Should you visit Gainesville or Providence?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Gainesville or Providence, 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.
Providence
Providence is the state capital and the largest city in Rhode Island. It's a fascinating city to visit with diverse neighborhoods, beautiful parks, and a rich history. Like much of New England, the winters are cold and snowy with milder summers. It's a great year round destination that has a beautiful setting whether it's covered in snow or in full bloom.
Which city is cheaper, Providence 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 Providence is $168. 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 Providence in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Gainesville is about $138 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Providence, $182 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Providence, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $91, such as in a hostel.
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.
In Providence travelers spend around $38 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Gainesville $46
Providence $38
Typical Food prices in Gainesville
Some typical examples of dining costs in Gainesville are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Providence
For Providence, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Downcity Providence Food Tour:
$74
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.
Providence's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $37 per person, per day on transportation in Providence.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gainesville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Gainesville:
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$676
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Port Canaveral:
$658
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Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$453
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Providence
Also for Providence, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Arrival Transfer from Providence TF Green Airport PVD:
$36
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Private Departure Transfer to Providence TF Green Airport PVD:
$36
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Providence to T. F. Green State Airport (PVD) - Departure Private Transfer:
$72
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Private Chauffeur Transfer: Providence Hotels to Providence Airport (PVD):
$107
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Private Arrival Transfer: Providence Airport (PVD) to Providence Hotels:
$133
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Providence to Boston’s Logan International Airport - Departure Private Transfer:
$180
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New York’s JFK International Airport to Providence – Departure Private Transfer:
$467
Is it cheaper to fly into Gainesville or Providence?
Prices for flights to both Providence 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.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Providence can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $21 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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 Providence
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Providence.
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Ultimate Providence Self-Driving Audio Tour:
$7.00
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Providence Scavenger Hunt: Providence Adventure:
$12
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Narrated Boat Tours:
$30
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Haunted Boat Tours:
$39
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Twilight River Cruises:
$45
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Boat Tour of Green Jacket Shoal:
$57
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.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Providence, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $11.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gainesville and Providence, we can see that Providence is more expensive. And not only is Gainesville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Gainesville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gainesville 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 Providence would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Providence than you might in Gainesville.
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