Which place is cheaper, Asheville or Kansas City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kansas City or Asheville?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kansas City or Asheville? 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: Kansas City or Asheville?
Kansas City
A large, mid western city that sits on the border between Missouri and Kansa, Kansas City has a population of about 450,000. It's not exactly a tourist destination, but it is a surprisingly beautiful city with more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any other city in the world with the exception of Rome. Most of the city's suburbs are concentrated in the south but the city is beginning to grow to the north as well. The climate in Kansas City can vary dramatically, in large part because it is so far from any form of water. Winters can range from mild to extremely cold and snow is not uncommon. Spring and fall and quite comfortable but summer months can be incredibly hot and humid.
Asheville
Asheville is a beautiful mountain town between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains. It's a popular tourist destination in western North Carolina that attracts hikers, shoppers, and adventurers alike. It's the largest city in the area and is famous for it's liberal mindset and large art community. Local crafts are frequently available for sale in the downtown shops.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America, The Best Coach Bus Tours in United States of America, The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America, and The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKansas City $161Asheville $133
The average daily cost (per person) in Kansas City is $161, while the average daily cost in Asheville is $133. 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 Kansas City and Asheville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKansas City $88Asheville $89
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKansas City $176Asheville $178
Compare Hotels in Kansas City and Asheville
Looking for a hotel in Kansas City or Asheville? 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: Kansas City Hotel Prices and Asheville Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kansas City $44Asheville $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Kansas City or Asheville?
Prices for flights to both Asheville and Kansas City 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 dayKansas City $47Asheville $33
Typical Food Prices in Asheville
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Asheville:
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Biltmore Estate Entrance Fee$60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Asheville
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Asheville.
- Electric Bike Tour of Asheville's Best Pizza: $98
- Best Pizza E-bike Tour: $111
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kansas City $11Asheville $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Asheville
Here are a few typical costs in Asheville for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Massage$40
Tours and Activities in Asheville
Here are a few actual costs in Asheville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- (3 HR) Guided Safari Jeep Mile-High & Waterfall Adventure: $100
- (3 HR) Off-Road UTV Wilderness Adventure : $175
- (4 HR) UTV Sunset, Waterfall, and Eco Elk Wilderness Adventure : $275
- 2.5-Hour Blue Ridge Parkway Guided Jeep Tour: $99
- Amazing Asheville Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $44
- Asheville Child-Focused Mountain and Waterfall Tour: $250
- Asheville Coffee Tours: $65
- Asheville Ghost Tour: A Walk Through Riverside Cemetery & Montford Neighborhood: $27
- Asheville Historic Downtown Guided Electric Bike Tour with Scenic Views: $75
- Asheville Historic Highlights: Self-Guided Walking Tour: $8.49
- Asheville Insider Guided Walking Tour: $35
- Asheville Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour : $27
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKansas City $12Asheville $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Asheville
Also in Asheville, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Terrors, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Ultimate Late Night Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Asheville Terrors Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl: $39
- Expert-Led Brewery Walking Tour with Beer Samples: $65
- Downtown Asheville Guided Brewery Walking Tour: $69
- 3-Hour Guided Walking Brewery Tour Through Downtown Asheville: $69
- Electric Bike Brewery Crawl of Asheville: $74
- Guided Craft Brewery Tour with a Snack: $99
- Asheville Signature Guided Brewery Tour: $105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kansas City and Asheville, we can see that Kansas City is more expensive. And not only is Asheville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Asheville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Asheville 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 Kansas City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kansas City than you might in Asheville.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kansas City Expensive? and Is Asheville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kansas City or Asheville?
Kansas City has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Asheville. When comparing the sizes of Kansas City and Asheville, 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 Kansas City or Asheville?
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 Kansas City or Asheville in the Summer?
Both Asheville and Kansas City during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Asheville because of the hiking, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Kansas City is generally around the same temperature as Asheville. Daily temperatures in Kansas City average around 82°F (28°C), and Asheville fluctuates around 82°F (28°C).
In Asheville, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Kansas City. In the summer, Kansas City often gets more sunshine than Asheville. Kansas City gets 325 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Asheville receives 268 hours of full sun.
Asheville gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Kansas City usually gets less rain in July than Asheville. Kansas City gets 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain, while Asheville receives 5.4 inches (137 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKansas City 82°F (28°C)Asheville 82°F (28°C)
Should I visit Kansas City or Asheville in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Kansas City and Asheville. Also, the hiking trails, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Asheville this time of year.
Kansas City is cooler than Asheville in the autumn. The daily temperature in Kansas City averages around 60°F (15°C) in October, and Asheville fluctuates around 64°F (18°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Asheville this time of the year. In Kansas City, it's very sunny this time of the year. Kansas City usually receives less sunshine than Asheville during autumn. Kansas City gets 208 hours of sunny skies, while Asheville receives 229 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Kansas City usually receives less rain than Asheville. Kansas City gets 2.4 inches (62 mm) of rain, while Asheville receives 3.4 inches (86 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKansas City 60°F (15°C)Asheville 64°F (18°C)
Should I visit Kansas City or Asheville in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Kansas City as well as Asheville. Also, many travelers come to Asheville for the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
It's quite cold in Kansas City in the winter. In the winter, Kansas City is much colder than Asheville. Typically, the winter temperatures in Kansas City in January average around 30°F (-1°C), and Asheville averages at about 44°F (7°C).
In the winter, Kansas City often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Asheville. Kansas City gets 175 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Asheville receives 176 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Asheville. Kansas City usually gets less rain in January than Asheville. Kansas City gets 0.9 inches (23 mm) of rain, while Asheville receives 3.9 inches (100 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKansas City 30°F (-1°C)Asheville 44°F (7°C)
Should I visit Kansas City or Asheville in the Spring?
Both Asheville and Kansas City are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many visitors come to Asheville in the spring for the natural beauty.
In April, Kansas City is generally cooler than Asheville. Daily temperatures in Kansas City average around 58°F (15°C), and Asheville fluctuates around 64°F (18°C).
It's quite sunny in Asheville. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kansas City. Kansas City usually receives less sunshine than Asheville during spring. Kansas City gets 231 hours of sunny skies, while Asheville receives 266 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Asheville. In April, Kansas City usually receives less rain than Asheville. Kansas City gets 2.8 inches (71 mm) of rain, while Asheville receives 4.4 inches (112 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKansas City 58°F (15°C)Asheville 64°F (18°C)
Typical Weather for Asheville and Kansas City
| Kansas City | Asheville | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 30°F (-1°C) | 0.9 inches (23 mm) | 44°F (7°C) | 3.9 inches (100 mm) |
| Feb | 35°F (2°C) | 0.9 inches (24 mm) | 47°F (8°C) | 4.3 inches (109 mm) |
| Mar | 47°F (8°C) | 2 inches (52 mm) | 55°F (13°C) | 5.4 inches (137 mm) |
| Apr | 58°F (15°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 4.4 inches (112 mm) |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) | 71°F (22°C) | 3.1 inches (79 mm) |
| Jun | 77°F (25°C) | 4.9 inches (125 mm) | 79°F (26°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
| Jul | 82°F (28°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) | 82°F (28°C) | 5.4 inches (137 mm) |
| Aug | 80°F (26°C) | 3.4 inches (86 mm) | 81°F (27°C) | 4.6 inches (118 mm) |
| Sep | 71°F (22°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) | 75°F (24°C) | 4 inches (101 mm) |
| Oct | 60°F (15°C) | 2.4 inches (62 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 3.4 inches (86 mm) |
| Nov | 46°F (8°C) | 1.7 inches (43 mm) | 55°F (13°C) | 3.2 inches (81 mm) |
| Dec | 34°F (1°C) | 1.2 inches (30 mm) | 47°F (8°C) | 4.1 inches (103 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.