Should you visit Gainesville or Pasadena?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Gainesville or Pasadena, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Gainesville
Home to the University of Florida as well as Santa Fe College, the town of Gainesville has all of the shopping, entertainment, and restaurants that you could want in a college town - plus easy access to a number of outdoor adventures from canoeing, diving, and kayaking to birding, fishing, hiking, and biking. Some of the top features include the Butterfly Rainforest, the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, and Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park.
Pasadena
Pasadena, California is adjacent to Los Angeles and is probably most famous as the host for the New Year's Day Rose Parade and Rose Bowl football game. As such, it has become known as the City of Roses. Year around Pasadena is known to have a vibrant night life. It has a great Old Town area that has impressive shopping and many excellent restaurants. It's also home to the California Institute of Technology and has many museums, theaters, and independent films that make it a cultural haven for the area. Also make sure you visit the Huntington Library which has an impressive art collection and over 150 acres of botanical gardens. It's been featured in several Hollywood Films.
Which city is cheaper, Pasadena or Gainesville?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Gainesville is $135, while the average daily cost in Pasadena is $50. 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 Gainesville and Pasadena in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Gainesville is about $138 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $40 for a double occupancy room in Pasadena.
Food
While meal prices in Gainesville can vary, the average travelers spends about $46 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Gainesville should cost around $18 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Gainesville is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
On average, meal and food prices in Pasadena cost around $15 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 $6.00.
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Food
Meals for one day
Gainesville $46
Pasadena $15
Typical Food prices in Gainesville
Some typical examples of dining costs in Gainesville are as follows:
Typical Food prices in Pasadena
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pasadena are as follows:
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Gainesville is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $33 per person, per day, on local transportation in Gainesville.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $17 per day to get around in Pasadena.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gainesville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Gainesville:
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$453
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Port Canaveral:
$658
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$676
Is it cheaper to fly into Gainesville or Pasadena?
Prices for flights to both Pasadena 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.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Gainesville typically cost an average of $14 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Typical Entertainment prices in Gainesville
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Gainesville are as follows:
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Manatee Tour for Two
$98
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Tour Guide Tip
$5.00
Tours and Activities in Gainesville
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Gainesville are as follows:
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Butterfly Rainforest at Florida Museum of Natural History Ticket:
$14
Tours and Activities in Pasadena
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pasadena are as follows:
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Private Self-Guided Tour of Pasadena in Los Angeles:
$19
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Private Christmas Tour with Christmas Afternoon Tea Ceremony in Old Pasadena:
$220
Alcohol
The average person spends about $39 on alcoholic beverages in Gainesville per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gainesville and Pasadena, we can see that Gainesville is more expensive. And not only is Pasadena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pasadena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pasadena 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 Pasadena.
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