Which city is cheaper, San Antonio or Durham?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Durham vs. San Antonio for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Durham or San Antonio?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 San Antonio can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Durham or San Antonio?
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.
San Antonio
The third largest city in Texas, San Antonio, has grown in recent years as a popular travel destination. It's a beautiful city that is strategically situated at the edge of Texas's Hill Country near the South Texas Plains and Prairie Lakes areas. The city holds on to its small town feel despite having a population of about 1.4 million and 2.3 million in the greater metropolitan area. The city holds tight to its Spanish and Mexican heritage, making it a fascinating cultural destination. The Hispanic population has much influence in the city and this makes it a fun and unique city to visit, particularly during Fiesta week, which is an annual celebration with parades, music and food.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDurham $130San Antonio $106
The average daily cost (per person) in Durham is $130, while the average daily cost in San Antonio is $106. 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 Durham and San Antonio in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDurham $73San Antonio $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDurham $146San Antonio $110
Compare Hotels in Durham and San Antonio
Looking for a hotel in Durham or San Antonio? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Durham Hotel Prices and San Antonio Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Durham $26San Antonio $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durham
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Durham:
- Durham to Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) - Departure Private Transfer: $139
- Private Transfer from Durham to Manchester Airport (MAN): $407
Typical Local Transportation prices in San Antonio
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Antonio are as follows:
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Rental Car for a Day$60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Antonio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Antonio:
- Private Arrival Transfer from San Antonio Airport SAT: $35
- Private Departure Transfer to San Antonio Airport SAT: $35
- San Antonio International Airport One Way Transfer: $53
- Private Transfer from San Antonio to San Antonio Airport: $78
- Private Transfer from San Antonio Airport to San Antonio City: $78
- San Antonio Airport (SAT) to San Antonio - Arrival Private Transfer: $93
- San Antonio to San Antonio Airport (SAT) - Departure Private Transfer: $93
- Private transfer San Antonio Pier to Airport: $125
- Transfer from San Antonio port in small groups + Cultural city tour in Santiago: $128
- Private San Antonio Transfer: Hotel to Airport: $138
- Private San Antonio Transfer: Airport to Hotel: $147
- San Antonio Airport (SAT) to San Antonio - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $187
Is it cheaper to fly into Durham or San Antonio?
Prices for flights to both San Antonio 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
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Food Meals for one dayDurham $35San Antonio $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Antonio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Antonio.
- San Antonio Walking Food Tour: Downtown Delicacies: $66
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Durham $21San Antonio $28
Tours and Activities in Durham
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Durham are as follows:
- Trolley Pub Public Tour of Durham: $41
Typical Entertainment prices in San Antonio
Here are a few typical costs in San Antonio for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Spa Treatments$200
Tours and Activities in San Antonio
Here are a few actual costs in San Antonio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- San Antonio Ranger Creek Brewstillery Tour: $13
- Skip the Line: San Antonio Zoo General Admission Ticket: $17
- LEGOLAND Discovery Center San Antonio Admission Ticket: $18
- San Antonio Ghost Walking Tour: $18
- Walking Ghost Tour of Downtown San Antonio: $19
- Ripley's San Antonio Haunted Adventure Haunted House: $20
- River City Ghost Walking Tour of San Antonio: $20
- San Antonio Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
- San Antonio Haunted History Ghost Tour: $21
- The Madames and Mayhem Walking Ghost Tour: $23
- Mutiny: Pirate Adventure Escape Room at Extreme Escape San Antonio: $32
- Trapped Below: Underground Escape Room Adventure at Extreme Escape San Antonio: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDurham $27San Antonio -
Sample the Local Flavors in San Antonio
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Antonio:
- Epic San Antonio Bar Crawl: By Let’s Roam: $12
- Haunted San Antonio Ghost and Pub Walking Tour: $27
- Texas Hill Country and LBJ Ranch Tour with Wine Tasting Options: $109
- Taste of Fredericksburg Wine Tour from San Antonio: $149
- San Antonio port, wine tasting an off the beaten path destination: $151
- Fredericksburg Wine Tour with Five Winery Stops: $325
- Fredericksburg Wine Tour with Five Winery Stops and Transport to Local Eatery: $375
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Durham and San Antonio, we can see that Durham is more expensive. And not only is San Antonio much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Antonio would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Antonio 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 Durham would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Durham than you might in San Antonio.
When is the best time to visit Durham or San Antonio?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Durham or San Antonio in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Durham and San Antonio. Furthermore, most visitors come to San Antonio for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Durham is cooler than San Antonio. Typically, the summer temperatures in Durham in July are around 79°F (26°C), and San Antonio is about 87°F (31°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Antonio this time of the year. In Durham, it's very sunny this time of the year. Durham usually receives less sunshine than San Antonio during summer. Durham gets 259 hours of sunny skies, while San Antonio receives 307 hours of full sun in the summer.
Durham gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Durham usually receives more rain than San Antonio. Durham gets 5.1 inches (129 mm) of rain, while San Antonio receives 2.2 inches (57 mm) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyDurham 79°F (26°C)San Antonio 87°F (31°C)
Should I visit Durham or San Antonio in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Durham as well as San Antonio. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to San Antonio because of the shopping scene and the music scene.
In October, Durham is generally cooler than San Antonio. Temperatures in Durham average around 61°F (16°C), and San Antonio stays around 73°F (23°C).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Antonio. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Durham this time of the year. In the autumn, Durham often gets around the same amount of sunshine as San Antonio. Durham gets 211 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Antonio receives 213 hours of full sun.
Durham usually gets less rain in October than San Antonio. Durham gets 2.8 inches (71 mm) of rain, while San Antonio receives 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberDurham 61°F (16°C)San Antonio 73°F (23°C)
Should I visit Durham or San Antonio in the Winter?
Both San Antonio and Durham are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to San Antonio this time of year.
The weather in Durham can be very cold. Durham is much colder than San Antonio in the winter. The temperature in Durham is usually 40°F (5°C) in January, and San Antonio stays around 54°F (12°C).
Durham usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as San Antonio during winter. Durham gets 162 hours of sunny skies, while San Antonio receives 155 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Durham usually receives more rain than San Antonio. Durham gets 3.2 inches (82 mm) of rain, while San Antonio receives 1.8 inches (45 mm) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryDurham 40°F (5°C)San Antonio 54°F (12°C)
Should I visit Durham or San Antonio in the Spring?
Both San Antonio and Durham during the spring are popular places to visit.
In the spring, Durham is cooler than San Antonio. Typically, the spring temperatures in Durham in April are around 60°F (16°C), and San Antonio is about 74°F (23°C).
In San Antonio, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Durham. In the spring, Durham often gets more sunshine than San Antonio. Durham gets 251 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Antonio receives 216 hours of full sun.
Durham usually gets more rain in April than San Antonio. Durham gets 3.1 inches (78 mm) of rain, while San Antonio receives 2.4 inches (60 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilDurham 60°F (16°C)San Antonio 74°F (23°C)
Typical Weather for San Antonio and Durham
| Durham | San Antonio | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 40°F (5°C) | 3.2 inches (82 mm) | 54°F (12°C) | 1.8 inches (45 mm) |
| Feb | 43°F (6°C) | 3.3 inches (84 mm) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.8 inches (45 mm) |
| Mar | 52°F (11°C) | 3.4 inches (87 mm) | 65°F (18°C) | 1.7 inches (42 mm) |
| Apr | 60°F (16°C) | 3.1 inches (78 mm) | 74°F (23°C) | 2.4 inches (60 mm) |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 3.3 inches (84 mm) | 79°F (26°C) | 4.4 inches (111 mm) |
| Jun | 76°F (24°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) | 84°F (29°C) | 3.7 inches (94 mm) |
| Jul | 79°F (26°C) | 5.1 inches (129 mm) | 87°F (31°C) | 2.2 inches (57 mm) |
| Aug | 78°F (26°C) | 4.9 inches (125 mm) | 87°F (31°C) | 2.6 inches (66 mm) |
| Sep | 73°F (23°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) | 82°F (28°C) | 3.6 inches (91 mm) |
| Oct | 61°F (16°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) | 73°F (23°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) |
| Nov | 53°F (11°C) | 2.8 inches (72 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 2.6 inches (66 mm) |
| Dec | 44°F (7°C) | 3.1 inches (78 mm) | 56°F (13°C) | 1.6 inches (40 mm) |
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