Which place is cheaper, Kailua-Kona or Rapid City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rapid City or Kailua-Kona?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Rapid City and Kailua-Kona can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Rapid City or Kailua-Kona?
Rapid City
Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.
Kailua-Kona
Kailua Kona, or Kona, as it is commonly referred, is the largest city on the western side of the Big Island of Hawaii. It's a popular destination for sport fishing, snorkeling, and its beautiful sunsets. Kona is protected by the mountains so it receives very little rain annually and has about 300 days of sunshine every year. The closest airport is Kona International Airport at Keahole, which receives flights from the mainland United States, Canada, as well as Honolulu and other islands. Once in town, you can walk around Kona, but if you hope to explore anywhere else on the Big Island you will need a car. To take full advantage of your Hawaiian vacation it really is recommended that you rent a car for at least a few days while you're on the island.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage, The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco, The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRapid City $116Kailua-Kona $231
The average daily cost (per person) in Rapid City is $116, while the average daily cost in Kailua-Kona is $231. 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 Rapid City and Kailua-Kona in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRapid City $60Kailua-Kona $141
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRapid City $120Kailua-Kona $282
Compare Hotels in Rapid City and Kailua-Kona
Looking for a hotel in Rapid City or Kailua-Kona? 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: Rapid City Hotel Prices and Kailua-Kona Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rapid City $53Kailua-Kona $45
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kailua-Kona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kailua-Kona are as follows:
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Rental Car for One Day$35
Is it cheaper to fly into Rapid City or Kailua-Kona?
Prices for flights to both Kailua-Kona and Rapid City 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 dayRapid City $23Kailua-Kona $58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Roller Coaster Tickets with Dinner and Show in Rapid City: $70
Typical Food Prices in Kailua-Kona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kailua-Kona are as follows:
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Buffet Breakfast for Two$53
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rapid City $26Kailua-Kona $40
Tours and Activities in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Mount Rushmore Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
- Black Hills & Badlands: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tours: $20
- Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
- Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show: $164
- Badlands Winter Wonderland Adventure: $239
- Full-Day Private Sightseeing Tour in South Dakota: $275
- NEW! Half Day Tour of the Black Hills: $289
- Badlands Sunset and Wildlife Adventure : $289
- From Private Spearfish Canyon Tour: $650
- From Private Devils Tower Tour and Hike: $650
- Private Black Hills Monuments Full-Day Tour: $650
- Badlands National Park Private Tour: $650
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kailua-Kona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kailua-Kona are as follows:
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Diving with Manta Rays for Two$162
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Body Board Rental (1 Day)$12
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1 Day Kayak Rental$47
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2 Tank Morning Scuba Dive$115
Tours and Activities in Kailua-Kona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kailua-Kona are as follows:
- From Kona-Volcanoes & waterfall tour in a small group: $295
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRapid City $6.93Kailua-Kona $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rapid City and Kailua-Kona, we can see that Kailua-Kona is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Rapid City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rapid City 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 Kailua-Kona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kailua-Kona than you might in Rapid City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rapid City Expensive? and Is Kailua-Kona Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rapid City or Kailua-Kona?
Rapid City has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Kailua-Kona. When comparing the sizes of Rapid City and Kailua-Kona, 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.