Which place is cheaper, California or Michigan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Michigan or California?
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 California. 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 California?
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.
California
California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is known for a variety of attractions such as Hollywood, warm beaches, the San Francisco bay area, Redwood trees, national parks, and stunning mountain vistas. With a variety of locations and activities to offer, California has become one of the premier travel destinations in the world.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best 2-Week Tours from New York City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMichigan $120California $252
The average daily cost (per person) in Michigan is $120, while the average daily cost in California is $252. 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 Michigan and California in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMichigan $63California $116
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMichigan $126California $232
Compare Hotels in Michigan and California
Looking for a hotel in Michigan or California? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Michigan $30California $43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private One-way Airport Transfer (San Francisco Airport To/From San Francisco): $16
- Private Transfer: Los Angeles Airport (LAX) to LA City Center: $26
- One Way Transfer: Los Angeles from /to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) : $29
- Private Arrival Transfer from John Wayne Orange County Airport SNA: $32
- Private Departure Transfer to John Wayne Orange County Airport SNA: $32
- Snow Summit to Ontario Airport (ONT) - Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Ontario Airport (ONT) to Snow Summit - Arrival Private Transfer: $33
- Santa Catalina to Catalina Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $35
- Avalon Airport (AVX) to Santa Catalina - Arrival Private Transfer: $35
- Ontario City to Ontario Airport (ONT) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
- Ontario Airport (ONT) to Ontario City - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- San Diego International Airport (SAN) Private Arrival Transfer: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Michigan or California?
Prices for flights to both California 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
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Food Meals for one dayMichigan $36California $48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California
For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
- Encinitas Food Tour: $70
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $75
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $79
- Santa Monica Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $82
- Little Italy Food and Drink Walking Tour - Pizza, Pasta & Piazzas: $85
- San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- Mission District Food Tour: $89
- Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco Food Tour: Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market: $90
- Historic Old Sacramento Walking Food Tour: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Michigan $18California $63
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Avalon City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- The Heart of Los Angeles’ Dreamland: A Self-Guide Tour in Culver City: $5.99
- Cow Heaven: A Self-Guided Driving Tour from Point Reyes Seashore to Tomales: $5.99
- Gold Rush and Ghosts of Sacramento Smart Phone guided (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $6.75
- Essential Downtown SLO: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- LA Little Tokyo to Olvera St Smartphone (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $7.50
- Self guided Driving Tour between LA and San Diego: $7.99
- A Seaside Stroll: La Jolla's Hidden Treasures Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
- Carmel-by-the-Sea's Fairytale Houses: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between San Francisco & Monterey: $7.99
- Old Sacramento: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMichigan $20California $21
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Long Beach Bar Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- Sacramento Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl: $12
- San Diego Bar Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- Gaslamp Bar Crawls and Events: $20
- Sunset Distillery with Local Whiskey or Cocktail Tasting: $40
- Walk with Spirits: A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco: $45
- Wine Tasting Around the World: $48
- Large Group Wine Tasting Tour (For 6+ Guests • We Drive Your Car): $60
- 4 Hour Livermore Valley Wine Tour: $100
- Paranormal Pairing: Wine Tasting Walk with Ghost Storytelling: $105
- 6 Hour Wine Tour in Napa & Sonoma with Pick-Up from Napa: $109
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Michigan and California, we can see that California 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 California would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in California than you might in Michigan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Michigan Expensive? and Is California Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Michigan or California?
California has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Michigan. When comparing the sizes of Michigan and California, 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.
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.