A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Michigan vs. Alaska for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Michigan or Alaska?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Michigan and Alaska. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Michigan or Alaska?

Michigan

Surrounded by four of the five great lakes, the U.S. state of Michigan consists of two peninsulas, the Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula. The Lower Peninsula is the portion shaped like a mitten and is a center of manufacturing and high-tech industry. It is also home to the country's three major automobile companies-General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler-whose headquarters are in the Detroit metropolitan area. The Upper Peninsula is separated from the Lower by the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. In contrast, the Upper Peninsula is sparsely populated and is economically important for its status as a tourist destination and its abundance of natural resources.

Alaska

Alaska joined the United States of America as the 49th state. The US purchased the area from the Russian Empire in 1867 for just 7.2 million dollars (about two cents an acre). It became an organized territory in 1912 and a state in 1959. It is separated from the rest of the country by Canada and, although it is the largest state, it is the least densely populated and for many years had the lowest population. It covers an area equal to California, Texas and Montana combined and lies on the Arctic Circle. Many people consider Alaska to be the United State's "final frontier" because of its vast wilderness. It is also where you will find the highest point in North America.

Which city is cheaper, Alaska or Michigan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Michigan is $120, while the average daily cost in Alaska is $243. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Michigan and Alaska in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Michigan $63
    Alaska $135
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Michigan $126
    Alaska $270
Compare Hotels in Michigan and Alaska

Looking for a hotel in Michigan or Alaska? 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.

Hotels in Michigan


Hotels in Alaska


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Michigan $30
    Alaska $51

Is it cheaper to fly into Michigan or Alaska?

Prices for flights to both Alaska and Michigan 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Michigan $36
    Alaska $57

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alaska

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alaska.

  • Late Night Yurt Dinner and Northern Lights: $185
  • Fairbanks: Moonlight Dog Sled, Dinner, & Northern Lights: $285

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Michigan $18
    Alaska $65

Tours and Activities in Michigan

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Michigan are as follows:

  • Traverse City: Ricksaw Tour: $129
  • Traverse City: 6-Hour Tour of Sleeping Bear Dunes: $159

Tours and Activities in Alaska

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Alaska are as follows:

  • Ketchikan: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Seward: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Anchorage: 1-Hour Trolley Tour: $20
  • Juneau City and Mendenhall Glacier Combo Tour: $63
  • Skagway: Tintype Photography Experience: $80
  • From Fairbanks: Northern Lights & Murphy Dome Tour: $100
  • The Best of Fairbanks: Half-Day City Highlights Tour: $120
  • Fairbanks: 1-Hour Snowmobile Tour: $120
  • Denali: Denali National Park Walking Tour: $135
  • Denali Park Zipline Adventure: $139
  • Denali Park Zipline Adventure: $143
  • From Fairbanks: Chena Hot Springs Day Tour: $145

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Michigan $20
    Alaska $20

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Michigan and Alaska, we can see that Alaska is more expensive. And not only is Michigan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Michigan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Michigan 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 Alaska would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Alaska than you might in Michigan.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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Michigan vs. Alaska Travel Comparison

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