Should you visit Duck or Charleston?
Should I visit Duck or Charleston? 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.
Duck
Duck is a resort town in Dare County, North Carolina. The town is quite small, with a year around population of just 369, but during the peak summer months the tourist crowds can climb to over 20,000. Duck is also the northernmost incorporated town in the county, and also the newest town in the Outer Banks, having been incorporated on May 1st, 2002.
Charleston
Charleston is a beautiful, southern city and seaport town in South Carolina. It has a wonderful, historic downtown area that the city government works hard to maintain. Located on a peninsula that is created by two rivers, the city is a stunning setting with much character. It is a popular place to visit for its culture, architecture and cuisine. In recent years Charleston has gained popularity and it continues to grow as both a regional and international travel destination. With its rising popularity comes increasing costs. Travel costs continue to go up as restaurants and hotels raise their prices, particularly during the peak travel season and holiday periods.
Which city is cheaper, Charleston or Duck?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Duck is $151, while the average daily cost in Charleston is $136. 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 Duck and Charleston in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $85. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Duck the cost is $170 on average.
A hotel room in Charleston is about $144 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
The price of a meal in Duck can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $36 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $14 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
On average, meal and food prices in Charleston cost around $46 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $18.
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Food
Meals for one day
Duck $36
Charleston $46
Typical Food prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of dining costs in Charleston are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Charleston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Charleston.
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Charleston Harbor: Luxury Dinner Cruise & Live Music:
$66
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Downtown Charleston Culinary Walking Food Tour:
$73
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Savor the Flavors of Charleston Walking Food Tour:
$75
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Charleston's Savor the Flavors of Upper King Street Walking Food Tour:
$75
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Charleston Chef's Kitchen Guided Walking Food Tour:
$75
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Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Charleston:
$129
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Undiscovered 1/2 Day Food, Wine & History Tour with Cooking Class:
$154
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3-Hour Secret Food Tour in Charleston w/ Private Tour Option:
$277
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Duck is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $53 per person, per day, on local transportation in Duck.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $26 per day to get around in Charleston.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charleston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Charleston:
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Private Departure Transfer to Charleston Airport (CHS):
$52
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Charleston city to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer:
$124
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Private transfer: Charleston to Charleston Airport (CHS):
$622
Is it cheaper to fly into Duck or Charleston?
Prices for flights to both Charleston and Duck 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 Duck typically cost an average of $11 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $17 per person, per day in Charleston. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Typical Entertainment prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Charleston are as follows:
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Patriots Point (for 2)
$60
Tours and Activities in Charleston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Charleston are as follows:
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Charleston's Haunted Ghost Tour - Smart Phone Guided Tour:
$5.00
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Charleston Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$16
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Charleston's French Quarter Guided Walking Tour:
$20
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Shem Creek Culture Tour:
$20
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Downtown Charleston Walking Tour with Certified Local Guide:
$21
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Charleston's Pleasing Terrors Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour:
$21
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Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour:
$21
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Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour:
$22
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Charleston Historical Walking Tour:
$22
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Charleston French Quarter Historic Guided Walking Tour:
$22
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Drayton Hall Plantation Admission Ticket in Charleston:
$22
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Small-Group Tour: Charleston Old Walled City Historical Walking Tour:
$23
Alcohol
The average person spends about $36 on alcoholic beverages in Duck per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about $28 on alcoholic beverages in Charleston per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Charleston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charleston:
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Charleston Bar Hunt: Charleston Chase Bar Crawl:
$12
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Ghost Walking Tour and Pub Crawl in Haunted Charleston:
$27
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Haunted Pub Crawl of the Market:
$37
When comparing the travel costs between Duck and Charleston, we can see that Duck 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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