Should you visit Orlando or Charleston?
Should I visit Orlando or Charleston? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Orlando
Orlando is a haven for tourists from the entire United States and abroad. The most famous sight in Orlando, Walt Disney World, is not actually located in the city at all, but in nearby Lake Buena Vista. The area attracts over 50 million visitors a year and the city's sprawling development has created amenities and entertainment options for tourists of all ages.
Charleston
Charleston is a beautiful, southern city and seaport town in South Carolina. It has a wonderful, historic downtown area that the city government works hard to maintain. Located on a peninsula that is created by two rivers, the city is a stunning setting with much character. It is a popular place to visit for its culture, architecture and cuisine. In recent years Charleston has gained popularity and it continues to grow as both a regional and international travel destination. With its rising popularity comes increasing costs. Travel costs continue to go up as restaurants and hotels raise their prices, particularly during the peak travel season and holiday periods.
Which city is cheaper, Charleston or Orlando?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Orlando is $240, while the average daily cost in Charleston is $136. 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 Orlando and Charleston in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $224 in Orlando For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
A hotel room in Charleston is about $144 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
The price of a meal in Orlando can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $50 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $20 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
On average, meal and food prices in Charleston cost around $46 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Orlando $50
Charleston $46
Typical Food prices in Orlando
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Orlando:
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Lunch for Two at Epcot
$29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Orlando
For Orlando, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show, Orlando:
$34
-
The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show:
$34
-
Mango's Tropical Cafe Dinner & Show Tickets:
$50
-
Mango's Tropical Cafe Orlando Dinner and Show Ticket:
$50
-
The Rock Dinner Show in Orlando:
$51
-
Food Tour of Celebration:
$55
-
Pirates Dinner Adventure Orlando:
$57
-
Downtown Food Tour:
$60
-
WonderWorks and Outta Control Dinner Show VIP Combo:
$64
-
Audubon Park Garden District Food Tour:
$85
-
Cowboy Rodeo Adventure Tour & BBQ Dinner from Orlando:
$89
-
Dinner with Disney Characters by Limousine:
$119
Typical Food prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of dining costs in Charleston are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Charleston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Charleston.
-
Charleston Harbor: Luxury Dinner Cruise & Live Music:
$66
-
Downtown Charleston Culinary Walking Food Tour:
$73
-
Savor the Flavors of Charleston Walking Food Tour:
$75
-
Charleston's Savor the Flavors of Upper King Street Walking Food Tour:
$75
-
Charleston Chef's Kitchen Guided Walking Food Tour:
$75
-
Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Charleston:
$129
-
Undiscovered 1/2 Day Food, Wine & History Tour with Cooking Class:
$154
-
3-Hour Secret Food Tour in Charleston w/ Private Tour Option:
$277
Local Transportation
To get around in Orlando, the average visitor spends $48 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $26 per day to get around in Charleston.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Orlando
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Orlando are as follows:
-
Parking
$14
-
Taxi Ride
$45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Orlando
Also for Orlando, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Orlando International Airport Shared Shuttle Transfers:
$15
-
Orlando Attractions Roundtrip Transfer:
$19
-
Private Departure Transfer to Orlando Sanford Airport (SFB):
$24
-
Private Arrival Transfer - from Orlando Sanford Airport (SFB):
$24
-
Shared Orlando Cruise Port Transfer: Airport to Port:
$32
-
Shared Orlando Cruise Port Transfer: Port to Airport:
$32
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Orlando to Orlando International Airport (MCO):
$39
-
Private Airport Transfer: Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Orlando:
$39
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Orlando Int. Airport (MCO) to Walt Disney World:
$39
-
Disney World or Universal Studios transfer to Orlando Airport MCO up to 4 pax:
$45
-
Disney World Resort to Orlando Airport MCO. Private Transfer Up to 4 pax:
$45
-
Orlando (MCO) Airport transfer to / from Orlando area hotels (One Way) Regular:
$52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charleston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Charleston:
-
Private transfer: Charleston to Charleston Airport (CHS):
$622
-
Charleston city to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer:
$124
-
Private Departure Transfer to Charleston Airport (CHS):
$52
Is it cheaper to fly into Orlando or Charleston?
Prices for flights to both Charleston and Orlando 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
In Orlando, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $163 per person, per day.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $17 per person, per day in Charleston. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Typical Entertainment prices in Orlando
For Orlando, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Orlando
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Orlando.
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A Walk Around Lake Eola Audio Tour:
$6.65
-
Port Canaveral Cruise shuttles:
$15
-
Port Canaveral Cruise shuttles:
$15
-
Factory Adventure Tour in Chocolate Kingdom:
$18
-
Chocolate Kingdom Factory Tour:
$18
-
Orlando Walking Ghost Tour:
$20
-
Titanic - The Artifact Exhibition Ticket:
$24
-
Crayola Experience Orlando Ticket:
$25
-
Lost Caverns Adventure Golf:
$29
-
Skip the Line: Indoor Kart Racing Experience Ticket:
$32
-
The Escape Game Epic 60-Minute Adventures:
$37
-
Kennedy Space Center Tour:
$49
Typical Entertainment prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Charleston are as follows:
-
Patriots Point (for 2)
$60
Tours and Activities in Charleston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Charleston are as follows:
-
2-Hour Guided Kayaking Eco Tour in Charleston:
$48
-
2-Hour Paddle Board Eco Tour of Charleston Lowcountry:
$48
-
90-Minute Historic Walking Tour of Charleston:
$25
-
Amazing Ladies of Charleston Walking Tour:
$35
-
Best of Historic Charleston Walking Tour:
$35
-
Boone Hall Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston:
$61
-
Bruce Knows Insider Walking Tour of Downtown:
$26
-
Car Service: Airport to / from Cruise Port:
$130
-
Charleston Attraction & Tour Pass for 1, 2, or 3 Days:
$73
-
Charleston Boo Hag & Brews Walking Ghost and Bar Tour:
$29
-
Charleston Chicora Walking Tour:
$26
-
Charleston City Bus Tour with Charleston Museum Admission:
$32
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Orlando, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $24.
The average person spends about $28 on alcoholic beverages in Charleston per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Orlando
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Orlando:
-
Florida Craft Beer & Brewery Tour:
$65
Sample the Local Flavors in Charleston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charleston:
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Charleston Bar Hunt: Charleston Chase Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Ghost Walking Tour and Pub Crawl in Haunted Charleston:
$27
-
Haunted Pub Crawl of the Market:
$37
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Orlando and Charleston, we can see that Orlando is more expensive. And not only is Charleston much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Charleston would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Charleston 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 Orlando would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Orlando than you might in Charleston.
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