Should you visit Miami or West Palm Beach?
Should I visit Miami or West Palm Beach? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Miami
Miami is a popular tourist destination and a modern city in South Florida. It has beautiful white beaches, crystal blue waters, cosmopolitan neighborhoods, impressive shopping, and excellent dining opportunities. It is also a gateway to the Florida Keys, which is another popular destination in South Florida.
West Palm Beach
One of Florida's most dynamic cities, West Palm Beach encapsulates the best of a metropolitan city all while nestled in the warm serenity of a tropical paradise. Located in southern Florida, about an hour's drive north of Miami, West Palm Beach holds a population of 99,919 and is one of the three main cities in South Florida. This city is known for its unique culture, world-class dining, and extensive shopping districts. From young to old, everyone can find their own niche in such a pleasant, diverse city. No matter what time of the year it may be, you can be assured that it is gorgeously sunny in West Palm Beach!
Which city is cheaper, West Palm Beach or Miami?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Miami is $164, while the average daily cost in West Palm Beach is $264. 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 Miami and West Palm Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $104. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Miami the cost is $208 on average.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $374 in West Palm Beach For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Miami food costs typically run travelers around $33 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
In West Palm Beach travelers spend around $53 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
Miami
$33
West Palm Beach
$53
Typical Food prices in Miami
Some typical examples of dining costs in Miami are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Miami
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Miami.
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Little Havana 2-Hour Food Tour:
$59
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South Beach Miami Culinary Walking Tour Lunch or Dinner:
$59
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Taste of Little Havana Food Tour by Bicycle:
$69
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4th of July Fireworks Cruise & Hard Rock Dinner:
$159
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4th of July Fireworks from Catamaran & Hard Rock Café Dinner:
$159
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Little Havana Street Food Tours:
$61
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Haitian Cooking Experience:
$85
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Private Little Havana Cuban Food Tour:
$99
-
Private VIP Historical Citywide Food Tour:
$159
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in West Palm Beach
For West Palm Beach, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Downtown Food Tour:
$74
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Downtown West Palm Beach Food Tour:
$79
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Miami is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $32 per person, per day, on local transportation in Miami.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in West Palm Beach than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $39 on transportation in West Palm Beach on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Miami
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Miami are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Miami
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Miami:
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Transfer: Miami Beach to Airport, Port or Palm Beach:
$25
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Miami Private Transfer (Airport to Miami Hotel):
$126
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Miami Airport Private One Way Transfer:
$304
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Transfer from Miami Airport:
$25
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Disney World Full-Day Ticket & Transfer from Miami:
$249
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Miami Airport Private One Way Transfer:
$179
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Universal Studios Ticket & Transfer from Miami:
$249
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Dolphin Mall Miami Shuttle Transfer: Downtown Loop:
$20
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Miami Seaquarium Tickets and Transfer from Miami Beach:
$69
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Hialeah Airport - Private Transfer:
$105
Hired Cars and Shuttles in West Palm Beach
Also for West Palm Beach, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: West Palm Beach Int. Airport (PBI) to West Palm Beach:
$59
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Palm Beach Airport (PBI) to Palm Beach City - Arrival Private Transfer:
$85
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Palm Beach Airport (PBI) to Palm Beach City - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$169
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Miami typically cost an average of $25 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing expenses in West Palm Beach, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $15 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Miami
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Miami are as follows:
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Movie set and star tour:
$31
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Half-Day Secret Spots Bus & Walking Tour:
$59
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Segways at Sunset: Miami Beach Tour:
$59
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Key West Day Tour from Miami by Bus:
$69
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From Full-Day Walking Tour of Key West:
$100
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Miami Helicopter Tour:
$342
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From Florida Everglades Small Group Airboat Tour:
$45
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Miami from Above: 1 Hour Private Air Tour:
$170
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Everglades Tour from Port Miami / Fort Lauderdale:
$69
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Full-Day Tour to Key West:
$35
Tours and Activities in West Palm Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for West Palm Beach are as follows:
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45-Minute Candy Evolution Tour with Guide:
$13
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Candy Tour:
$13
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Land and Lagoon Narrated Musical Tour of Palm Beach:
$40
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Palm Beach Island Day Tour:
$65
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Downtown WPB and Palm Beach Private Bicycle Tour:
$75
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2 Hour Segway Tour: Downtown West Palm Waterfront & Palm Beach Island:
$98
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Palm Beach Sightseeing Tour:
$120
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Snorkel Tour by boat:
$128
Alcohol
The average person spends about $18 on alcoholic beverages in Miami per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about $31 on alcoholic beverages in West Palm Beach per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Miami
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Miami are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Miami
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Miami:
-
Pub Crawl South Beach 3-Hour Tour:
$30
-
Miami Beach Rockstar Bar Crawl:
$69
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Making Your Own Gin Distillery Tour and Tasting Experience:
$190
Sample the Local Flavors in West Palm Beach
Also in West Palm Beach, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Party Bike Pub Crawl in West Palm Beach:
$43
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Miami and West Palm Beach, we can see that West Palm Beach is more expensive. And not only is Miami much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Miami would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Miami 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 West Palm Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in West Palm Beach than you might in Miami.
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