Should you visit Sacramento or Moab?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Sacramento or Moab, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital city and one of the oldest cities in the state of California. It was founded in 1849 in the midst of the Gold Rush, and has since grown to a population of over 500,000 people. The atmosphere is more laid back than most major cities, and its heritage is rooted in the Gold Rush and Transcontinental Railroad era.
Moab
Moab is the closest town to Arches National Park in Utah's Canyon Country. It is also a popular base for exploring Canyonlands National Park. It's a small town that serves mainly to accommodate tourists to the popular national parks and other surrounding wildlife areas. It has grown dramatically in recent years and has a population of just over 5,000. In town you will find hotels and motels, a handful of restaurants and a few shops where you can stock up on supplies. There's a small museum, the Museum of Moab, and a variety of tour operators in town. You can easily book river rafting trips, jeep expeditions, and tours of the surrounding area. For many, exploring Arches National Park on your own is a more enjoyable and independent experience.
Which city is cheaper, Moab or Sacramento?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Sacramento is $225, while the average daily cost in Moab is $124. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Sacramento and Moab in more detail.
Accommodation
The prices for places to stay in Sacramento can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $88, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $176.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $164 in Moab For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
While meal prices in Sacramento can vary, the average travelers spends about $42 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Sacramento should cost around $17 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Sacramento is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
While meal prices in Moab can vary, the average travelers spends about $30 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Moab should cost around $12 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Moab is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Sacramento $42
Moab $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sacramento
For Sacramento, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Downtown Sacramento Historical Food Tour:
$82
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Midtown Sacramento Arts and Food Tour:
$85
Typical Food prices in Moab
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Moab:
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Moab Brewery
$42
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Breakfast for Two
$17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Moab
For Moab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Sound and Light Show with Dinner:
$79
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Moab Dinner Cruise with Sound and Light Show:
$81
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Colorado River Sunset Boat Tour with Optional Dinner:
$89
-
Sunset Jetboat Ride with Dinner on the Colorado River from Moab:
$102
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Sacramento than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $41 on transportation in Sacramento on average per day.
To get around in Moab, the average visitor spends $14 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sacramento
Also for Sacramento, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Napa, CA - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$455
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Private transfer from Sacramento to SFO:
$340
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Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Napa, CA - Arrival Private Transfer:
$228
-
Private Sacramento Transfer Airport to Hotel:
$150
-
Private Sacramento Transfer Hotel to Airport:
$150
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Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Sacramento hotel/address- RoundTrip Private Transfer:
$144
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Sacramento Executive Airport to Roseville City - One Way:
$144
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Sacramento Executive Airport to Sacramento City - One Way:
$73
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Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Sacramento hotel/address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$72
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Sacramento City to Sacramento Airport (SMF) - Departure Private Transfer:
$72
Is it cheaper to fly into Sacramento or Moab?
Prices for flights to both Moab and Sacramento 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Sacramento, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $15 per day, per person.
In Moab, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $2.50 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Sacramento
For Sacramento, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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California Gold Rush: The Sacramento Grid on a Self-Guided Bicycle Audio Tour:
$8.30
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Sacramento Historic River Cruise:
$20
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Sacramento Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Sacramento Sutter District History and Food Walking Tour:
$78
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Sacramento Urban Murals: Cycle the streets of Sacramento with an audio tour:
$5.00
Typical Entertainment prices in Moab
For Moab, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Slickrock Trail Pass
$5.00
Tours and Activities in Moab
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Moab.
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4 Hours Guided Mountain Biking Tour:
$110
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Arches National Park 4x4 Adventure from Moab:
$123
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Arches National Park Air tour:
$119
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Arches National Park Backcountry 4x4 Half-Day Tour:
$131
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Arches National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour:
$10
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Backcountry Jeep Adventure:
$341
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Canyonlands & Arches National Park Air Tour:
$239
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Canyonlands Backcountry 4x4 Half-Day Tour:
$131
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Canyonlands National Park Air Tour:
$194
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Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab:
$123
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Cataract Canyon Rafting Adventure from Moab:
$504
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Colorado River Fisher Towers Full-Day Rafting Adventure:
$129
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Sacramento spend on average $9.31 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Moab, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $53.
Sample the Local Flavors in Sacramento
Also in Sacramento, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Sacramento Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Bk Best Wine Tasting Tours Amador County 4 Hour Chevrolet Suburban Passengers 7:
$385
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4 Hour Private Amador County Wine Tasting Tours Mercedes Sprinter Passengers Van:
$409
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Amador Wine Tour from Sacramento:
$436
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6 Hour Wine Tasting Tours Napa Valley Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passengers Van:
$625
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sacramento and Moab, we can see that Sacramento is more expensive. And not only is Moab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Moab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Moab 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 Sacramento would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sacramento than you might in Moab.
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