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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNorth Carolina $185California $252
The average daily cost (per person) in North Carolina is $185, while the average daily cost in California is $252. 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 $112California $116
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNorth Carolina $224California $232
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 $36California $43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private One-way Airport Transfer (San Francisco Airport To/From San Francisco): $16
- Private Transfer: Los Angeles Airport (LAX) to LA City Center: $26
- One Way Transfer: Los Angeles from /to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) : $29
- 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
- Ontario Airport (ONT) to Snow Summit - Arrival Private Transfer: $33
- Santa Catalina to Catalina Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $35
- Avalon Airport (AVX) to Santa Catalina - Arrival Private Transfer: $35
- Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco Airport to City: $35
- Ontario Airport (ONT) to Ontario City - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Ontario City to Ontario Airport (ONT) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
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 $45California $48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California
For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
- Thai Cooking Class in Fullerton near Disneyland: $66
- Encinitas Food Tour: $70
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $75
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $79
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- Santa Monica Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $82
- San Diego Vegan Food Tour: $85
- Little Italy Food and Drink Walking Tour - Pizza, Pasta & Piazzas: $85
- Mission District Food Tour: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.North Carolina $25California $63
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
- The Heart of Los Angeles’ Dreamland: A Self-Guide Tour in Culver City: $5.99
- Cow Heaven: A Self-Guided Driving Tour from Point Reyes Seashore to Tomales: $5.99
- Gold Rush and Ghosts of Sacramento Smart Phone guided (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $6.75
- Food, History, and Resistance: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Essential Downtown SLO: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- LA Little Tokyo to Olvera St Smartphone (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $7.50
- San Francisco's Glen Park and Glen Canyon: A Self-Guided Tour: $7.55
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between San Francisco & Monterey: $7.99
- Sights of San Diego Harbor: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.99
- Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Bohemian Art Scene: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNorth Carolina $29California $21
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Long Beach Bar Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- Sacramento Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl: $12
- San Diego Bar Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Calaveras and Tuolumne Digital Wine Tasting Pass: $19
- Placer County Wine Tasting Pass: $19
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- Gaslamp Bar Crawls and Events: $20
- San Francisco Bar Crawl + Clubbing Experience: $27
- Wine Tasting Audio Tour - Amador County CA: $30
- Sunset Distillery with Local Whiskey or Cocktail Tasting: $40
- Walk with Spirits: A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco: $45
- Wine Tasting Around the World: $48
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between North Carolina and California, we can see that California is more expensive. And not only is North Carolina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to North Carolina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in North Carolina 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 California would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in California than you might in North Carolina.
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.