Which place is cheaper, South Carolina or Florida?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Florida or South Carolina?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Florida and South Carolina. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Florida or South Carolina?
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.
South Carolina
The U.S. state of South Carolina is a part of the American South-rich in all the culture, cuisine, and countryside that make up the region. From the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains to a stunning coastline with many charming towns in between, the landscape of South Carolina is full of things to do and see. There are many great opportunities to dive into the past while indulging in the culture that thrives today.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles.
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Florida Prices
USA PricesSouth Carolina Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFlorida $293South Carolina $242
The average daily cost (per person) in Florida is $293, while the average daily cost in South Carolina is $242. 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 Florida and South Carolina in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFlorida $135South Carolina $96
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFlorida $270South Carolina $192
Compare Hotels in Florida and South Carolina
Looking for a hotel in Florida or South Carolina? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Florida $46South Carolina $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florida
Also for Florida, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer From Miami Airport (MIA): $23
- Private Airport Departure Transfer To Sarasota (SRQ) Airport: $24
- Sarasota to Sarasota–Bradenton Intl. Airport (SRQ) - Departure Private Transfer: $27
- Sarasota–Bradenton Intl. Airport (SRQ) to Sarasota - Arrival Private Transfer: $27
- One Way Transfer From/To Fort Lauderdale & Cruise Port Everglades: $28
- JaxPort Cruise Terminal Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 passengers: $28
- Private Arrival Transfer from Fort Myers Southwest Florida Airport RSW: $28
- Miami: MIA Airport Private Transfer ⇄ Downtown/Beach/Hollywood: $29
- Private Transfer from Fort Lauderdale Int'l Airport to Hotel/Port: $29
- Private Transfer from Orlando Airport (MCO): $30
- Southwest Florida Airport (RSW) to Sanibel - Arrival Private Transfer: $31
- Private Transfer from Southwest Airport (RSW) to Sanibel: $31
Hired Cars and Shuttles in South Carolina
Some specific examples of transportation prices in South Carolina:
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Kiawah/Seabrook Islands – Arrival Private Transfer: $207
- Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP) to Greenville - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $172
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Folly Beach - Arrival Private Transfer: $146
- Folly Beach to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $146
- Charleston AirportCHS to Isle of Palms/Sullivans Private Transfer: $146
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Charleston city – Arrival Private Transfer: $107
- Greenville to Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP) - Departure Private Transfer: $86
- Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP) to Greenville - Arrival Private Transfer: $86
- Private Transfer from Charleston Port to Charleston Airport (CHS): $62
Is it cheaper to fly into Florida or South Carolina?
Prices for flights to both South Carolina and Florida 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 dayFlorida $100South Carolina $88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Florida
For Florida, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- The Outta Control Magic Dinner Show in Orlando: $39
- Buffet Dinner Cruise on St Johns River: $47
- Daytona Beach Dinner Cruise on the Lady Dolphin: $50
- Daytona Beach: Luau with Polynesian Dinner and Live Show: $53
- Polynesian Fire and Dinner Show Ticket in Daytona Beach: $53
- Island Cooking With Afrochef Lela: $55
- Palafox Palete Food Tour: $60
- Miami Street Art & Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Churros & More: $65
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Show in Orlando: $67
- Street Food Tour in Miami with Local Guide: $69
- Orlando Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show Experience: $75
- A Taste of South Beach Food Tour: $75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in South Carolina
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in South Carolina.
- The Greenville Sampler, a 2 Hour Food Tour: $50
- Riga Tony's Murder Mystery Dinner Show: $60
- Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show Ticket in Myrtle Beach: $67
- Charleston Sunset Blues & BBQ Dinner Cruise: $72
- Charleston French Quarter or Brunch Food Tour with 7+ Tastings: $90
- Hands-on Cooking Class in Charleston: $99
- Hilton Head Sunset Dinner Cruise: $109
- Downtown Charleston Food Tour: $110
- Charleston Harbor Luxury Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $117
- Sunset Hibachi Dinner Cruise: $128
- Undiscovered Charleston: Half Day Food, Wine & History Tour with Cooking Class: $250
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Florida $62South Carolina $25
Tours and Activities in Florida
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Florida.
- Self Guided Walking Tour at Miami: $1.16
- Discover Florida Keys: A Self-Guided Tour: $4.71
- Discover Orlando: A Self-Guided Tour: $4.74
- Miami Beach: Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- Little Havana Smartphone guided Audio App Solo Walking Tour: $6.75
- Pensacola's Famous Ghosts Smartphone Guided App Walking Tour: $7.75
- Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour around Lake Eola in Orlando: $7.99
- 20 Minutes Chocolate & Candy Factory Tour in Jacksonville: $8.00
- Hemingway's Key West Self Guided outdoor Walking Audio Tour: $8.00
- Orlando’s Historical Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
- Key West Smartphone guided Ghost Walking Tour App/GPS/EMF Reader: $9.75
- Self-Guided Haunted Ghost Walking Audio Tour in St. Augustine: $9.75
Tours and Activities in South Carolina
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for South Carolina are as follows:
- 1 Hour Private Dolphin and Nature Tour: $300
- 1670 Tours: Private Walking Tours of Charleston, SC: $125
- 2 Hour Dolphin Watching Adventure in Calabash: $35
- 2 Hour Holiday Lights and Cheer Driving Tour: $80
- 2 Hour Kayak Hilton Head Dolphin and Nature Tour: $49
- 2 of Charleston's finest plantations in one tour: $175
- 2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour in Charleston: $54
- 2-Hour Guided Segway Tour of Huntington Beach State Park in Myrtle Beach: $69
- 2-Hour Hilton Head Guided Kayak Nature Tour: $47
- 2-Hour Tiki Boat Tour in Folly Beach: $75
- 20 Kids Bike Ride Experience with Free Delivery: $50
- 24" Young Adult Bike Ride Experience with Free Delivery: $55
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFlorida $31South Carolina $29
Sample the Local Flavors in Florida
Also in Florida, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- An Epic Bar Crawl in Saint Petersburg: $15
- An Epic Bar Crawl in Winter Park: $15
- Astounding Bar Crawl in Tallahassee: $15
- A Spectacular Bar Crawl in Key West: $15
- Astounding Bar Crawl: Orlando's Magical Nightlife: $15
- Amazing Bar Crawl in Fort Lauderdale: $15
- A Remarkable Bar Crawl in Naples: $15
- Walking Ghost Tour Pub Crawl - Boos with Booze: $20
- Walking Pub Tour: $21
- The Tour and Wine Tasting Experience at Aspirations Winery: $25
- St Petersburg Distillery Tour and Tasting Experience: $25
- St. Augustine Creepy Crawl Haunted Pub Tour: $25
Sample the Local Flavors in South Carolina
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in South Carolina:
- Tour and Tasting at Striped Pig Distillery: $25
- Speakeasy Sagas - Charleston Prohibition Pub Crawl: $35
- Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl Shared Tour in Charleston: $35
- Haunted Pub Crawl for the Broken-Hearted: $35
- Charleston Historic Pub Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Florida and South Carolina, we can see that Florida is more expensive. And not only is South Carolina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to South Carolina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in South Carolina 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 Florida would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Florida than you might in South Carolina.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Florida Expensive? and Is South Carolina Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Florida or South Carolina?
Florida has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of South Carolina. When comparing the sizes of Florida and South Carolina, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.