Should you visit Myrtle Beach or Virginia Beach?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Myrtle Beach and Virginia Beach can help you decide which place is right for you.
Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular and touristy beach destinations on the South Atlantic coast. It's a popular spring break destination for college kids and there is no shortage of hotels and entertainment options along the beach front. It's also well known as a golfing destination, and it has some wonderful seafood restaurants and shopping areas. If you're looking for a natural, relaxed beach destination, Myrtle Beach is not your best option, but if you're looking for the thrills of club hopping, wonderful food options, and souvenir shopping opportunities, then Myrtle Beach is where it's at.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. It's a popular beach destination and has many of the characteristics of most southeastern beach towns. There are many activities that you can enjoy and there's a concrete boardwalk that runs parallel to the water for about three miles. The boardwalk is a fun place to walk or bicycle. The beach itself is wide and sandy and is a great place to soak up some sun. During the summer months and school holidays it can get quite crowded and you might struggle to find a place for your towel and beach chairs. There are also many beach side resorts that line the water front. Most have pools and hot tubs where you can relax and some hotels have indoor pools as well, which can be nice during the cool winter months.
Which city is cheaper, Virginia Beach or Myrtle Beach?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Myrtle Beach is $139, while the average daily cost in Virginia Beach is $104. 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 Myrtle Beach and Virginia Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
Myrtle Beach's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $140. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $70.
The prices for places to stay in Virginia Beach can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $60, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $120.
Food
The average traveler spends about $45 per day in Myrtle Beach for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Food in Virginia Beach costs travelers about $25 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Myrtle Beach $45
Virginia Beach $25
Typical Food prices in Myrtle Beach
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Myrtle Beach:
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Dinner for Two
$49
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Diner Breakfast for Two
$21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Myrtle Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Myrtle Beach.
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Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show Ticket in Myrtle Beach:
$50
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Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Admission Ticket in Myrtle Beach:
$53
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $19 per day to get around in Myrtle Beach.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Virginia Beach than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $31 on transportation in Virginia Beach on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Myrtle Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Myrtle Beach:
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Myrtle Beach Intl. Airport (MYR) to Myrtle Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$291
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Myrtle Beach to Myrtle Beach Intl. Airport (MYR) - Departure Private Transfer:
$146
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Myrtle Beach Intl. Airport (MYR) to Myrtle Beach - Arrival Private Transfer:
$146
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Private Departure Transfer to Myrtle Beach Airport (MYR):
$38
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Private Arrival Transfer from Myrtle Beach Airport MYR:
$38
Typical Local Transportation prices in Virginia Beach
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Virginia Beach:
Is it cheaper to fly into Myrtle Beach or Virginia Beach?
Prices for flights to both Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach 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
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $36 per person, per day in Myrtle Beach. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Sightseeing expenses in Virginia Beach, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $17 per day, per person.
Typical Entertainment prices in Myrtle Beach
Here are a few typical costs in Myrtle Beach for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Mini Golf for Two
$18
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Beach Chairs
$15
Tours and Activities in Myrtle Beach
Here are a few actual costs in Myrtle Beach for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Charleston Sightseeing Day Trip with Lunch from Myrtle Beach:
$139
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Early Myrtle Beach and The War Years Trolley Tour:
$40
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From Charleston Historic Tour:
$136
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Guided Myrtle Beach Kayak Tour:
$56
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Guided Stand-Up Paddleboard Tour:
$55
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Local Folklore and Family Fortunes Near Myrtle Beach Trolley Tour:
$40
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Myrtle Beach Boardwalk Food & Sightseeing Tour:
$276
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Myrtle Beach History, Movies and Music Trolley Tour:
$40
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Myrtle Beach Military History Trolley Tour:
$40
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Waccamaw River Nature & Wildlife Tours:
$32
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WonderWorks Myrtle Beach All Access Ticket:
$30
Tours and Activities in Virginia Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Virginia Beach.
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Sunset Stand Up Paddleboard Tour of Linkhorn Bay:
$41
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Wetland Zip Tour:
$61
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Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tours:
$62
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Small Group Dolphin Kayak Eco-Tour:
$62
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RIDE ALONG GREEK GODS & AQUATISM *Certified Tours*:
$75
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Tour of Virginia Beach (half day), for GROUPS of 10-16:
$499
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Tour of Virginia Beach, for GROUPS of 10-16:
$831
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All-Inclusive, Autumn Weekend Tour for GROUPS of 10-16:
$5,901
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Myrtle Beach may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $13 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Virginia Beach, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $8.51.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Myrtle Beach and Virginia Beach, we can see that Myrtle Beach is more expensive. And not only is Virginia Beach much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Virginia Beach would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Virginia Beach 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 Myrtle Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Myrtle Beach than you might in Virginia Beach.
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