Should you visit Gainesville or Portland?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Gainesville or Portland, 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.
Portland
Referred to as "The City of Roses", Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It sits on the banks of the Columbia River and offers breathtaking views of Mount Hood when the weather allows. Portland is famous for its alternative vibe, live music scene, and popular microbreweries. It's also a mecca for environmentally conscious urban planning. The downtown area is quite compact and walkable. While the city itself may be smaller than you expect, it is still the largest metropolitan area between San Francisco and Seattle.
Which city is cheaper, Portland 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 Portland is $136. 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 Portland in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Gainesville is about $138 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Travelers usually pay around $152 for a double occupancy room in Portland If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
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.
While meal prices in Portland can vary, the average travelers spends about $34 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Portland should cost around $14 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Portland is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Gainesville $46
Portland $34
Typical Food prices in Gainesville
Some typical examples of dining costs in Gainesville are as follows:
Typical Food prices in Portland
For Portland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Afternoon Drinks (for 2)
$9.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portland
For Portland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Arts District Food Tour:
$84
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Portland's Art District Food Tour:
$84
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Walking Food Tour in Downtown Portland with Brunch:
$86
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Downtown Deluxe Food Tour:
$89
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Tastes of Downtown Portland Walking Food Tour:
$89
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2.5-Hour Dinner Cruise Through Downtown Portland:
$108
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.
To get around in Portland, the average visitor spends $20 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gainesville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Gainesville:
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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
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$453
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portland
Also for Portland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Departure Transfer to Portland Airport (PDX):
$32
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Private Arrival Transfer from Portland Airport PDX:
$32
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Portland International Airport One Way Transfer:
$69
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Arrival Business Class Private Transfer Portland Airport PDX to Portland City:
$75
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Departure Business Class Private Transfer from Portland Airport PDX to Portland:
$75
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Arrival Private Transfer from Portland Airport PDX to Oregon, West Linn or Tigar:
$82
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Portland Airport (PDX) to Portland downtown - Arrival Private Transfer:
$102
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Portland downtown to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer:
$102
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Transfer from Portland International Airport to Portland:
$109
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PDX - Portland One Way Airport Transfer in a Chauffeured Sedan/SUV:
$133
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Portland Airport (PDX) to Tigard hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$141
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Portland Airport (PDX) to Lake Oswego - Arrival Private Transfer:
$141
Is it cheaper to fly into Gainesville or Portland?
Prices for flights to both Portland 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.
In Portland, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $19 per person, per day.
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 Portland
For Portland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Downtown Portland's Outdoor Sculptures Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.20
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The Eastern Promenade: Explore the sounds and vistas on an audio walking tour:
$5.20
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Portland Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Portland Old Town Ghost Tour:
$22
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Downtown Ghost Tour:
$23
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Intro to Portland Small Group Walking Tour:
$29
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Pink Trolley City Tour of Portland - 10am:
$29
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Pink Trolley City Tour of Portland - 2pm:
$29
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Underground Donut Tour: Portland's Only Donut Tour:
$30
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Underground Donut Tour:
$30
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Portland's Only Underground Donut Tour:
$31
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Portland, Maine: 2.5-Hour History Tour with Sweet Treat:
$35
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.
Typically, people visiting Portland spend on average $14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Portland
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Portland:
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Power Through Portland Bar Crawl:
$12
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Oregon Priority Wine Tasting Pass:
$40
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Weird Bar Crawl with Fanatical Local:
$49
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Portland's Eastside Craft Brewery Walking Tour:
$55
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Portland Brewery Bike Tour:
$71
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Oregon Famous Wine Country Wine Tasting Adventure:
$75
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Brews & Bites - Food Carts & Brewery Tour:
$94
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Views and Brews, Portland Brewery Bike Tour:
$118
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5-Hour Willamette Valley Wine Tour with Tastings:
$120
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Oregon Coast Brewery Tour:
$130
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Willamette Valley Wine Tasting from Portland:
$139
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Full-Day City & Oregon Wine Tasting Tour:
$140
When comparing the travel costs between Gainesville and Portland, we can see that Portland is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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