Which place is cheaper, California or Michigan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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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 Northern Lights Tours in Alaska, The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America, The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.
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Michigan Prices
USA PricesCalifornia Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMichigan $144California $286
The average daily cost (per person) in Michigan is $144, while the average daily cost in California is $286. 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 $42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Group Transfer From or To Los Angeles LAX Airport: $15
- San Francisco: SFO Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $31
- Private Arrival Transfer from John Wayne Orange County Airport SNA: $32
- Private Transfer Los Angeles Airport LAX From To LA: $36
- Shared ride Arrival Transfer John Wayne airport to Anaheim hotels: $36
- Los Angeles: Private Transfer to/from Los Angeles LAX Airport: $36
- Oakland Airport Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 passengers: $37
- San Diego Airport Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 passengers: $37
- Los Angeles to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $39
- Private Transfer From or To San Francisco SFO Airport: $39
- Private Departure Transfer to Burbank Airport (BUR): $40
- Sacramento Airport Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 passengers: $43
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 $59California $79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California
For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Monica Holiday Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Cheer & More: $70
- Santa Monica Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Churros, and More: $70
- Sacramento: Chicken Curry Cooking Class With a Local Chef: $75
- Fun Pad Thai Cooking Class With a Local Chef in San Diego: $75
- Chicken Curry Cooking Class With a Local Chef in Sacramento: $75
- Fun Wonton Cooking Class With a Local Chef in Sacramento: $75
- Japanese Gyoza Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in LA: $75
- Sushi Making Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in San Diego: $75
- Flavors of Venice Beach Food Tour By Junket: $75
- Carlsbad Taco Tuesday Walking Food Tour with Margarita or Beer: $84
- San Diego Holiday Sweet Treats, Donuts & Pastries Food Tour: $85
- San Francisco: Chinatown & Litte Italy Food Tour with 5 Dishes: $85
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Michigan $18California $69
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Discover Yosemite National Park: A Self-Guided Tour: $1.12
- Self-Guided Walking Tour in Los Angeles' Best-Kept Secrets: $3.42
- Solvang Princess Magical Family Adventure: $4.00
- Missing Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.84
- Santa Monica Superhero Exploration Game and Tour: $4.86
- Secrets of Venice Boardwalk: Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure in LA: $4.86
- San Francisco Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.86
- Venice Beach: Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- Private Walking Berkeley: Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- San Francisco Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.00
- Downtown San Francisco Private Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- Pasadena Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.00
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:
- A Spectacular Bar Crawl: Long Beach Boss: $12
- An Epic Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl: $12
- An Epic Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Awesome Bar Crawl in Lake Tahoe: $15
- Amazing Bar Crawl in Palm Springs: $15
- Myka Estates Wine Tasting Reservation: $15
- Temecula Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided GPS Audio Guide: $20
- Santa Barbara Wine Tour - Self-Guided GPS Audio Tour: $25
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Sacramento Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Little Italy Pub Crawl: $30
- Paso Robles Sonata(Red Blend) Flight Wine Tasting: $30
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.