Which place is cheaper, San Francisco or Podgorica?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Podgorica or San Francisco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Podgorica or San Francisco, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Podgorica or San Francisco?
Podgorica
Podgorica is Montenegro's capital city, and also its largest. Dating back to the Ottoman Empire, World War II destroyed much of this history, but there are a few Turkish remnants worth visiting. Podgorica's central location often makes the city a good starting point for day trips to coastal cities or mountain resorts.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Montenegro, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Montenegro, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPodgorica $112San Francisco $222
The average daily cost (per person) in Podgorica is $112, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $222. 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 Podgorica and San Francisco in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPodgorica $49San Francisco $130
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPodgorica $98San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Podgorica and San Francisco
Looking for a hotel in Podgorica or San Francisco? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Podgorica Hotel Prices and San Francisco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Podgorica $21San Francisco $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Podgorica
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Podgorica:
- Private transfer from Podgorica Airport or city to Tirana Airport: $274
- Private Transfer from Podgorica Airport (TGD) to Lustica: $263
- Transfer from Podgorica to Sarajevo: $252
- Tivat to Podgorica one way transfer: $210
- Kotor to Podgorica one way transfer: $205
- Private Transfer from Podgorica Airport (TGD) to Herceg Novi: $156
- Private Transfer from Podgorica Airport (TGD) to Tivat Airport (TIV): $136
- Budva to Podgorica one way transfer: $118
- Private Transfer from Podgorica Airport (TGD) to Tivat downtown: $117
- Transfer from Podgorica Airport and city to Tivat : $109
- Private transfer from Airport Podgorica and city to Kotor: $109
- Transfer from Podgorica Airport to Budva (and viceversa): $108
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
-
Taxi to SFO$45
-
Golden Gate Bridge Toll$6.00
-
Alcatraz Tour$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco Airport to City: $35
- Private Departure Transfer to San Francisco Airport SFO: $44
- Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco City to Airport: $55
- San Francisco to Oakland Airport (OAK) Private Departure Transfer: $64
- San Francisco Airport to San Francisco Private Arrival Transfer: $79
- Round trip transfer in private vehicle from-to Airport in San Francisco: $80
- SFO Airport Private Transfer to/from Downtown San Francisco: $97
- Airport Transfer: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Francisco: $107
- Private Airport Transfer: San Francisco to SF International Airport (SFO): $107
- Departure Private Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO in Business Car: $108
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $108
- Private Transfer from San Francisco to Airport SFO in Business Car: $108
Is it cheaper to fly into Podgorica or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco and Podgorica 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
-
Food Meals for one dayPodgorica $43San Francisco $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
- North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $79
- Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Bay: $82
- Secret Food Tours San Francisco: $84
- Mission District Food Tour with Tastings: $85
- Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $87
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
- San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
- San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $89
- Mission District Walking Food Tour: $89
- Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $89
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Podgorica $22San Francisco $46
Tours and Activities in Podgorica
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Podgorica are as follows:
- ATV Private Tour Montenegro – Žabljak Crnojevića: $335
- ATV Tour Montenegro - Žabljak Crnojevića: $196
- Bar and Ulcinj Private Tour - Oriental Montenegro Experience: $241
- Biogradska Gora - Biograd Lake & Moraca canyon - Skadar Lake tour: $157
- Bjelasica – Troglava – Zekova glava - Hiking Tour: $260
- Boat Cruise Viktor Skadar LakeVirpazar Kom MonasteryVirpazar: $14
- Book Your Tour Ostrog Monastery: $66
- Book Your Tour Podgorica by walk: $36
- Cheese farm tour in the katun: $281
- Durmitor - Black Lake & Tara River Canyon - North Montenegro tour: $226
- Durmitor National Park, Northern Fairy Tail -private tour from Podgorica: $180
- Durmitor mountain - Glacial lakes - Montenegro hiking tours: $208
Tours and Activities in San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
- Golden Gate Bridge: Self-guided Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- Self-Guided Golden Gate Bridge Bike or Walking App Tour: $5.00
- Embarcadero Self-Guided Audio Smartphone Tour: $5.99
- Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.99
- Leave your heart at the Wharf: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- San Francisco’s Chinatown on foot: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- San Francisco self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $6.46
- Food, History, and Resistance: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Japantown & Stories: $6.99
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Ghosts & Hauntings Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPodgorica $21San Francisco $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Podgorica
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Podgorica:
- Private Wine Tasting Activity at Lipovac Winery: $27
- Book Your Wine Tour: $78
- Podgorica Car Trip - Architecture, History, Wine tasting, Churches, Doclea city: $98
- Wine tasting in the family winery, feel the spirit: $121
- Montenegro: Nature, Locals & Wine Tour: $129
- Full Day Private Podgorica Wine Tour Experience: $159
- Skadar lake boat ride through "Montenegrin Amazon", wine tasting & Niagara falls: $197
Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
- Chinatown San Francisco’s Bar Crawl: An Audio Tour: $4.99
- SF Pub Crawl and Clubbing Experience: $27
- Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
- Walk with Spirits: A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco: $45
- 2 to 3 Hour Bar Crawl in Castro San Francisco: $49
- Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
- Private Wine Tour Napa or Sonoma from $99 per person up to 7 & Concierge Service: $99
- Small Group: Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour- San Francisco: $109
- Small Group: The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $109
- Big Bus Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $125
- Half-Day Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings: $126
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Podgorica and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco is more expensive. And not only is Podgorica much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Podgorica is in Europe and San Francisco is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Podgorica would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Podgorica 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco than you might in Podgorica.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Podgorica Expensive? and Is San Francisco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Podgorica or San Francisco?
San Francisco has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Podgorica. When comparing the sizes of Podgorica and San Francisco, 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.
When is the best time to visit Podgorica or San Francisco?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Podgorica or San Francisco in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Podgorica as well as San Francisco. Also, the beaches, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to San Francisco this time of year.
In July, Podgorica is generally much warmer than San Francisco. Daily temperatures in Podgorica average around 26°C (80°F), and San Francisco fluctuates around 63°F (17°C).
Podgorica usually gets more rain in July than San Francisco. Podgorica gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 0.1 inches (2 mm) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyPodgorica 26°C (80°F)San Francisco 63°F (17°C)
Should I visit Podgorica or San Francisco in the Autumn?
Both San Francisco and Podgorica are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, many travelers come to San Francisco for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Podgorica is around the same temperature as San Francisco in the autumn. The daily temperature in Podgorica averages around 17°C (63°F) in October, and San Francisco fluctuates around 63°F (17°C).
It's quite rainy in Podgorica. In October, Podgorica usually receives more rain than San Francisco. Podgorica gets 166 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 1.3 inches (33 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberPodgorica 17°C (63°F)San Francisco 63°F (17°C)
Should I visit Podgorica or San Francisco in the Winter?
Both San Francisco and Podgorica during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, many visitors come to San Francisco in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Podgorica is much colder than San Francisco. Typically, the winter temperatures in Podgorica in January average around 6°C (42°F), and San Francisco averages at about 50°F (10°C).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Podgorica. Podgorica usually gets more rain in January than San Francisco. Podgorica gets 192 mm (7.6 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 3.8 inches (96 mm) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryPodgorica 6°C (42°F)San Francisco 50°F (10°C)
Should I visit Podgorica or San Francisco in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Podgorica and San Francisco. Furthermore, most visitors come to San Francisco for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty during these months.
In April, Podgorica is generally around the same temperature as San Francisco. Daily temperatures in Podgorica average around 14°C (58°F), and San Francisco fluctuates around 58°F (14°C).
Podgorica gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Podgorica usually receives more rain than San Francisco. Podgorica gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while San Francisco receives 1.2 inches (31 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilPodgorica 14°C (58°F)San Francisco 58°F (14°C)
Typical Weather for San Francisco and Podgorica
| Podgorica | San Francisco | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 6°C (42°F) | 192 mm (7.6 in) | 50°F (10°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
| Feb | 8°C (46°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Mar | 11°C (51°F) | 159 mm (6.3 in) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Apr | 14°C (58°F) | 144 mm (5.7 in) | 58°F (14°C) | 1.2 inches (31 mm) |
| May | 19°C (67°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 60°F (15°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Jun | 23°C (73°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Jul | 26°C (80°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.1 inches (1 mm) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.3 inches (7 mm) |
| Oct | 17°C (63°F) | 166 mm (6.5 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.3 inches (33 mm) |
| Nov | 11°C (53°F) | 239 mm (9.4 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) |
| Dec | 7°C (45°F) | 217 mm (8.5 in) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.7 inches (68 mm) |
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.