A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Minneapolis vs. Rapid City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Minneapolis or Rapid City?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Minneapolis or Rapid City, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Minneapolis or Rapid City?

Minneapolis

Known as one of the Twin Cities with its neighbor, Saint Paul, the Minneapolis area is the second largest economic center in the Midwest, behind Chicago. Originally a city of lumber and flour milling, the city has grown to prosper in commerce, rail and trucking, health care, industry, education, publishing, milling, and food processing amongst others. In addition to housing the headquarters for five Fortune 500 Companies, Minneapolis is a city of thriving culture. From visual arts, music, and theater to sporting events and award-winning restaurants, the entertainment is never lacking.

Rapid City

Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.

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.


Which place is cheaper, Rapid City or Minneapolis?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Minneapolis is $206, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $116. 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 Minneapolis and Rapid City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Minneapolis $110
    Rapid City $60
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Minneapolis $220
    Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Minneapolis and Rapid City

Looking for a hotel in Minneapolis or Rapid City? 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 Minneapolis


Hotels in Rapid City


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Minneapolis Hotel Prices and Rapid City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Minneapolis $43
    Rapid City $53

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Minneapolis

Also for Minneapolis, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Departure Transfer to Minneapolis Airport MSP: $88
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Minneapolis Airport MSP: $88
  • Minneapolis Airport (MSP) to Minneapolis - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $139
  • Minneapolis Airport (MSP) to Minneapolis - Arrival Private Transfer: $69

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rapid City

Also for Rapid City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private One Way Airport Transfer and Orientation: $89

Is it cheaper to fly into Minneapolis or Rapid City?

Prices for flights to both Rapid City and Minneapolis 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
    Minneapolis $40
    Rapid City $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Minneapolis

For Minneapolis, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Minneapolis Food Tour - Walking: $115

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rapid City

For Rapid City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Roller Coaster Tickets with Dinner and Show in Rapid City: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Minneapolis $27
    Rapid City $26

Tours and Activities in Minneapolis

For Minneapolis, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Challah Baking Experience: $72
  • Christmas in the City: A Minneapolis Walking Tour: $699
  • Complete Minneapolis Walking Tour: $99
  • Experience St. Paul Ghost Walking Tour: $29
  • Experience the season with a scavenger hunt in Minneapolis with Holly Jolly Hunt: $20
  • Ghost Walking Tour in Minneapolis: $29
  • In the Footsteps of Prince: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
  • In the Footsteps of Prince: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Downtown Minneapolis: $7.99
  • Lost Souls Tour: $20
  • Mall of America: 1-Hour Escape Room Adventure: $44
  • Mall of America: Crayola Experience Flexible Date Ticket: $31
  • Mighty Mississippi: A Self-Guided Riverside Walking Tour: $7.99

Tours and Activities in Rapid City

For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Badlands National Park Private Tour: $650
  • Badlands Sunset and Wildlife Adventure : $239
  • Badlands Winter Wonderland Adventure: $239
  • Black Hills & Badlands: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tours: $20
  • Buffalo Jeep Safari & Mammoth Site Tour: $700
  • Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
  • From Private Devils Tower Tour and Hike: $650
  • From Private Spearfish Canyon Tour: $650
  • Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in South Dakota: $275
  • Mount Rushmore Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
  • Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show: $164
  • NEW! Half Day Tour of the Black Hills: $289

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Minneapolis $24
    Rapid City $6.93

Sample the Local Flavors in Minneapolis

Also in Minneapolis, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • History and 4-Bar Crawl Guided Walking Tour: $69
  • All-Inclusive Minneapolis Craft Brewery Tour: $85
  • 3-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $100


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Minneapolis Expensive? and Is Rapid City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Minneapolis or Rapid City?

Minneapolis has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Rapid City. When comparing the sizes of Minneapolis and Rapid City, 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.