Should you visit Destin or West Palm Beach?
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 Destin and West Palm Beach can help you decide which place is right for you.
Destin
An upscale resort town located on the Florida Panhandle, Destin is best known for its white sand beaches and clear green waters, golfing opportunities, and world renowned fishing. The stretch of beach here (on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Choctawhatchee Bay) is nicknamed Florida's Emerald Coast.
West Palm Beach
One of Florida's most dynamic cities, West Palm Beach encapsulates the best of a metropolitan city all while nestled in the warm serenity of a tropical paradise. Located in southern Florida, about an hour's drive north of Miami, West Palm Beach holds a population of 99,919 and is one of the three main cities in South Florida. This city is known for its unique culture, world-class dining, and extensive shopping districts. From young to old, everyone can find their own niche in such a pleasant, diverse city. No matter what time of the year it may be, you can be assured that it is gorgeously sunny in West Palm Beach!
Which city is cheaper, West Palm Beach or Destin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Destin is $153, while the average daily cost in West Palm Beach is $264. 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 Destin and West Palm Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
Destin's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $178. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $89.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $374 in West Palm Beach For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Destin costs travelers about $41 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.
While meal prices in West Palm Beach can vary, the average travelers spends about $53 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in West Palm Beach should cost around $21 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in West Palm Beach is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Destin $41
West Palm Beach $53
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in West Palm Beach
For West Palm Beach, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Downtown West Palm Beach Food Tour:
$79
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Destin is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $40 per person, per day, on local transportation in Destin.
To get around in West Palm Beach, the average visitor spends $39 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 West Palm Beach
Also for West Palm Beach, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: West Palm Beach Int. Airport (PBI) to West Palm Beach:
$59
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Palm Beach Airport (PBI) to Palm Beach City - Arrival Private Transfer:
$85
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Palm Beach Airport (PBI) to Palm Beach City - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$169
Is it cheaper to fly into Destin or West Palm Beach?
Prices for flights to both West Palm Beach and Destin 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 Destin typically cost an average of $14 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
In West Palm Beach, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $15 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in Destin
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Destin are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Destin
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Destin are as follows:
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4 Hour Fishing Trip on a Catamaran with an Experienced Captain:
$799
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Crab Island Sandbar Adventure:
$82
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Harbor Lights Tiki Cruise through Destin Harbor:
$50
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Private Banana Boat Tour:
$53
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Seas The Day 1.5 Hour Segway Tour 11 am daily:
$49
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Small Boat Sunset Cruise in Destin:
$45
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Summer Breeze 1 Hour Segway Tour 2:30 pm Daily:
$38
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Tiki Harbor Sightseeing Cruise:
$50
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Tiki Sunset Cruise:
$61
Tours and Activities in West Palm Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for West Palm Beach.
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Candy Tour:
$13
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Land and Lagoon Narrated Musical Tour of Palm Beach:
$40
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Palm Beach Island Day Tour:
$65
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Downtown WPB and Palm Beach Private Bicycle Tour:
$75
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2 Hour Segway Tour: Downtown West Palm Waterfront & Palm Beach Island:
$98
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Palm Beach Sightseeing Tour:
$120
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Snorkel Tour by boat:
$128
Alcohol
The average person spends about $39 on alcoholic beverages in Destin per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In West Palm Beach, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $31.
Sample the Local Flavors in West Palm Beach
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in West Palm Beach:
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Party Bike Pub Crawl in West Palm Beach:
$43
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Destin and West Palm Beach, we can see that West Palm Beach is more expensive. And not only is Destin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Destin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Destin 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 West Palm Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in West Palm Beach than you might in Destin.
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