Which place is cheaper, California or North Carolina?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit North Carolina or California?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 North Carolina and California can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: North Carolina or California?
North Carolina
North Carolina is a diverse state in the southern United States. The state has a variety of landscapes, with mountains, forests, and beaches all represented. The state's elevation ranges from sea level to 6,684 feet on Mount Mitchell, which is the highest point in North America east of the Mississippi. There are large cosmopolitan cities like Charlotte, and there are quaint college towns like Chapel Hill. North Carolina is the nineth most populous state in the country and the economy is currently centered around engineering, energy, biotechnology, and finance. Historically, the state's economy developed from the tobacco, textile, and furniture making industries.
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 2-Week Tours from New York City, The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage, The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNorth Carolina $0.00California $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in North Carolina is $0.00, while the average daily cost in California is $0.00. 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 North Carolina and California in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNorth Carolina -California $523
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNorth Carolina $0.00California $1,046
Compare Hotels in North Carolina and California
Looking for a hotel in North Carolina 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.North Carolina -California -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer from John Wayne Orange County Airport SNA: $32
- Private Departure Transfer to John Wayne Orange County Airport SNA: $32
- Snow Summit to Ontario Airport (ONT) - Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco Airport to City: $35
- Ontario City to Ontario Airport (ONT) - Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Ontario Airport (ONT) to Ontario City - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Shared Airport Departure Transfer Anaheim and Orange County to John Wayne Airport: $38
- Shared ride Arrival Transfer John Wayne airport to Anaheim hotels: $38
- Private Arrival Airport Transfer from LAX (Los Angeles) Airport: $39
- Private Departure Transfer to Burbank Airport (BUR): $40
- Private Arrival Transfer from Burbank Airport (BUR): $40
- San Francisco Airport (SFO) to Oakland - Arrival Private Transfer: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into North Carolina or California?
Prices for flights to both California and North Carolina 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 dayNorth Carolina -California -
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 Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $66
- Thai Cooking Class in Fullerton near Disneyland: $66
- Encinitas Food Tour: $70
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $78
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $79
- Silverlake Food Tour with Comedian Guide : $79
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- Little Italy Food and Drink Walking Tour: Pizza, Pasta & Piazzas: $81
- Private French Cooking Class in La Jolla with Andrea: $88
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.North Carolina -California -
Tours and Activities in North Carolina
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for North Carolina are as follows:
- Art Tour | Durham NC: A downtown art immersion walk: $10
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Avalon City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Historical San Anselmo: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.24
- San Diego Balboa Park Quest Experience: $5.74
- San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.99
- Los Angeles: Los Angeles Chargers Football Game Ticket: $6.02
- Los Angeles Chargers Football Game Ticket at SoFi Stadium: $6.04
- Gold Rush and Ghosts of Sacramento Smart Phone guided (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $6.75
- Carmel’s Hidden Gems Discovery Walk & Self-Guided Tour: $6.95
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Essential Downtown SLO: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Gaslamp District Quest Experience in San Diego: $7.18
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNorth Carolina -California -
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Self Guided Tour and Bar Crawl in Chinatown San Francisco: $5.00
- Sacramento Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl: $12
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- Calaveras and Tuolumne Digital Wine Tasting Pass: $19
- Placer County Wine Tasting Pass: $19
- Apple Hill and Carson Road Digital Wine Tasting with Pass: $19
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- Wine Tasting Audio Tour - Amador County CA: $30
- Wine Tasting Audio Tour - Lodi California: $35
- Napa Private Wine Tour: $35
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
When comparing the travel costs between North Carolina and California, we can see that North Carolina is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is North Carolina Expensive? and Is California Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, North Carolina or California?
California has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of North Carolina. When comparing the sizes of North Carolina 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.