Should you visit Orlando or Philadelphia?
Should I visit Orlando or Philadelphia? 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.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is the fourth largest urban area, and the fifth largest city in the United States. It's located in southeastern Pennsylvania and has a rich history, having once been the capital of the United States. The city has very impressive architecture, museums, universities, and entertainment venues. It's a cultural and artistic center for the country and it continues to climb as a top travel destination.
Which city is cheaper, Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia is $151. 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 Philadelphia 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.
The prices for places to stay in Philadelphia can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $95, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $190.
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.
Philadelphia food costs typically run travelers around $39 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Orlando $50
Philadelphia $39
Typical Food prices in Orlando
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Orlando:
-
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 Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Flavors of Philly Food Tour:
$44
-
Decadent Gourmet Food Tour:
$44
-
Flavors of Philly Food Tour:
$52
-
Highlights of East Passyunk Food Tour:
$54
-
South Philly Italian Family Dinner Tour:
$75
-
Historic Food Tour:
$78
-
Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Philadelphia:
$90
-
Spirit of Philadelphia Dinner Cruise with Buffet:
$107
-
Secret Food Tours Philadelphia w/ Private Tour Option:
$193
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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Philadelphia than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $22 on transportation in Philadelphia on average per day.
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:
-
Universal/North I-Drive Hotels to Orlando Airport Private Transfer:
$69
-
Universal Studios to Cruise Port Canaveral. Private Transfer Up to 10 pax:
$128
-
Universal Studios Resorts to Orlando Airport MCO. Private Transfer Up to 10 pax:
$58
-
Universal Studios Resort to Cruise Port Canaveral. Private Transfer up to 4 pax:
$112
-
Transfer to / from Miami Area and Ports:
$325
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Orlando downtown to Orlando Airport:
$55
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Orlando Airport to Orlando downtown:
$55
-
Transfer in private minivan from Orlando downtown to Orlando Airport:
$67
-
Transfer in private minivan from Orlando Airport to Orlando downtown:
$67
-
Transfer from Orlando to Cape Canaveral/Cruises/Cocoa Beach:
$98
-
Transfer from Orlando International Airport to Orlando:
$87
-
Transfer from Orlando International Airport to Central Florida:
$80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Philadelphia
Also for Philadelphia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer: Philadelphia to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL):
$622
-
Private Transfer: Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Philadelphia:
$622
-
Philadelphia City to Washington City - Private Car Transfer:
$392
-
Philadelphia City to Baltimore City - Private Car Transfer:
$311
-
Philadelphia to New York J.F. Kennedy Airport(JFK) - Departure Private Transfer:
$286
-
Philadelphia to New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$280
-
Philadelphia City to New York City - Private Car Transfer:
$267
-
Philadelphia to Newark International Airport (EWR) - Departure Private Transfer:
$243
-
Arrival Private Transfer Philadelphia Airport PHL to Philadelphia by Minibus:
$204
-
Departure Private Transfer Philadelphia to Philadelphia Airport PHL by Minibus:
$204
-
Private transfer from or to MDT , PHL airports , Philadelphia and Harrisburg, PA:
$200
-
RoundTrip transfer in executive private minivan from-to Airpt-Philadelphia City:
$191
Is it cheaper to fly into Orlando or Philadelphia?
Prices for flights to both Philadelphia 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.
Sightseeing expenses in Philadelphia, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $22 per day, per person.
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.
-
1-Hour Airboat Sunset Tour (Seasonal):
$72
-
1-Hour Private Ski Boat Experience in Florida:
$69
-
2-Park 1-Day Universal Orlando™ Theme Park Tickets:
$174
-
2-Park 2-Day Universal Orlando™ Theme Park Tickets:
$275
-
8-Hour Automatic Polaris Slingshot SL Adventure Rental:
$193
-
A Walk Around Lake Eola Audio Tour:
$6.65
-
Central Florida Everglades Airboat Tour from Orlando:
$59
-
Central Florida Everglades and Safari Park Tour:
$129
-
Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens Admission Ticket:
$20
-
Chef Nite Dining Experience:
$150
-
City Tour of Orlando with Gospel Brunch:
$109
-
Clearwater Beach Deep Sea Fishing Adventure with Lunch:
$149
Typical Entertainment prices in Philadelphia
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Philadelphia's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
1776 History and Cheesesteak Tour:
$28
-
2-Day Philadelphia Tour from Boston:
$549
-
2-Hour German-Language Historic Walking Tour:
$195
-
Amazing Philadelphia Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$44
-
Art and Controversy: An audio tour of Philadelphia's most infamous art scandals:
$5.00
-
Badass Women's History Tour of Philadelphia:
$40
-
Beyond the [Liberty] Bell History Tour:
$40
-
Brandywine Valley Tour with Private Driver:
$581
-
Cemetery and Serial Killers Walking Tour of Philadelphia:
$35
-
City Sightseeing Philadelphia Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour:
$36
-
Colonial Era Philadelphia Waterfront Walking Tour:
$215
-
Colonial Philadelphia Waterfront Walking Tour:
$195
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.
Typically, people visiting Philadelphia spend on average $17 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
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 Philadelphia
Also in Philadelphia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Haunted Pub Crawl:
$45
-
Philadelphia Prohibition Pub Crawl:
$45
-
Haunted Pub Crawl:
$45
-
2-Hour Philly on Tap Pub Tour:
$65
-
Sip of Philly Brewery Tour:
$79
-
2-Hour Old City Wine Tasting Tour:
$96
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Orlando and Philadelphia, we can see that Orlando is more expensive. And not only is Philadelphia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Philadelphia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia.
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