Should you visit Florida or Hawaii?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Florida and Hawaii. 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. So, let's dig into it.
Florida
The state of Florida, known for sunshine, warm weather, beaches, and Disney World, has much to offer. Orlando and its world-famous parks such as Disney, Epcot, Universal Studios, MGM, Sea World, and more draw massive amounts of visitors every year, and for a good reason. Florida is more than just Disney, however, the state has many other attractions and cities worth visiting.
Hawaii
Located towards the center of the Pacific Ocean and the northeast corner of Polynesia, Hawai'i is the 50th state of the United States of America. It is a major tourist destination for travelers from around the world and as such, its economy is very dependent on the tourist dollar. Historically, the state had strong whaling, sugar and pineapple industries, but today tourism and the military make up a significant part of the economy. The state includes many islands that spread over 1,500 miles, but there are eight main islands which have a diversity of natural beauty and interesting landscapes. The islands offer visitors many impressive features from the beautiful beaches to the lush interior. There is a lot of hiking, snorkeling and scuba diving available throughout the islands. The capital of the state is Honolulu, which is also the largest city. Both Hawaiian and English are spoken throughout.
Which city is cheaper, Hawaii or Florida?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Florida is $187, while the average daily cost in Hawaii is $269. 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 Florida and Hawaii in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Florida, $192 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Florida, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $96, such as in a hostel.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $330 in Hawaii For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The price of a meal in Florida can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $46 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $18 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Hawaii food costs typically run travelers around $61 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
Florida $46
Hawaii $61
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Florida than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $37 on transportation in Florida on average per day.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Hawaii than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $29 on transportation in Hawaii on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florida
Also for Florida, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfer from Key West to Miami Beach:
$780
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Private Sanibel Island Transfer: Hotel to Airport RSW:
$169
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Private Departure Transfer to Key West Airport EYW:
$120
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Private Departure Transfer from Everglades National Park to Port Everglades:
$78
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Private Arrival Transfer from Key West Airport EYW:
$120
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Key Lime Transportation Luxury SUV Private Transfer:
$125
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hawaii
Also for Hawaii, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Round-Trip Transfer: Maui Kahului Airport to Maui Hotels:
$456
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Private SUV Transfer on Maui To Wailea:
$289
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Florida, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $48 per day, per person.
Sightseeing expenses in Hawaii, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $31 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Florida
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Florida.
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Everglades Mangrove and Marsh Prairie Kayak Eco Tour:
$109
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Fantastic Miami 60-Minute Airplane Flight Tour:
$169
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Fort Lauderdale: 1-Hour Family Pirate Adventure Cruise:
$22
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Fort Lauderdale: 5-Mile or 10-Mile Segway Adventure:
$63
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Fort Lauderdale: Private Everglades Tour with 1 Hour Airboat:
$130
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Half Day Florida Keys Tour from Key West:
$95
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Harry S. Truman Little White House Admission Ticket:
$23
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Key West Aquarium Admission Ticket:
$17
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Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum Admission Ticket:
$16
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Key West Shore Excursion: Conch Tour Train:
$37
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Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Admission Ticket:
$16
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Miami: Everglades Airboat and Wildlife Experience AM or PM options:
$44
Tours and Activities in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Deluxe Big Island Mercedes Guided Tour to Anywhere:
$1,240
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Kalaupapa Discovery Air and Ground Tour- Maui Departure:
$425
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Maui Private Tour: Adventure With A Local:
$332
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Maui Tour : Road to Hana Tour from Lahaina:
$179
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Private Shore Excursion Tour - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:
$685
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Private Tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:
$485
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Segway Mamalahoa Tour - 120 Minutes - Rating: MODERATE:
$190
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Shore Excursion - Hawaii Volcano Tour:
$106
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Florida, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $25.
Typically, people visiting Hawaii spend on average $16 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Florida and Hawaii, we can see that Hawaii is more expensive. And not only is Florida much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Florida would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Florida 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 Hawaii would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hawaii than you might in Florida.
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