Should you visit Los Angeles or Moab?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Los Angeles and Moab. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California is probably one of the most well known cities in the United States. It is the second most populated metro area in the country with more than 17 million people. The city's diversity is wide reaching, giving it a character that is unique from any other place in the country. LA has many world famous sights and neighborhoods including Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, and Santa Monica, but there is really so much more to this city.
Moab
Moab is the closest town to Arches National Park in Utah's Canyon Country. It is also a popular base for exploring Canyonlands National Park. It's a small town that serves mainly to accommodate tourists to the popular national parks and other surrounding wildlife areas. It has grown dramatically in recent years and has a population of just over 5,000. In town you will find hotels and motels, a handful of restaurants and a few shops where you can stock up on supplies. There's a small museum, the Museum of Moab, and a variety of tour operators in town. You can easily book river rafting trips, jeep expeditions, and tours of the surrounding area. For many, exploring Arches National Park on your own is a more enjoyable and independent experience.
Which city is cheaper, Moab or Los Angeles?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Los Angeles is $190, while the average daily cost in Moab is $124. 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 Los Angeles and Moab in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Los Angeles, $222 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Los Angeles, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $111, such as in a hostel.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $164 in Moab For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The price of a meal in Los Angeles can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $35 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $14 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
While meal prices in Moab can vary, the average travelers spends about $30 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Moab should cost around $12 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Moab is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Los Angeles $35
Moab $30
Typical Food prices in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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How to Cook the Perfect Steak Virtual Cooking Class:
$42
-
Downtown Food Tour:
$75
-
West Hollywood Food Tour:
$75
-
Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour:
$77
-
Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Los Angeles Venice Beach:
$96
-
Private Authentic Middle Eastern Cooking Class in Reseda, Los Angeles:
$102
-
Luxury Vegan Food Tours of Los Angeles:
$125
-
Secret Food Tour of Venice Beach, Los Angeles w/ Private Tour Option:
$207
-
3-Hour Secret Food Tour:
$209
Typical Food prices in Moab
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Moab:
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Moab Brewery
$42
-
Breakfast for Two
$17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Moab
For Moab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Sound and Light Show with Dinner:
$79
-
Moab Dinner Cruise with Sound and Light Show:
$81
-
Colorado River Sunset Boat Tour with Optional Dinner:
$89
-
Sunset Jetboat Ride with Dinner on the Colorado River from Moab:
$102
Local Transportation
Los Angeles'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 $29 per person, per day on transportation in Los Angeles.
To get around in Moab, the average visitor spends $14 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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Los Angeles
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Los Angeles:
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Hotel Parking for a Day
$22
-
Taxi to Airport
$55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Los Angeles
Also for Los Angeles, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Arrival Private Transfer Los Angeles Airport LAX to Las Vegas by Minibus:
$1,883
-
Arrival Private Transfer Los Angeles Airport LAX to Las Vegas by SUV:
$1,616
-
Arrival Private Transfer Los Angeles Airport LAX to Las Vegas by Executive SUV:
$1,598
-
Arrival Private Transfer Los Angeles LAX to Palm Springs or San Diego by Minibus:
$569
-
Arrival Private Transfer Los Angeles LAX to Palm Springs/San Diego by Luxury Car:
$524
-
LOS ANGELES to Palm Springs Airport (PSP) - Departure Private Transfer:
$485
-
Arrival Private Transfer Los Angeles LAX to Palm Springs/San Diego by Exec. SUV:
$480
-
Arrival Private Transfer Los Angeles LAX to Palm Springs or San Diego by SUV:
$453
-
Los Angeles Private Transfer To Coechella Valley, CA.:
$439
-
Private Transfer - LAX Airport to San Diego/ Las Vegas in a Luxurious SUV:
$420
-
San Diego Private Transfer From Hollywood or Burbank.:
$398
-
Los Angeles Private Transfer To Tijuana Border Crossing.:
$398
Is it cheaper to fly into Los Angeles or Moab?
Prices for flights to both Moab and Los Angeles 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
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Los Angeles can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $64 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
In Moab, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $2.50 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in Los Angeles
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Los Angeles's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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1 Hour Instagram Pics Hollywood Sign Tour:
$39
-
10-Minute Hollywood Sign Helicopter Tour:
$124
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15 mins Driving Tour in a Ferrari California T spider in hollywood:
$69
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1HOUR FERRARI CALIFORNIA driving Tour from Hollywood to Beverly Hills:
$300
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2 Hour Celebrity Homes Tour:
$39
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2 Hour Venice Beach Bike Tour:
$61
-
2 hour Horseback Riding Tour near the Hollywood Sign with Transportation:
$127
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2-Hour Hollywood Bike Tour:
$60
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2-Hour Hollywood Walking and Hiking Tour with Skyline Views:
$34
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3 Hour Hollywood to Beverly Hills small group Tour:
$41
-
3 Hour Venice Beach Bike Tour:
$71
-
3 Hours Los Angeles VIP Tour:
$49
Typical Entertainment prices in Moab
For Moab, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Slickrock Trail Pass
$5.00
Tours and Activities in Moab
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Moab.
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4 Hours Guided Mountain Biking Tour:
$110
-
Arches National Park 4x4 Adventure from Moab:
$123
-
Arches National Park Air tour:
$119
-
Arches National Park Backcountry 4x4 Half-Day Tour:
$131
-
Arches National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour:
$10
-
Backcountry Jeep Adventure:
$341
-
Canyonlands & Arches National Park Air Tour:
$239
-
Canyonlands Backcountry 4x4 Half-Day Tour:
$131
-
Canyonlands National Park Air Tour:
$194
-
Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab:
$123
-
Cataract Canyon Rafting Adventure from Moab:
$504
-
Colorado River Fisher Towers Full-Day Rafting Adventure:
$129
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Los Angeles spend on average $11 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Moab, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $53.
Sample the Local Flavors in Los Angeles
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Los Angeles:
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Brews Cruise- DTLA Brewery tour by bike:
$50
-
Brewery Walking Tour -- Downtown / Arts District:
$81
-
Malibu: Exclusive Wine Tasting and Falconry Experience:
$109
-
Malibu: Vintage VW Hippie Sightseeing Tour with Wine Tasting:
$139
-
Santa Barbara Wine Tasting Day Tour from Los Angeles:
$249
-
Los Angeles Wine Tour:
$250
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The Private Malibu Wine Tour:
$419
-
Food and Wine Tasting Party:
$750
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Private Tour: Malibu Wine Tasting for Two by Limousine from Los Angeles:
$999
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Los Angeles and Moab, we can see that Los Angeles is more expensive. And not only is Moab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Moab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Moab 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 Los Angeles would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Los Angeles than you might in Moab.
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