Should you visit Sacramento or Sonoma?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Sacramento or Sonoma, 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.
Sonoma
When people say Sonoma, they are often referring to the region's wine country, but in fact, Sonoma is a county, a valley, and a town. The county covers 1,768 square miles and is more spread out than nearby Napa. There are more than 30 cities and towns in the county and 425 wineries with tasting rooms. The county also borders the Pacific Ocean, and the beautiful 55 mile stretch of coastline is rugged and dramatic.
Which city is cheaper, Sonoma 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 Sonoma is $176. 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 Sonoma 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.
Travelers usually pay around $148 for a double occupancy room in Sonoma If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end 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.
Food in Sonoma costs travelers about $45 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Sacramento $42
Sonoma $45
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sonoma
For Sonoma, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Wine Country Food Tours. Sightseeing to various local artisanal food producers:
$462
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.
Sonoma's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $107 per person, per day on transportation in Sonoma.
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
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Private Sacramento Transfer Airport to Hotel:
$150
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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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sonoma
Also for Sonoma, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private transfer from Sonoma to SFO:
$215
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Private transfer from SFO to Sonoma:
$215
Is it cheaper to fly into Sacramento or Sonoma?
Prices for flights to both Sonoma 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.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Sonoma can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $13 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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
Tours and Activities in Sonoma
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sonoma.
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#1 Private Walking Food, Wine & History Tour:
$139
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6 Hour Private Wine Sonoma Tours Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passengers Van:
$499
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All-Inclusive Sonoma Wine and Picnic Tour:
$198
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Behind-the-Scenes Food and Wine E-Bike or Regular Bike Tour:
$151
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Pt. Reyes Food and Farm Tour with Lunch:
$225
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Rides by me, Sonoma Sidecar Wine-Tasting tours:
$220
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Small-Group Wine-Tasting Tour through Sonoma Valley:
$130
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Sonoma County Wine Segway Tour:
$151
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Sonoma Food and Wine Private Group Tour:
$138
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Sonoma Valley Full-Day Pedal Assist Bike Tour with Lunch - (Reg. Bike Optional):
$151
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Sonoma Valley Wine Buyer's Picnic Tour:
$125
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 Sonoma, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $33.
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
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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
Sample the Local Flavors in Sonoma
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sonoma:
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2-Hour Private Guided E-Trike Wine Tour at Sonoma:
$80
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Sonoma County Wine Tasting Tour:
$103
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#1 Small Group Sonoma Walking Food and Wine Tour:
$105
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All-Inclusive Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch:
$198
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Private Sonoma and Napa Wine Tour Including Custom Concierge:
$225
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Wine Tours:
$513
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6 Hour Napa or Sonoma Wine Tour in Private Limousine:
$675
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8-Hour Private Wine Tour Experience for up to 6 Guests - San Francisco to Sonoma:
$680
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8 Hour Napa or Sonoma Wine Tour in Private Limousine:
$875
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sacramento and Sonoma, we can see that Sacramento is more expensive. And not only is Sonoma much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sonoma would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sonoma 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 Sonoma.
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