Which place is cheaper, San Francisco or Hot Springs?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hot Springs or San Francisco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Hot Springs or San Francisco? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Hot Springs or San Francisco?
Hot Springs
Hot Springs is a popular resort city in central Arkansas. It's location in the Ouachita Mountains make it a convenient base for exploring the area's natural hot springs, from which the city gets its name. The city is also home to Hot Springs National Park, which have long been believed to have healing properties. Today many spas have popped up around the hot springs.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in United States of America, The Best Walking Tours in United States of America, and The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHot Springs $182San Francisco $222
The average daily cost (per person) in Hot Springs is $182, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $222. 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 Hot Springs and San Francisco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHot Springs $100San Francisco $130
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHot Springs $200San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Hot Springs and San Francisco
Looking for a hotel in Hot Springs or San Francisco? 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: Hot Springs Hotel Prices and San Francisco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hot Springs $47San Francisco $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hot Springs
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hot Springs:
- Hot Springs Resorts to Memphis Airport (MEM) Departure Transfer: $142
- Private Departure Transfer from Hot Springs Resort to Little Rock: $71
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
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Taxi to SFO$45
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Golden Gate Bridge Toll$6.00
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Alcatraz Tour$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco Airport to City: $35
- SFO Airport Private Transfer to/from Downtown San Francisco: $96
- Airport Transfer: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Francisco: $107
- Private Airport Transfer: San Francisco to SF International Airport (SFO): $107
- Private Transfer from Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $108
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $108
- Departure Private Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO in Business Car: $108
- Private Airport Transfer from SFO to San Francisco (One-way): $110
- San Francisco Airport (SFO) to San Francisco - Arrival Private Transfer: $110
- San Francisco to San Francisco Airport (SFO) - Departure Private Transfer: $110
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in San Francisco HTL-APT (SFO): $119
- SFO Airport Private Transfer to Downtown: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Hot Springs or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco and Hot Springs 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 dayHot Springs $52San Francisco $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
- North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $79
- Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Bay: $82
- Secret Food Tours San Francisco: $83
- Mission District Food Tour with Tastings: $85
- Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $87
- Mission District Walking Food Tour: $89
- Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
- San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hot Springs $30San Francisco $46
Tours and Activities in Hot Springs
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hot Springs are as follows:
- Hot Springs, AR: Magic Springs Theme & Water Park Ticket: $44
- Small-Group Zipline Tour in Hot Springs: $67
Tours and Activities in San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
- Golden Gate Bridge: Self-guided Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Leave your heart at the Wharf: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- San Francisco’s Chinatown on foot: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Embarcadero Self-Guided Audio Smartphone Tour: $5.99
- Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.99
- San Francisco self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $6.42
- Ghosts & Hauntings Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Japantown & Stories: $6.99
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- The Secrets of Golden Gate Park: A San Francisco Chronicle Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
- Design in the Financial District Audio Tour: $7.99
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHot Springs $22San Francisco $22
Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
- Chinatown San Francisco’s Bar Crawl: An Audio Tour: $4.99
- SF Pub Crawl and Clubbing Experience: $27
- Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
- 2 to 3 Hour Bar Crawl in Castro San Francisco: $49
- Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
- Private Wine Tour Napa or Sonoma from $99 per person up to 7 & Concierge Service: $99
- Small Group: The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $109
- Big Bus Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $125
- Half-Day Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings: $126
- From The Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
- The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hot Springs and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco is more expensive. And not only is Hot Springs much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hot Springs would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hot Springs 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco than you might in Hot Springs.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hot Springs Expensive? and Is San Francisco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hot Springs or San Francisco?
San Francisco has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Hot Springs. When comparing the sizes of Hot Springs and San Francisco, 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.
When is the best time to visit Hot Springs or San Francisco?
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.
Should I visit Hot Springs or San Francisco in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Hot Springs as well as San Francisco. Also, many visitors come to San Francisco in the summer for the beaches, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Hot Springs is generally much warmer than San Francisco. Daily temperatures in Hot Springs average around 83°F (28°C), and San Francisco fluctuates around 63°F (17°C).
Hot Springs usually gets more rain in July than San Francisco. Hot Springs gets 3.6 inches (92 mm) of rain, while San Francisco receives 0.1 inches (2 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyHot Springs 83°F (28°C)San Francisco 63°F (17°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or San Francisco in the Autumn?
Both San Francisco and Hot Springs are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to San Francisco for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
Hot Springs is around the same temperature as San Francisco in the autumn. The daily temperature in Hot Springs averages around 64°F (18°C) in October, and San Francisco fluctuates around 63°F (17°C).
In October, Hot Springs usually receives more rain than San Francisco. Hot Springs gets 3.7 inches (93 mm) of rain, while San Francisco receives 1.3 inches (33 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberHot Springs 64°F (18°C)San Francisco 63°F (17°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or San Francisco in the Winter?
Both San Francisco and Hot Springs during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the winter months attract visitors to San Francisco because of the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
Hot Springs can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Hot Springs is much colder than San Francisco. Typically, the winter temperatures in Hot Springs in January average around 40°F (4°C), and San Francisco averages at about 50°F (10°C).
Hot Springs usually gets less rain in January than San Francisco. Hot Springs gets 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain, while San Francisco receives 3.8 inches (96 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryHot Springs 40°F (4°C)San Francisco 50°F (10°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or San Francisco in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Hot Springs and San Francisco. Furthermore, the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty are the main draw to San Francisco this time of year.
In April, Hot Springs is generally a little warmer than San Francisco. Daily temperatures in Hot Springs average around 65°F (18°C), and San Francisco fluctuates around 58°F (14°C).
Hot Springs gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Hot Springs usually receives more rain than San Francisco. Hot Springs gets 5.2 inches (133 mm) of rain, while San Francisco receives 1.2 inches (31 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilHot Springs 65°F (18°C)San Francisco 58°F (14°C)
Typical Weather for San Francisco and Hot Springs
| Hot Springs | San Francisco | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 40°F (4°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) | 50°F (10°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
| Feb | 45°F (7°C) | 3.6 inches (91 mm) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Mar | 54°F (12°C) | 4.8 inches (121 mm) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Apr | 65°F (18°C) | 5.2 inches (133 mm) | 58°F (14°C) | 1.2 inches (31 mm) |
| May | 71°F (22°C) | 5.2 inches (133 mm) | 60°F (15°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Jun | 79°F (26°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Jul | 83°F (28°C) | 3.6 inches (92 mm) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) |
| Aug | 81°F (27°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.1 inches (1 mm) |
| Sep | 75°F (24°C) | 3.7 inches (95 mm) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.3 inches (7 mm) |
| Oct | 64°F (18°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.3 inches (33 mm) |
| Nov | 53°F (12°C) | 5.1 inches (130 mm) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) |
| Dec | 44°F (6°C) | 4.6 inches (118 mm) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.7 inches (68 mm) |
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.