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

Should you visit El Paso or Rapid City?

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 El Paso and Rapid City can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: El Paso or Rapid City?

El Paso

El Paso is a city in west Texas, along the waters of the Rio Grande. Outside the city, Franklin Mountains State Park is home to cacti and desert wildlife like coyotes and golden eagles. The park's Wyler Aerial Tramway ascends to Ranger Peak for views of the city and over to Mexico. El Paso is coming up in the world and starting to make a name for itself. A sleek new hotel has opened downtown, luring locals back to the city’s core for socializing and dining. The new Montecillo entertainment and residential district to the west is booming. The city even has a new baseball team, the El Paso Chihuahuas. And the city’s first microbrewery opened in 2015. Outdoorsy types also have it made here: there’s cycling and hiking in the largest urban park in the US, and the nearby Hueco Tanks State Park is ideal for wintertime rock climbing. Best of all is the hospitality of the locals, which makes this city of nearly 700,000 feel a whole lot smaller.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America, and The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Rapid City or El Paso?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in El Paso is $161, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $116. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for El Paso and Rapid City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    El Paso $81
    Rapid City $60
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    El Paso $162
    Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in El Paso and Rapid City

Looking for a hotel in El Paso or Rapid City? 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.

Hotels in El Paso


Hotels in Rapid City


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: El Paso Hotel Prices and Rapid City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    El Paso $37
    Rapid City $53

Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Paso

Also for El Paso, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • El Paso to El Paso International Airport (ELP) - Departure Private Transfer: $41
  • El Paso International Airport (ELP) to El Paso - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $82
  • El Paso International Airport (ELP) to El Paso - Arrival Private Transfer : $41
  • El Paso Airport to Truth or Consequences Round Trip Transfer: $242
  • El Paso Airport (ELP) to Truth or Consequences Arrival Transfer: $121

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rapid City

Also for Rapid City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private One Way Airport Transfer and Orientation: $89

Is it cheaper to fly into El Paso or Rapid City?

Prices for flights to both Rapid City and El Paso 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
    El Paso $54
    Rapid City $23
Typical Food Prices in El Paso

For El Paso, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Rudy's BBQ (family of 4)
    $40

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rapid City

For Rapid City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Roller Coaster Tickets with Dinner and Show in Rapid City: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    El Paso $27
    Rapid City $26

Tours and Activities in El Paso

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

  • Colorado Springs: Pikes Peak Jeep Tour: $105
  • Downtown Historic Walking Tour: $120
  • Sun City Ghost Walking Tour: $26
  • Jeep Tour - Pikes Peak or Bust: $175
  • Sun City Ghosts Haunted Cowboys and Outlaws Tour: $30
  • UTV Adventure Tour / Rental: $249

Tours and Activities in Rapid City

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

  • Badlands National Park Private Tour: $650
  • Badlands Sunset and Wildlife Adventure : $239
  • Badlands Winter Wonderland Adventure: $239
  • Black Hills & Badlands: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tours: $20
  • Buffalo Jeep Safari & Mammoth Site Tour: $700
  • Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
  • From Private Devils Tower Tour and Hike: $650
  • From Private Spearfish Canyon Tour: $650
  • Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in South Dakota: $275
  • Mount Rushmore Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
  • Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show: $164
  • NEW! Half Day Tour of the Black Hills: $289

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    El Paso $27
    Rapid City $6.93


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Paso and Rapid City, we can see that El Paso 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 El Paso would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in El Paso than you might in Rapid City.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is El Paso Expensive? and Is Rapid City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, El Paso or Rapid City?

El Paso has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Rapid City. When comparing the sizes of El Paso and Rapid City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.