Should you visit Monterey or San Francisco?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Monterey and San Francisco. 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.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
Which city is cheaper, San Francisco 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 San Francisco is $175. 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 San Francisco 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.
The prices for places to stay in San Francisco can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $106, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $212.
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 San Francisco cost around $32 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 $13.
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Food
Meals for one day
Monterey $45
San Francisco $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide:
$15
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Traveling Spoon Pad Thai and Papaya Salad Private Online Cooking Class:
$25
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Lonely Planet Experiences: North Beach & Chinatown Food Tour:
$66
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North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour:
$69
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Mission District Walking Food Tour:
$75
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San Francisco North Beach Food Tour:
$75
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Cooking with Ale: let's make Tiramisu - private groups:
$80
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San Francisco Food Tour: Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market:
$80
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Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour:
$82
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American Cooking Class in San Francisco with a Local near Golden Gate Park:
$82
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San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour:
$89
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Russian Hill Gourmet Food Tour:
$97
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.
San Francisco'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 $13 per person, per day on transportation in San Francisco.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Monterey
Also for Monterey, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private transfer from Monterey to SFO:
$370
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Monterey Peninsula Airport One Way Transfer:
$43
Typical Local Transportation prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
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Taxi to SFO
$45
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Golden Gate Bridge Toll
$6.00
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Alcatraz Tour
$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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San Fransisco Downtown to OAK Departure Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer:
$83
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San Fransisco Downtown to OAK Departure Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer:
$83
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San Fransisco Downtown to OAK Departure Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer:
$100
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Private One-Way Airport Transfer:
$220
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San Francisco to/from Yosemite National Park: 1-Way Transfer:
$109
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San Francisco to San José Airport (SJC) - Departure Private Transfer:
$160
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San Francisco to San Francisco Airport (SFO) - Departure Private Transfer:
$85
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San Francisco to Oakland Airport (OAK) - Departure Private Car Transfer:
$105
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San Francisco Round Trip Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer by Executive Sedan:
$130
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San Francisco Round Trip Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer by Executive SUV:
$150
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San Francisco Round Trip Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer:
$130
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San Francisco Hotels to San Francisco Airport Transfer:
$109
Is it cheaper to fly into Monterey or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco 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.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in San Francisco can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $37 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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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1-Hour Monterey and Cannery Row Sea Car Tour:
$75
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2-Hour Monterey and Pacific Grove Sea Car Tour:
$130
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3-Hour Monterey Bay Winter Whale-Watching Tour in California:
$65
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3-Hour Monterey, Cannery Row and Pacific Grove Sea Car Tour:
$178
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Big Sur Self-Driving Audio Tour in California (Highway 1, Pacific Coast Highway):
$7.60
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Half-Day Whale Watching Tour From Monterey:
$75
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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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Monterey and Carmel Day Tour & Golden Gate Bay Cruise:
$128
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Monterey and Carmel: Overnight Tour from San Francisco:
$229
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17-Mile Drive Bike Tour:
$79
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17-Mile Drive Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$10
Tours and Activities in San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
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1 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour:
$55
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1-Day Small-Group Napa Valley Tour for Wine Lovers:
$209
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1-Hour Golden Gate and Lombard GoRide Scooter Tour:
$54
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1.5-Hour Waterfront Mini Segway Tour:
$55
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1HR San Francisco Chinatown and Downtown GoCar Tour:
$71
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2 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour:
$79
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2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour & Alcatraz:
$150
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2-Day Muir Woods and Wine Country Tour from San Francisco:
$569
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2-Day San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Night Tour:
$79
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2-Day Yosemite National Park Tour from San Francisco:
$499
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2-Day Yosemite National Park Winter Tour from San Francisco:
$589
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2-Hour San Francisco Bay Happy Hour & Cocktail Cruises:
$35
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Monterey spend on average $17 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In San Francisco, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $15.
Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
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San Francisco Bar Hunt: Soul of San Francisco Bar Crawl:
$12
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3-Hour Pub Crawl in San Francisco:
$18
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San Francisco North Beach Pub Tour:
$58
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San Francisco North Beach Pub Crawl:
$60
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From Tri-Valley Half-Day Wine Tour:
$75
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Half-Day Sonoma Wine Tour:
$100
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San Francisco City & Wine tour:
$115
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Shore Excursion: Napa and Sonoma Ultimate Wine Tasting Experience Full-Day Tour:
$135
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Napa & Sonoma Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with Optional Lunch:
$135
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Full-Day Muir Woods with Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour:
$135
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Chariot wine tour:
$145
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Viticulture with Charm: Sonoma Valley Wine Tour from San Francisco:
$149
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Monterey and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco than you might in Monterey.
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