in the largest urban park in the US, and the nearby Hueco Tanks State Park is ideal for wintertime rock climbing. Best of all is the hospitality of the locals, which makes this city of nearly 700,000 feel a whole lot smaller.
Which city is cheaper, El Paso or Columbus?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Columbus is $126, while the average daily cost in El Paso is $129. 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 Columbus and El Paso in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $116 in Columbus For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $130 in El Paso For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about $39 per day in Columbus 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.
In El Paso travelers spend around $43 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Columbus $39
El Paso $43
Typical Food prices in El Paso
For El Paso, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Rudy's BBQ (family of 4)
$40
Local Transportation
To get around in Columbus, the average visitor spends $40 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.
To get around in El Paso, the average visitor spends $30 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 Columbus
Also for Columbus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Columbus to Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) - Departure Private Transfer:
$87
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Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) to Columbus - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$174
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Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) to Columbus - Arrival Private Transfer:
$87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Paso
Also for El Paso, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private transfer: El Paso Airport (ELP) to El Paso:
$622
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Private transfer: El Paso Airport (ELP) to El Paso:
$622
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El Paso to El Paso International Airport (ELP) - Departure Private Transfer:
$62
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El Paso International Airport (ELP) to El Paso - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$124
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El Paso International Airport (ELP) to El Paso - Arrival Private Transfer:
$62
Is it cheaper to fly into Columbus or El Paso?
Prices for flights to both El Paso and Columbus 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
In Columbus, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $37 per person, per day.
In El Paso, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $22 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Columbus
For Columbus, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Columbus Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus Ticket:
$21
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Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Columbus:
$11
Tours and Activities in El Paso
For El Paso, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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El Paso Indoor Skydiving Experience with 2 Flights & Personalized Certificate:
$65
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UTV Adventure Tour / Rental:
$349
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Columbus spend on average $16 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting El Paso spend on average $22 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When comparing the travel costs between Columbus and El Paso, we can see that El Paso 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.
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