Should you visit Dallas or Tucson?
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 Dallas and Tucson can help you decide which place is right for you.
Dallas
Located in the north central part of the state, Dallas is a prominent city in Texas and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in the United States of America. The business reputation of Dallas rose from its historical status as the center for cotton and oil industries. It was also positioned among numerous railroads.
Tucson
Tucson, Arizona is the second largest city in the state and sits at an elevation of 2,400 feet. It's temperature is slightly milder than Phoenix and it is a pleasant place to visit. Most people arrive in the city by car, but Amtrak does travel through Tucson, as does Greyhound. The area is also served by the Tucson International Airport. Once in the city, you'll likely want to have access to a car, as the city is not very pedestrian friendly and public transportation is very much lacking. Many popular and beautiful sights are also outside of town in the surrounding desert, so having access to a vehicle is paramount if you hope to visit any of the places.
Which city is cheaper, Tucson or Dallas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dallas is $103, while the average daily cost in Tucson is $122. 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 Dallas and Tucson in more detail.
Accommodation
Dallas's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $116. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $58.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $142 in Tucson For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The price of a meal in Dallas can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $28 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $11 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
While meal prices in Tucson can vary, the average travelers spends about $29 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Tucson should cost around $12 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Tucson is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Dallas $28
Tucson $29
Typical Food prices in Dallas
Some typical examples of dining costs in Dallas are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dallas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dallas.
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Live from Eggs Benedict Brunch Cooking Class with Bri from MasteChef:
$33
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Live from Eggs Benedict Cooking Class with Bri from MasterChef:
$33
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Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Admission Ticket in Dallas:
$73
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Secret Food Tour of Dallas w/ Private Tour Option:
$221
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Dallas Secret Food Tour:
$224
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Dallas is $23 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.
To get around in Tucson, the average visitor spends $22 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 Dallas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dallas:
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Transfer in private minivan from Dallas Love Field Airport to City Center:
$93
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Transfer in private minivan from Dallas City Center to Love Field Airport:
$93
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Transfer in private minivan from Dallas City Center to Fort Worth Airport:
$93
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Transfer in executive private car from Dallas Love Field Airport to City Center:
$73
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Transfer in executive private car from Dallas City Center to Love Field Airport:
$73
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Transfer in executive private car from Dallas City Center to Fort Worth Airport:
$70
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Transfer from Dallas Love Field to Dallas:
$100
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RoundTrip transfer in executive private car from-to Love Field Airpt-Dallas City:
$147
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Round trip transfer in private minivan from-to Love Field Airport in Dallas City:
$187
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Private transfer: Dallas to Dallas Airport (DAL):
$622
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Private Transfer Downtown Dallas to Fort Worth Airport DFW Luxury Vehicle:
$63
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Private Transfer Dallas Airport DAL to Las Colinas, Irving by Luxury Vehicle:
$54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tucson
Also for Tucson, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Tucson International Airport One Way Transfer:
$53
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Tucson Intl Airport (TUS) to Tucson Downtown area - Arrival Private Transfer:
$65
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Tucson Downtown area to Tucson Intl Airport (TUS) - Departure Private Transfer:
$65
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Private Tucson Transfer: Hotel to Airport:
$96
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Private Tucson Transfer: Airport to Hotel:
$96
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Tucson Intl Airport (TUS) to Tucson Downtown area - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$129
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Private transfer: Tucson Airport (TUS) to Tucson:
$622
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Private transfer: Tucson to Tucson Airport (TUS):
$622
Is it cheaper to fly into Dallas or Tucson?
Prices for flights to both Tucson and Dallas 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
Dallas's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $10 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.
In Tucson, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $13 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Dallas
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Dallas are as follows:
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2-Hour Dallas and JFK Limousine Tour:
$70
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2-Hour Historic Dallas Segway Tour:
$59
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3-Hour Small-Group Dallas Cowboys Stadium Tour:
$90
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Best of Dallas Sightseeing Bus Tour: Reunion Tower GeO-Deck or CityPass:
$60
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Create Your Own Dallas Ft. Worth Combination Tour:
$129
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Dallas City Highlights Tour:
$29
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Dallas City Tour:
$51
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Dallas Cruizer Tour:
$25
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Dallas Food and Culture Tour:
$36
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Dallas Highlights Tour:
$69
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Dallas JFK and West Village Restaurant Walking Tour:
$78
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Dallas Shopping Tour:
$106
Tours and Activities in Tucson
For Tucson, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Tucson Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Oasis Tour of Tucson:
$50
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Historic Bike Tour in Tucson:
$60
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Mural Bike Tour:
$60
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Taco Bike Tour:
$85
Alcohol
The average person spends about $9.82 on alcoholic beverages in Dallas per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Tucson spend on average $13 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Dallas
Also in Dallas, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Dallas Bar Hunt: Dallas Dynasty Bar Crawl:
$12
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Haunted Dallas Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
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Party Bike Pub Crawl in Deep Ellum and Downtown Dallas:
$55
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dallas and Tucson, we can see that Tucson is more expensive. And not only is Dallas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dallas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dallas 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 Tucson would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tucson than you might in Dallas.
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