Should you visit Sacramento or Vail?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Sacramento or Vail, 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.
Vail
Vail is one of the premier ski resort areas in the United States. Located in central Colorado, Vail is not far from Denver and situated in the heart of the Rockies. Here you'll find a quaint mountain town designed around tourism, especially for the winter, although plenty of visitors come in the warmer months, too.
High-end hotels, condos, and other accommodation options are surrounded by shops and restaurants that are all somewhat expensive compared to other costs in the United States. Because of this, Vail is definitely not considered an “affordable” travel option for many. However, good deals can be found if you look around and do some research.
Which city is cheaper, Vail 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 Vail is $233. 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 Vail 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 $278 in Vail 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.
Vail food costs typically run travelers around $60 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Sacramento $42
Vail $60
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
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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Vail than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $16 on transportation in Vail on average per day.
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 Vail
Also for Vail, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfer in private minivan from Vail city to Denver International Airport (DEN):
$291
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Shared Transfer from Vail or Beaver Creek to Denver Downtown:
$99
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Private Transfer: Vail to Denver International Airport (DEN):
$576
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Private Eagle County Regional Airport Transfer to Beaver Creek:
$190
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Private Eagle County Airport Transfer to Vail:
$210
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Private Departure Transfer to Vail Airport EGE:
$128
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Private Airport Transfer Service - Vail Hotels to Denver Int'l Airport:
$600
Is it cheaper to fly into Sacramento or Vail?
Prices for flights to both Vail 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 expenses in Vail, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $106 per day, per person.
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 Vail
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vail.
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Aspen Independence Pass Day Tour:
$545
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Blackhawk-Central City Casino Tour from Vail:
$377
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Dillon Marina & Shopping Tour:
$267
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Fall Leaves Tour from Vail:
$373
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Glenwood Adventure Park Tour:
$350
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Glenwood Hot Springs Tour:
$377
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Historic Mining Town Tour:
$693
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Listen to a Tour Guide While you Drive between Vail & Denver:
$3.75
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Vail Segway Tour from Vail Village:
$89
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2-Hour Small-Group Guided Segway Tour:
$89
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 Vail, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.83.
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 Vail
Also in Vail, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Vail Valley Brewery & Wine Tour:
$377
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Palisade Wine Tour from Vail:
$779
When comparing the travel costs between Sacramento and Vail, we can see that Vail is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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