Which place is cheaper, Niagara Falls or Reno?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Reno or Niagara Falls?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Reno or Niagara Falls? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Reno or Niagara Falls?
Reno
In the northwest area of Nevada, Reno sits at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. After Las Vegas, it's the second most popular tourist destination in the state of Nevada. You'll find some nice resorts, elaborate casinos, nice restaurants and unique opportunities for entertainment throughout the city.
The city, referred to as "The Biggest Little City in the World", has a population of about 235,000. It's part of the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area, which has a population of about 440,000.
Reno is located in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The city has a steppe climate with light to moderate snowfall in the winter months. Precipitation is most common during the winter and spring, but the city averages about 300 days of sunshine a year. Average temperatures are 35 degrees Fahrenheit in December and 75 degrees Fahrenheit in July.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario sits on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, across the border from Niagara Falls, New York. Together these cities have claimed themselves to be the "Honeymoon Capital of the World" a status that is probably little more than a marketing ploy. That said, Niagara Falls, Ontario, is perhaps a quainter and more natural version of its American counterpart. The town has existed as a tourist destination for hundreds of years, with its main attraction, obviously, being Niagara Falls. Today, millions of visitors come to see the falls every year. It's truly an impressive sight, and there is no shortage of entertainment options while you're in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in United States of America, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, and The Best Camping Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayReno $144Niagara Falls $122
The average daily cost (per person) in Reno is $144, while the average daily cost in Niagara Falls is $122. 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 Reno and Niagara Falls in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personReno $55Niagara Falls $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomReno $110Niagara Falls $148
Compare Hotels in Reno and Niagara Falls
Looking for a hotel in Reno or Niagara Falls? 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: Reno Hotel Prices and Niagara Falls Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Reno $23Niagara Falls $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Reno
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Reno:
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Car Wash$5.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Reno
Also for Reno, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Reno to Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO) - Departure Private Transfer: $66
- Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO) to Reno – Private Arrival Transfer : $67
- Reno Tahoe Airport (RNO) to Heavenly Mountain - Arrival Transfer: $109
- Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO) to Reno – Round-Trip Private Transfer: $134
- Reno Tahoe Airport to Northstar/Squaw Valley - Arrival Transfer: $163
- Reno Tahoe Airport (RNO) to Mammoth Mountain: Arrival Transfer: $186
- Reno Tahoe Airport to Heavenly Mountain - Round-Trip Transfer: $219
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Niagara Falls
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Niagara Falls:
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Niagara Falls Ontario to Toronto (YYZ) Airport: $159
- Transfer Niagara-on-the-Lake,Canada to Buffalo Niagara Int Airport (BUF): $107
- Transfer Niagara-on-the-Lake Canada to Toronto Pearson International Airport YYZ: $160
- Transfer Niagara Falls, Canada to Toronto, Canada (Downtown): $178
- Transfer Niagara Falls, Canada to Toronto Pearson International Airport YYZ: $160
- Transfer Buffalo Niagara International Airport BUF to Niagara-on-the-Lake,Canada: $107
- Transfer Buffalo Niagara International Airport BUF to Niagara Falls,Canada: $103
- Shared Airport Transfer: Buffalo Niagara International Airport to Niagara Falls NY: $99
- Round-Trip Private-Safe Transfer Between Buffalo Airport & Niagara Falls Canada: $262
- ROUNDTRIP Ground Transfer Buffalo Niagara Int Airport (BUF)-Niagara Falls Canada: $207
- Private-Safe Transfer from Niagara Falls, Canada to Buffalo Intl, Airport (BUF): $111
- Private Transfer: Niagara Int’l Airport (IAG) USA to Niagara Falls, ON: $194
Is it cheaper to fly into Reno or Niagara Falls?
Prices for flights to both Niagara Falls and Reno 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 dayReno $54Niagara Falls $28
Typical Food Prices in Reno
For Reno, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dennys for Breakfast$22
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Sushi DInner (for 2)$40
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In-n-Out Burger (for 3)$19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Niagara Falls
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Niagara Falls.
- The Wing Ride: The Hidden History of Chicken Wings Food Tour: $105
- Walking Food Tour in Niagara Falls: $108
- Niagara Falls Sightseeing Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $130
- Sunset Wine Tour with Dinner Niagara On The Lake: $146
- Guided Night Tour w/ Dinner & Hotel Transfer: $149
- Light up The Falls Small Group Tour with Fallsview Dinner: $155
- Evening Lights Tour with Skylon Tower Dinner: $177
- Sunset Niagara-on-the-Lake Small Group Wine Tour with Dinner: $178
- Niagara Wine Tasting and three courses Dinner: $192
- Niagara Falls Evening Lights Tour With Skylon Tower Dinner: $192
- Night on Niagara Walking Tour with Fireworks Cruise + Dinner: $200
- Small Group Night Tour w/ Dinner & Light Show: $204
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Reno $88Niagara Falls $20
Tours and Activities in Reno
For Reno, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Downtown Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- From Reno Arch to Truckee River: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure Self-Guided City Game: $10
- Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Reno by Operation City Quest: $10
- Reno Scavenger Hunt: Reno Adventure: $12
- Lake Tahoe Audio Driving Tour: $14
- Lake Tahoe: Self-Guided GPS Audio Tour: $14
- Murder Mystery Detective Experience Carson City, NV: $15
- Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $22
- Zero Latency Extreme Virtual Reality Experience Ticket: $25
- Gangs and Gamblers Haunted Walking Tour: $26
- Reno Ghosts Tour: $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Niagara Falls
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Niagara Falls are as follows:
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Maid of the Mist$37
Tours and Activities in Niagara Falls
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Niagara Falls are as follows:
- Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds Made in America Tour: $92
- Niagara Falls USA Winter Tour Cave, Tower, winery & Much More : $90
- Private Custom Niagara Falls, Canada Winery Tour from Buffalo,NY: $298
- 1 Hour Private Vineyard Dome Experience in Niagara-on-the-Lake: $45
- 30 Minute Niagara Falls Airplane Tour: $156
- 45 Minutes Whirlpool Tour in Niagara Falls: $32
- 7 Hour Niagara Falls USA Tour from Buffalo: $269
- All American Tour : $99
- All Attractions Niagara Falls American Tour with Boat Much More: $120
- All Inclusive Niagara Falls USA Tour W/Boat Ride,Cave & Much MORE: $126
- All Niagara Falls USA Tour Maid of Mist Boat & So Much More : $130
- All inclusive Niagara Evening Light Show, Boat Ride & Cave Tour: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayReno $13Niagara Falls $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Reno
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Reno:
- 1 Hour Distillery Tour and Tasting Flight: $25
- Brewery Tour: $130
Sample the Local Flavors in Niagara Falls
Also in Niagara Falls, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Niagara Wine Tour and Tastings with Included Transportation : $56
- Small Group Niagara-on-the-Lake Wine Tasting Tour: $96
- Sip, Swirl and Savour Chocolate & Wine Tour : $103
- Niagara Craft Brewery Tour Niagara Falls: $110
- 3.5 Hours NOTL E-Bike Wine Tour: $111
- Niagara All American All inclusive Boutique Wine Tour : $114
- Half Day Wine & Cheese Tour - Niagara On The Lake Wine Tour: $119
- Full-Day Group Wine Tour (with cheese and charcuterie) in Niagara-on-the-Lake: $141
- myWineCountry Experience Premium Wine Tours and Tastings: $148
- Relaxing three courses Lunch & Wine Tour through Niagara's Wine Country: $148
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Small Group Wine Tour with Picnic Lunch: $149
- Luxury Buffalo Brewery Tour: $149
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Reno and Niagara Falls, we can see that Reno is more expensive. And not only is Niagara Falls much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Niagara Falls would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Niagara Falls 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 Reno would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Reno than you might in Niagara Falls.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Reno Expensive? and Is Niagara Falls Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Reno or Niagara Falls?
Reno has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Niagara Falls. When comparing the sizes of Reno and Niagara Falls, 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.