Should you visit Flagstaff or San Francisco?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Flagstaff and San Francisco can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Flagstaff
Located in northern Arizona near the San Francisco Peaks mountain range, Flagstaff is a small city surrounded by natural beauty. The city's proximity to a number of popular tourist sights, including Grand Canyon National Park, Oak Creek Canyon, the Arizona Snowbowl, Meteor Crater, and Historic Route 66, make it a common destination for tourists. It lies at an elevation of almost 7,000 feet with nearby areas climbing higher. In large part because of its altitude, the city has a cooler climate than the southern part of Arizona, which is famous for its low lying desert.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
Which city is cheaper, San Francisco or Flagstaff?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Flagstaff is $133, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $172. 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 Flagstaff and San Francisco in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Flagstaff is $138. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
The prices for places to stay in San Francisco can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $103, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $206.
Food
Flagstaff food costs typically run travelers around $44 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.
On average, meal and food prices in San Francisco cost around $32 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 $13.
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Food
Meals for one day
Flagstaff $44
San Francisco $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide:
$15
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Traveling Spoon Pad Thai and Papaya Salad Private Online Cooking Class:
$25
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Lonely Planet Experiences: North Beach & Chinatown Food Tour:
$66
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North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour:
$69
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Mission District Walking Food Tour:
$75
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San Francisco North Beach Food Tour:
$75
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Cooking with Ale: let's make Tiramisu - private groups:
$80
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San Francisco Food Tour: Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market:
$80
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Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour:
$82
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American Cooking Class in San Francisco with a Local near Golden Gate Park:
$82
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San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour:
$89
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Russian Hill Gourmet Food Tour:
$97
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $30 per day to get around in Flagstaff.
San Francisco's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $13 per person, per day on transportation in San Francisco.
Typical Local Transportation prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
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Taxi to SFO
$45
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Golden Gate Bridge Toll
$6.00
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Alcatraz Tour
$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Airport Transfer between San Francisco Airport & City Center:
$17
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Airport Transfer: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Francisco:
$116
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Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to Oakland in Business Car:
$135
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Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to Oakland in a Luxury Car:
$155
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Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by Luxury Car:
$145
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Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV:
$125
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Arrival Private Transfer San Francisco Airport SFO to Oakland by SUV:
$151
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Arrival Private Transfer San Francisco Cruise Port to City by Business Car:
$84
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Arrival Private Transfer San Francisco Cruise Port to Oakland by Business Car:
$100
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Arrival Private Transfer San Francisco Cruise Port to Oakland in Luxury Car:
$120
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Arrival Private Transfer San Francisco Cruise Port to San Francisco Luxury Car:
$104
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Carmel 1-Way Transfer to/from San Francisco Airport:
$410
Is it cheaper to fly into Flagstaff or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco and Flagstaff 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
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $22 per person, per day in Flagstaff. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in San Francisco can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $37 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Flagstaff
Here are a few actual costs in Flagstaff for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Day Tour from Flagstaff:
$229
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Antelope Slot Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Day Tour from Flagstaff:
$236
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Comprehensive Grand Canyon Tour from Flagstaff:
$186
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Dark Skies Astrophotography Tour:
$50
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Flagstaff Adventure Zipline Course:
$61
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Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course-Adult Course:
$61
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Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course-Kids Course:
$30
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Flagstaff Segway Tour:
$89
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Small-Group Haunted City Tour:
$30
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From Flagstaff or Sedona: Hopi Lands Cultural Tour & Lunch:
$176
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From Grand Canyon National Park Tour:
$169
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From Grand Canyon Railroad Full-Day Tour:
$219
Tours and Activities in San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
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San Francisco Private Tour: 19th Century Gold Rush Exploration Game:
$4.96
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Syn City SF: The Synesthesia Walking Audio Tour of Haight-Ashbury by VoiceMap:
$5.34
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San Francisco's Barbary Past Walking Audio Tour:
$5.34
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Food, History, and Resistance: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of San Francisco's Japantown:
$5.34
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Union Square to Lotta's Fountain Walking Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.40
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Walk the Haight Audio Tour: Tune into San Francisco’s Hippie Counterculture:
$5.99
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San Francisco Private Tour: 70s Hippie Culture Exploration Game:
$6.21
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The Remarkable History of San Francisco's Glen Park and Glen Canyon Audio Tour:
$7.55
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Ultimate San Francisco Self-Driving Audio Tour:
$8.00
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Bike Tour of Tucson:
$10
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The Flyer San Francisco Admission Ticket:
$12
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San Francisco Scavenger Hunt: SF Park Tour and Haight-Ashbury Experience:
$12
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Flagstaff may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $23 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In San Francisco, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $15.
Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
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San Francisco Bar Hunt: Soul of San Francisco Bar Crawl:
$12
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3-Hour Pub Crawl in San Francisco:
$18
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San Francisco North Beach Pub Tour:
$58
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San Francisco North Beach Pub Crawl:
$60
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From Tri-Valley Half-Day Wine Tour:
$75
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Half-Day Sonoma Wine Tour:
$100
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San Francisco City & Wine tour:
$115
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Shore Excursion: Napa and Sonoma Ultimate Wine Tasting Experience Full-Day Tour:
$135
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Napa & Sonoma Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with Optional Lunch:
$135
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Full-Day Muir Woods with Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour:
$135
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Chariot wine tour:
$145
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Viticulture with Charm: Sonoma Valley Wine Tour from San Francisco:
$149
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Flagstaff and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco is more expensive. And not only is Flagstaff much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Flagstaff would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flagstaff 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco than you might in Flagstaff.
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