A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Durango vs. Rapid City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Durango or Rapid City?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Durango and Rapid City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Durango

Located in the State of Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains, Durango is on the tourist maps because of its historic narrow gauge railroad that connects the city to the town of Silverton. Durango has a population of just over 16,000 and it is only a short distance from the "four corners" area where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado all meet. The landscape surrounding Durango is quite impressive and includes the Animas River Valley, the San Juan Mountains, and some beautiful red sandstone bluffs.

Rapid City

Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.

Which city is cheaper, Rapid City or Durango?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Durango is $123, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $93. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Durango and Rapid City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Durango $63
    Rapid City $48
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Durango $126
    Rapid City $96

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Durango $22
    Rapid City $42

Is it cheaper to fly into Durango or Rapid City?

Prices for flights to both Rapid City and Durango 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Durango $40
    Rapid City $19

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Durango $37
    Rapid City $21
Typical Entertainment prices in Durango

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Durango's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Hot Springs (for 2)
    $50
  • Tubing (for 2)
    $40

Tours and Activities in Durango

For Durango, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 12-Zipline Adventure in the San Juan Mountains near Durango: $141
  • Fun Tour by Tuk Tuk around Durango Old Town, Garai and Goiuria: $93
  • Private Full-Day Fishing Experience in San Juan River: $400
  • Private Guided Tour by Tuk Tuk of Durango and Elorrio: $93
  • Private Guided Tour by tuk tuk of Durango and Atxondo: $93
  • Private Tour in Durango and Mendiola by Tuk Tuk: $93
  • Province of Vizcaya Half-Day Private Guided Tuk Tuk Tour: $218

Tours and Activities in Rapid City

For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Bike Adventure on the Mickelson Trail - Private: $267
  • Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $123
  • Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Bus Tour with Live Commentary: $84
  • Private Badlands National Park Day Tour: $315
  • Private Jeep Safari and Hiking Tour/ Two Person Minimum: $307
  • Private Mickelson Trail Bicycling Tour/ Two Person Minimum: $299
  • Private Mt Rushmore & Southern Black Hills Tour: $329
  • Southern Black Hills Bicycle Tour - Private: $267

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Durango $24
    Rapid City $5.54

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Durango and Rapid City, we can see that Durango is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Rapid City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rapid City 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 Durango would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Durango than you might in Rapid City.

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Durango vs. Rapid City Travel Comparison

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