Which place is cheaper, Rapid City or Gainesville?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Gainesville vs. Rapid City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Gainesville or Rapid City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Gainesville or Rapid City, 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.
Where Should I go: Gainesville or Rapid City?
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.
Rapid City
Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGainesville $221Rapid City $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Gainesville is $221, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $116. 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 Rapid City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGainesville $119Rapid City $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGainesville $238Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Gainesville and Rapid City
Looking for a hotel in Gainesville or Rapid City? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Gainesville Hotel Prices and Rapid City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Gainesville $40Rapid City $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gainesville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Gainesville:
- Private Transfer from Gainesville to Port Canaveral: $580
- Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport: $596
- Private Transfer from Gainesville to Orlando (MCO) Airport: $399
Is it cheaper to fly into Gainesville or Rapid City?
Prices for flights to both Rapid City 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayGainesville $70Rapid City $23
Typical Food prices in Gainesville
Some typical examples of dining costs in Gainesville are as follows:
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Diner Breakfast for Two$17
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Lunch at Chop Stix (for 2)$24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Roller Coaster Tickets with Dinner and Show in Rapid City: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Gainesville $44Rapid City $26
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:
- Butterfly Rainforest at Florida Museum of Natural History Ticket: $15
- Private Snorkeling Tour in Florida Springs: $250
- Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Gainesville by Operation City Quest: $10
Tours and Activities in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Mount Rushmore Self Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.99
- Black Hills & Badlands: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tours: $20
- Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Bus Tour with Live Commentary: $89
- Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
- Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show: $164
- Badlands Winter Wonderland Adventure: $239
- Badlands Sunset and Wildlife Adventure : $239
- NEW! Half Day Tour of the Black Hills: $239
- Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in South Dakota: $275
- Badlands National Park Adventure, Wall Drug and Baja: $279
- NEW! Sunrise Tour of the Badlands: $289
- Badlands Sunset, Stars and Silhouettes Tour: $289
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGainesville $49Rapid City $6.93
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gainesville and Rapid City, we can see that Gainesville is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Rapid City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rapid City 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 Rapid City.
Which is Bigger, Gainesville or Rapid City?
Gainesville is bigger, and its population is about 2 times larger than the population of Rapid City. When comparing the population of Gainesville vs. Rapid City, 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 and the activities that interest you.
Related Articles for Gainesville
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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.
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