Which place is cheaper, Virginia 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 Virginia?
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 Virginia. 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 Virginia?
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.
Virginia
One of the original thirteen British colonies, Virginia is a place of rich history and varied environments. You might explore the historic settlement of Colonial Williamsburg, dive into the current culture of its major cities, or get lost in nature along the coast or in the scenic landscape of the Appalachian Mountains. There's a little something for everyone.
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 PricesVirginia Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFlorida $293Virginia $185
The average daily cost (per person) in Florida is $293, while the average daily cost in Virginia is $185. 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 Virginia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFlorida $135Virginia $80
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFlorida $270Virginia $160
Compare Hotels in Florida and Virginia
Looking for a hotel in Florida or Virginia? 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 $46Virginia $49
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 Virginia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Virginia:
- Bamville Transportation (Private & Airport Transfers): $275
- Private transfer to or from Reston and Ronald Reagan National Airport: $230
- Airport Transfer to or from Mclean, VA and Dulles Airport: $225
- Airport Transfer to or from Mclean, VA and Reagan Airport(DCA): $215
- Private Transfer To or From Reston and Dulles International Airport: $205
- Richmond Airport (RIC) to Richmond city - Arrival Private Transfer: $174
- Richmond City to Richmond Airport (RIC) - Departure Private Transfer: $174
- Airport Transfers to or from Charlottesville Albemarle Airport: $80
- Private Arrival Transfer from Charlotteville Airport (CHO): $50
- Private Departure Transfer to Charlottesville Airport (CHO): $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Florida or Virginia?
Prices for flights to both Virginia 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 $100Virginia $60
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 Virginia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Virginia.
- Speak Easy Murder Mystery Dinner Show at Kings Creek Williamsburg: $55
- The Carytown Food Tour with Discover Richmond Tours: $90
- Church Hill Food Tour with Discover Richmond Tours: $90
- Delicious Pizza & Ice Cream Tour of Richmond: $94
- City Cruises Norfolk: Buffet Dinner Cruise: $94
- Arts District Food Tour in Richmond with Discover Richmond: $100
- Richmond's Historic Market Food Tour with 5 Authentic Tastings: $109
- The UVA Corner Food Tour: Private Walking Food Tour in Charlottesville: $228
- The Downtown Mall Food Tour: $228
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Florida $62Virginia $24
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 Virginia
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Virginia are as follows:
- 2-Hour Private Guided The best of Williamsburg Walking Tour: $278
- 3-Hour E-Bike Sightseeing and Breweries Tour in Roanoke: $109
- Blue Ridge Parkway Self-Guided Audio Tour Bundle: $24
- Blue Ridge Parkway Virginia Self-Guided Audio Tour: $13
- Buried Beneath the Boardwalk: Neptune Ghouls and Ghost Tours: $24
- Buried Beneath the Boardwalk: Neptune Ghouls and Ghost Tours: $26
- Busch Gardens Williamsburg Admission Ticket: $66
- Candle Making Experience at Sugared Mango: $55
- Chains, Coffins, & Curses: Charlottesville Ghost Tours: $26
- Christmas on the Homefront: A 1-Hour World War II Character Tour: $25
- Church Hill Chillers Ghost Tour: $24
- City Cruises Norfolk: Buffet Brunch Cruise: $83
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFlorida $31Virginia $19
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 Virginia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Virginia:
- An Electrifying Bar Crawl in Richmond: $15
- Awesome Bar Crawl in Norfolk: $15
- Williamsburg Ghosts and Brews Haunted Pub Crawls: $29
- Richmond Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- The Murder Tour and Pub Crawl: $48
- Richmond Craft Brewery Crawl By Junket: $69
- Brewery Tour of Richmond, VA: $90
- Special 6 hours premium Wine Tours for 2 or 3 people: $130
- Private Charlottesville Area Wine Tour: $270
- 5 Hour Historic Thomas Jefferson Wine Tour: $270
- Private Wine Tours Transportation from 3 People and More: $280
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Florida and Virginia, we can see that Florida is more expensive. And not only is Virginia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Virginia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Virginia 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 Virginia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Florida Expensive? and Is Virginia Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Florida or Virginia?
Florida has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Virginia. When comparing the sizes of Florida and Virginia, 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.