A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Port-au-Prince vs. Carmel-by-the-Sea for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Port-au-Prince or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Port-au-Prince and Carmel-by-the-Sea. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Port-au-Prince or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince is the capital city and most-populous city of Haiti. The metropolitan area is divided into several districts with access to a number of landmarks and museums, as well as a lively cultural scene.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

A small, beach town on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel-by-the-Sea is known for its idyllic natural scenery and artistic history. Carmel's village, just one square mile in size, is unlike any other in California with its picturesque views, European style and unusual laws.

Clint Eastwood served as mayor of Carmel from 1986-88. Without a single fast food or chain restaurants, visitors can easily feel that Carmel still preserves its slow and easy lifestyle, with all private-owned restaurants, coffee shops and pubs. This town is undoubtedly charming, even with its anti-high heel laws (though they aren't strictly enforced and permits are free at the City Hall), lack of street addresses and has been named the top destination for dog-friendly towns in the country. Grab your furry friends, leave your heels at home and get ready to explore this quaint and lovely town by the sea.

If you want to avoid the heat, Carmel is the perfect place to go, with year-round mild temperatures. Even during the summer seasons, you may not feel the heat through the fog and cool coastal weather. Peak seasons for travel are during summer months in August and September, (especially popular for weddings) and even then, the highs are still in the low 70s. Winter season lows dip only down to low 50s, with the Pacific Oceans maintaining moderate temperatures.

If you're driving to the city, keep in mind that the businesses do not have numbers in their addresses. To get directions or arrange a meeting, be sure to remember the name of the business and grab a map from the Carmel Chamber of Commerce.

Some famous artists who have resided in Carmel are Upton Sinclair, Jack London and Mary Austin. Carmel is known to be particularly dog-friendly, as almost all hotels allow guests to bring their dogs.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage.


Which place is cheaper, Carmel-by-the-Sea or Port-au-Prince?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Port-au-Prince is $28, while the average daily cost in Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 Port-au-Prince and Carmel-by-the-Sea in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Port-au-Prince $22
    Carmel-by-the-Sea -
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Port-au-Prince $44
    Carmel-by-the-Sea $0.00
Compare Hotels in Port-au-Prince and Carmel-by-the-Sea

Looking for a hotel in Port-au-Prince or Carmel-by-the-Sea? 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.

Hotels in Port-au-Prince


Hotels in Carmel-by-the-Sea


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: Carmel-by-the-Sea Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Port-au-Prince $4.73
    Carmel-by-the-Sea $125

Is it cheaper to fly into Port-au-Prince or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Prices for flights to both Carmel-by-the-Sea and Port-au-Prince 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 day
    Port-au-Prince $3.69
    Carmel-by-the-Sea $153

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

  • Thai Cooking Class in Monterey: $99

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Port-au-Prince $0.76
    Carmel-by-the-Sea -

Tours and Activities in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Carmel-by-the-Sea are as follows:

  • Fairy Tale Houses Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
  • Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between San Francisco & Monterey: $7.99
  • Carmel-by-the-Sea's Fairytale Houses: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
  • Downtown A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
  • Off the Beaten Path in A Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
  • Historic Cannery Row: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of John Steinbeck's Monterey: $7.99
  • 17 Mile Drive: A Self-Guide Audio Tour of Pebble Beach’s Historical Highlights: $9.99
  • Discover Enchanted Cottages: A Carmel-by-the-Sea Audio Tour: $11
  • Scenic 17-Mile Drive Tour - Self Drive Audio Guide from Monterey & Carmel: $15
  • Point Lobos - A Private Charming Ocean Tour: $15
  • Big Sur Self-Driving Audio Tour: Highway 1, Pacific Coast Highway: $17
  • Monterey: Ocean Paradise, Trolley and Walking Tour: $20

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Port-au-Prince $0.20
    Carmel-by-the-Sea -

Sample the Local Flavors in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Carmel-by-the-Sea:

  • Wine Tasting and Walking Tour of Carmel-by-the-Sea: $149
  • Wine Tasting and Walking Tour of Carmel-by-the-Sea: $149


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Port-au-Prince and Carmel-by-the-Sea, we can see that Port-au-Prince is more expensive. And not only is Carmel-by-the-Sea much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Port-au-Prince is in Caribbean Islands and Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 Port-au-Prince would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Port-au-Prince than you might in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Port-au-Prince Expensive? and Is Carmel-by-the-Sea Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Port-au-Prince or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Port-au-Prince has a larger population, and is about 300 times larger than the population of Carmel-by-the-Sea. When comparing the sizes of Port-au-Prince and Carmel-by-the-Sea, 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.