Which place is cheaper, Detroit or Gainesville?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Gainesville or Detroit, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Gainesville is a vibrant, high energy, and active city. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.
Detroit is a under-rated, hardworking, and overlooked city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for museums, nightlife, and live music.
Tourists will generally find more to do in Detroit than Gainesville. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Detroit is very popular for its music and big city activities, while Gainesville attracts visitors for its museums. Detroit is more touristy than Gainesville and is popular for its Motown music, blue collar atmosphere, and influential auto industry. It is also well known for the Henry Ford Experience. Gainesville is famous for being the home of the University of Florida
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Detroit and Gainesville. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Gainesville is a very popular place for its museums and history. Also, Detroit is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.
With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Gainesville can be an interesting and educational experience. There's a surprising number of museums around town such as the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, and the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention. Also fascinating is the Historic Haile Homestead, the Butterfly Rainforest, and the city's planetarium.
If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Detroit. Popular museums around town include the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the Michigan Science Center.
Both Gainesville and Detroit offer nice local cuisine and restaurants.
Gainesville offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. Casual eateries are popular around town, particularly with the student population. There are grills, diners, and bistros that serve local dishes at affordable prices.
Detroit has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. There's a local flavor to the food with a number of classic dishes that are popular like square pizza, Coney dogs, and corned beef egg rolls.
Evening events are superb in both Gainesville and Detroit.
Gainesville has plenty to do after the sun goes down. The nightlife centers around the student population. The two main party areas are Midtown and Downtown. Midtown is between Northwest 17th Street and Northwest 18th Street and it's convenient for students who live on campus. The area has a great stretch of bars and clubs. The Downtown area has many of the city's top clubs, and it's popular with upperclassmen and students who live off campus.
Detroit has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. It's long history in music still influences the nightlife scene. You'll find bars, clubs, and other activities around town. Greektown and Midtown are both popular neighborhoods during the evening.
Detroit is very popular for live music. However, Gainesville is not a live music destination.
Detroit is a world class music destination. Few cities have such an influential music industry. It's home to Motown and is well known for its soul music, jazz, blues, and rap.
Gainesville is not a live music destination.
Both Gainesville and Detroit are nice shopping destinations.
Gainesville is a great destination for shopping. You'll find all of the standard shopping options around town such as malls, shopping centers, and retail outlets. Two popular areas are the Neighborhoods at Butler and Celebration Pointe.
Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Detroit. There are several shopping streets like Woodward Avenue. There are also outlet malls, shopping centers, and Eastern Market.
Gainesville and Detroit are both nice destinations for the whole family.
Gainesville is a family-friendly place to visit. You'll find outdoor activities, nature parks, and a couple of museums that will appeal to all ages. Highlights for families include A. Quinn Jones Museum and Cultural Center, the Adventure Outpost, and Alfred A. Ring Park.
Detroit is a family-friendly city. Head to the Detroit Zoo or check out one of the amusement parks in the area. Kids will enjoy a visit to Legoland and there's also the Sea Life Michigan Aquarium. You could also spend some time visiting the unique museums in the area.
Gainesville is a nice place to visit for its romantic activities. However, Detroit is lacking in good options for couples.
Gainesville makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples can enjoy wine tasting and fine dining or enjoying the city's many outdoor activities. Go on a picnic or explore one of the museums in Downtown Gainesville.
Detroit is not always the best place to visit for a couple. It's not a city that usually brings to mind romance, but if you find yourself here for a couple of days, there's a RiverWalk area and some interesting local neighborhoods.
Gainesville is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Detroit is not popular with students.
Gainesville is a great city to visit as a student. As the location of the University of Florida, you'll find many students around town. This keeps the energy high with plenty of evening activities and affordable entertainment options.
Detroit is not popular with students.
Gainesville is a nice place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Detroit is lacking in good options for its public transit.
Gainesville has some public transit options. There's a decent bus system that's free to students and employees of the university.
Public transit is generally limited in Detroit. There's a streetcar and bus system, but the car is still king in Motor City.
Gainesville and Detroit both are nice when exploring on foot.
Gainesville is somewhat walkable. Biking is actually a popular way to get around town and some areas are pedestrian-friendly.
Detroit is a somewhat walkable place. There are parts of downtown Detroit that are walkable, but most people need a car to get around.
For even more information, also check out Is Gainesville Worth Visiting? and Is Detroit Worth Visiting?.
Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Gainesville and Detroit. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Detroit than in Gainesville. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Gainesville, and 1-3 days is enough time in Detroit.
Families should spend more time in Gainesville than Detroit. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Gainesville, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Couples should spend more time in Gainesville than Detroit. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Gainesville that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.
Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Gainesville than Detroit if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Gainesville.
In Gainesville, you'll find nightlife and food. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.
Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the overlooked city of Detroit. Most people visit for the live music. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.
In Gainesville, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Gainesville has to offer.
Visitors enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the overlooked destination of Detroit. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.
Gainesville is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.
The overlooked city of Detroit offers museums and nightlife. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.
It's hard to know how much time to spend in Gainesville. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Gainesville. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.
Many people enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting Detroit. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people visit for the live music. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Gainesville is $221, while the average daily cost in Detroit is $133. 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 Gainesville and Detroit in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Gainesville or Detroit? 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.
Also for Detroit, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Detroit and Gainesville 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.
Some typical examples of dining costs in Gainesville are as follows:
For Detroit, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Gainesville are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Gainesville are as follows:
For Detroit, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gainesville and Detroit, we can see that Gainesville is more expensive. And not only is Detroit much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Detroit would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Detroit 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 Gainesville would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Gainesville than you might in Detroit.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Gainesville Expensive? and Is Detroit Expensive?.
Detroit has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Gainesville. When comparing the sizes of Gainesville and Detroit, 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.
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Both Detroit and Gainesville during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Gainesville because of the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Detroit this time of year.
In the summer, Gainesville is a little warmer than Detroit. Typically, the summer temperatures in Gainesville in July average around 81°F (27°C), and Detroit averages at about 74°F (24°C).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Gainesville. Gainesville usually gets more rain in July than Detroit. Gainesville gets 6.8 inches (174 mm) of rain, while Detroit receives 3.4 inches (85 mm) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Gainesville and Detroit. The shopping scene are the main draw to Gainesville this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Detroit for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.
In October, Gainesville is generally much warmer than Detroit. Daily temperatures in Gainesville average around 71°F (22°C), and Detroit fluctuates around 54°F (12°C).
In October, Gainesville usually receives less rain than Detroit. Gainesville gets 2 inches (51 mm) of rain, while Detroit receives 2.3 inches (58 mm) of rain each month for the autumn. June to November is the hurricane season in Gainesville.
The winter brings many poeple to Gainesville as well as Detroit. Many travelers come to Gainesville for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Additionally, many visitors come to Detroit in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Detroit can get quite cold in the winter. Gainesville is much warmer than Detroit in the winter. The daily temperature in Gainesville averages around 54°F (12°C) in January, and Detroit fluctuates around 25°F (-4°C).
Gainesville usually gets more rain in January than Detroit. Gainesville gets 2.9 inches (75 mm) of rain, while Detroit receives 2 inches (50 mm) of rain this time of the year.
Both Detroit and Gainesville are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Detroit for the activities around the city during these months.
In the spring, Gainesville is much warmer than Detroit. Typically, the spring temperatures in Gainesville in April average around 69°F (20°C), and Detroit averages at about 49°F (9°C).
In April, Gainesville usually receives less rain than Detroit. Gainesville gets 2 inches (50 mm) of rain, while Detroit receives 3.2 inches (80 mm) of rain each month for the spring. June to November in Gainesville is the hurricane season.
Gainesville | Detroit | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 54°F (12°C) | 2.9 inches (75 mm) | 25°F (-4°C) | 2 inches (50 mm) |
Feb | 57°F (14°C) | 4.5 inches (115 mm) | 27°F (-3°C) | 2.1 inches (54 mm) |
Mar | 63°F (17°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) | 37°F (3°C) | 2.8 inches (72 mm) |
Apr | 69°F (20°C) | 2 inches (50 mm) | 49°F (9°C) | 3.2 inches (80 mm) |
May | 75°F (24°C) | 3.1 inches (79 mm) | 60°F (16°C) | 3 inches (76 mm) |
Jun | 80°F (26°C) | 6.8 inches (174 mm) | 70°F (21°C) | 3.8 inches (97 mm) |
Jul | 81°F (27°C) | 6.8 inches (174 mm) | 74°F (24°C) | 3.4 inches (85 mm) |
Aug | 81°F (27°C) | 8.3 inches (211 mm) | 73°F (23°C) | 3.4 inches (86 mm) |
Sep | 78°F (26°C) | 5.5 inches (139 mm) | 65°F (19°C) | 3.4 inches (87 mm) |
Oct | 71°F (22°C) | 2 inches (51 mm) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.3 inches (58 mm) |
Nov | 63°F (17°C) | 2.4 inches (61 mm) | 43°F (6°C) | 3 inches (75 mm) |
Dec | 56°F (14°C) | 2.9 inches (74 mm) | 31°F (-1°C) | 3.2 inches (82 mm) |