Should you visit Durham or Pocono Mountains?
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 Durham and Pocono Mountains can help you decide which place is right for you.
Durham
Durham is a city in central North Carolina with about 230,000 residents. Together with Raleigh and Chapel Hill, it forms the Research Triangle area. Durham is often referred to as the "City of Medicine" and is home to the famous Duke University.
Durham's history is rooted in tobacco. The Duke family established American Tobacco, which controlled 90% of all cigarette production in the US during the second half of the 19th century. The family donated money to Trinity College, which changed its name to Duke University in 1924.
Today much of Durham's economy is centered around the university and Research Triangle Park. The area has many technology and pharmaceutical jobs and the economy continues to grow.
Pocono Mountains
The Poconos are a region of mountains, small towns, and natural areas in Eastern Pennsylvania. Located just a few hours from both New York City and Philadelphia, this region of 4 counties (Wayne, Pike, Monroe, & Carbon) consists of plenty of mountain scenery, gorgeous lakes, historic small towns, ski resorts, state parks, water parks, and more.
Which city is cheaper, Pocono Mountains or Durham?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Durham is $130, while the average daily cost in Pocono Mountains is $139. 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 Durham and Pocono Mountains in more detail.
Accommodation
Durham's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $146. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $73.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Pocono Mountains is $142. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $26 per day to get around in Durham.
The average price of local transportation around Pocono Mountains is $39 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durham
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Durham:
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Durham to Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) - Departure Private Transfer:
$139
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Private Transfer from Durham to Manchester Airport (MAN):
$407
Is it cheaper to fly into Durham or Pocono Mountains?
Prices for flights to both Pocono Mountains and Durham 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
On average, meal and food prices in Durham cost around $35 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 $14.
Pocono Mountains food costs typically run travelers around $42 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Durham $35
Pocono Mountains $42
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $21 per person, per day in Durham. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Pocono Mountains's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $24 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.
Tours and Activities in Durham
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Durham are as follows:
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Trolley Pub Public Tour of Durham:
$41
Alcohol
The average person spends about $27 on alcoholic beverages in Durham per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about $11 on alcoholic beverages in Pocono Mountains per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When comparing the travel costs between Durham and Pocono Mountains, we can see that Pocono Mountains 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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