Should you visit Monterey or Palm Springs?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Monterey and Palm Springs. 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. So, let's dig into it.
Monterey
When it comes to California, Monterey may not be mentioned half as much as you hear about Los Angeles or San Francisco, but it is a beautiful city to visit, with a diverse expanse of exciting and relaxing things to do, whether you're looking for adventure, a quiet getaway, or romance.
Located on California's central coast, the city of Monterey was the first State Capital of California. It was also home to many artists, athletes, and musicians, such as John Steinbeck, Clint Eastwood, and Ron Johnson.
Monterey has mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm, dry summers. Cold season runs from December to April and warm season, from July until October. The peak travel seasons are during summer, from July to September. If you want to avoid crowds, the months of April and October are ideal times to visit for fewer crowds and comfortable weather.
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert resort town located about two hours east of Los Angeles, most famously known as Hollywood's playground, where stars and starlets could escape for rest and relaxation but still be close enough to return for impromptu work.
It's no wonder that Palm Springs is increasingly popular as a weekend getaway for special occasions, and even for bachelor and bachelorette parties. Closer than the typical Las Vegas weekend for Southern California residents, Palm Springs provides a desert getaway with endless possibilities of activities, whether visitors want to gamble, shop, hike, or wander through an art gallery.
Climate in the high-desert is generally warm with highs in the 100s during the hot and dry summers, and lows in the mid 40s in the winter months, with sparse rainfall. However, if you're visiting during winter, be sure to pack versatile attire and layers as the days may be warm, but the nights in the low desert can get chilly enough to convince you to change into long pants.
Which city is cheaper, Palm Springs or Monterey?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Monterey is $136, while the average daily cost in Palm Springs is $165. 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 Monterey and Palm Springs in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Monterey, $144 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Monterey, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $72, such as in a hostel.
Palm Springs's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $192. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $96.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Monterey cost around $45 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $18.
On average, meal and food prices in Palm Springs cost around $42 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $17.
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Food
Meals for one day
Monterey $45
Palm Springs $42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palm Springs
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Palm Springs.
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Private French-Inspired Cooking Class with a Fun Local:
$72
Local Transportation
Monterey's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $26 per person, per day on transportation in Monterey.
The cost of a taxi ride in Palm Springs is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $42 per person, per day, on local transportation in Palm Springs.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Monterey
Also for Monterey, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Monterey Peninsula Airport One Way Transfer:
$43
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Private transfer from Monterey to SFO:
$370
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palm Springs
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Palm Springs:
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Palm Springs Private Transfer To San Diego, CA.:
$398
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Palm Springs International Airport One Way Transfer:
$37
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Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) to SANTA ANA - Arrival Private Transfer:
$365
-
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) to ONTARIO -Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$597
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Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) to ONTARIO - Arrival Private Transfer:
$299
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Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to SANTA ANA - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$729
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Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to PALM SPRINGS - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$197
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Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to PALM SPRINGS - Arrival Private Transfer:
$98
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Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to PALM DESERT - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$212
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Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to PALM DESERT - Arrival Private Transfer:
$106
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Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to LOS ANGELES - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$970
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Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to LOS ANGELES - Arrival Private Transfer:
$485
Is it cheaper to fly into Monterey or Palm Springs?
Prices for flights to both Palm Springs and Monterey 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Monterey can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $22 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Entertainment and activities in Palm Springs typically cost an average of $23 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Monterey
For Monterey, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Historic Cannery Row: Explore John Steinbeck's Monterey on an audio walking tour:
$5.00
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Monterey State Historic Park and Fisherman’s Wharf: A seaside audio walking tour:
$5.20
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Big Sur Self-Driving Audio Tour in California (Highway 1, Pacific Coast Highway):
$7.60
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Scenic 17 Mile Drive Self-Driving Audio Tour:
$8.00
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17-Mile Drive Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$10
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The Original Monterey Walking Tours: Guided Tours of Historic Monterey 10 AM:
$25
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The Original Monterey Walking Tours : Guided Tours of Cannery Row 2 PM:
$27
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3-Hour Monterey Bay Winter Whale-Watching Tour in California:
$65
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Half-Day Whale Watching Tour From Monterey:
$75
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1-Hour Monterey and Cannery Row Sea Car Tour:
$75
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17-Mile Drive Bike Tour:
$79
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Scenic Half-Day Self-Guided Electric Scooter Tour:
$90
Tours and Activities in Palm Springs
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Palm Springs are as follows:
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Indian Canyons Walking Tour by Jeep from Palm Desert:
$250
-
Indian Canyons Walking Tour by Jeep from Palm Springs:
$250
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Modern & More Bike Tours Palm Springs:
$55
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Mods & Icons Tour of Palm Springs:
$127
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Palm Springs All-City Tour:
$323
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Palm Springs Day Tour and Outlet Shopping from Los Angeles:
$169
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Palm Springs Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour:
$29
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Palm Springs Windmill Self-Driving Tour Interactive Fun Safe:
$49
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Playground of the Stars Palm Springs Tour:
$323
-
Private Golden Days Tour of Palm Springs:
$323
-
Private Tour of Joshua Tree National Park from Palm Springs:
$495
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The Legends & Icons Tour of Palm Springs:
$114
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Monterey spend on average $17 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $10 on alcoholic beverages in Palm Springs per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Monterey and Palm Springs, we can see that Palm Springs is more expensive. And not only is Monterey much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Monterey would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Monterey 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 Palm Springs would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Palm Springs than you might in Monterey.
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