Which place is cheaper, Charleston or Port-au-Prince?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Port-au-Prince or Charleston?
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 Charleston. 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 Charleston?
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.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPort-au-Prince $28Charleston $170
The average daily cost (per person) in Port-au-Prince is $28, while the average daily cost in Charleston is $170. 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 Charleston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPort-au-Prince $22Charleston $90
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPort-au-Prince $44Charleston $180
Compare Hotels in Port-au-Prince and Charleston
Looking for a hotel in Port-au-Prince or Charleston? 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: Charleston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Port-au-Prince $4.73Charleston $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charleston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Charleston:
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Charleston city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $175
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Charleston city – Arrival Private Transfer: $88
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Folly Beach - Arrival Private Transfer: $104
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Kiawah/Seabrook Islands – Arrival Private Transfer: $118
- Charleston Airport to Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island -Roundtrip Private Transfer: $208
- Charleston Airport to Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island– Arrival Private Transfer: $104
- Charleston Airport: One-Way Transfer to Charleston: $153
- Charleston city to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $88
- Folly Beach to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $104
- From Boone Hall Plantation Entry with Transfers: $71
- Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island to Charleston Airport –Departure Private Transfer: $104
- Private Transfer from Charleston City to Charleston Cruise Port: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Port-au-Prince or Charleston?
Prices for flights to both Charleston 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
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Food Meals for one dayPort-au-Prince $3.69Charleston $58
Typical Food Prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of dining costs in Charleston are as follows:
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Lunch in downtown Charleston for two$21
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Breakfast$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Charleston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Charleston.
- Charleston Sunset Blues & BBQ Dinner Cruise: $72
- Charleston Harbor Luxury Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $88
- Luxury Harbor Dinner Cruise: $93
- Savor the Flavors Upper King Street Food Tour: $95
- Charleston Food Tour: $99
- Historic Downtown Food Tour with Tastings: $99
- 3-Hour Secret Food Tour: $108
- Charleston Farm-to-Table Food Tour and Chef's Challenge: $109
- Charleston Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $110
- Downtown Charleston Food Tour: $110
- Savor the Flavors of Charleston Walking Food Tour: $110
- Charleston's Savor the Flavors of Upper King Street Walking Food Tour: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Port-au-Prince $0.76Charleston $22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Charleston are as follows:
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Patriots Point (for 2)$60
Tours and Activities in Charleston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Charleston are as follows:
- The French Quarter: GPS Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $5.99
- Self-Guided Ghost Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided "The French Quarter Charleston" Solo Walking Tour: $7.50
- Cinematic, Self Guided Audio Ghost Tour in Charleston: $10
- Self-Guided Highlights Walking Audio Tour: $12
- 300 Years of War and Peacetime in A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Self-Guided Audio History Walking Tour: $12
- Charleston Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $15
- Trolley Tour in Wadmalaw Island of South Carolina: $17
- Charleston's Miracle Mile: Church and Cemetery Walking Tour: $21
- History & Storytelling Tour: $24
- The Ghosts of Liberty Guided Walking Tour: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPort-au-Prince $0.20Charleston $36
Sample the Local Flavors in Charleston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charleston:
- Charleston Women and Wine Tour: $20
- Women and Wine Tour: $20
- Charleston Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $27
- Guided Pub Crawl and Haunted History Tour: $30
- Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl Shared Tour in Charleston : $35
- Speakeasy Sagas Prohibition Pub Crawl: $35
- Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- Historic District Haunted Pub Crawl Tour: $40
- Charleston Brewery District Cruise (Public Tour): $95
- Wadmalaw Island Wine Tasting and Tea Garden Trip: $135
- Half Day Party Bus Brewery Tour of Charleston: $140
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Port-au-Prince and Charleston, we can see that Charleston is more expensive. And not only is Port-au-Prince much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Port-au-Prince is in Caribbean Islands and Charleston 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 Port-au-Prince would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Port-au-Prince 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 Charleston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Charleston than you might in Port-au-Prince.
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 Charleston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Port-au-Prince or Charleston?
Port-au-Prince has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Charleston. When comparing the sizes of Port-au-Prince and Charleston, 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.