A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Salt Lake City vs. Seattle for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Salt Lake City or Seattle?

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 Salt Lake City and Seattle can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Salt Lake City or Seattle?

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is the capital city of Utah and one of the largest cities in the southwest region of the US. Salt Lake sits on the border between the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin regions, making it the perfect place for outdoor activities. The city's natural beauty and resources even became the focal point for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Salt Lake experiences all four seasons, with the most popular times to visit being summer and winter. Summer, June-August, sees little rain and temperatures in the high 80's Fahrenheit. Winter, December-March, has temperatures in the 30's Fahrenheit and gets the perfect amount of snow for winter sports.

Seattle

Situated on the Puget Sound in the state of Washington, Seattle is the largest city in the United States Pacific Northwest. It's a beautiful city surrounded by the water and mountains and filled with evergreen trees. It's also the home of some famous American institutions including Starbucks Coffee, Amazon, and Microsoft. The population of almost 700,000 continues to grow. As of 2014, the city was considered the fastest growing major city in the United States. The entire metropolitan area has about 3.6 million residents, making it the 15th largest metro area in the US. The natural beauty, growing economy, and educational base give Seattle a youthful vibe that keep the city young and energetic.

Which place is cheaper, Seattle or Salt Lake City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Salt Lake City is $246, while the average daily cost in Seattle is $205. 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 Salt Lake City and Seattle in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Salt Lake City $119
    Seattle $120
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Salt Lake City $238
    Seattle $240
Compare Hotels in Salt Lake City and Seattle

Looking for a hotel in Salt Lake City or Seattle? 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.

Hotels in Salt Lake City


Hotels in Seattle


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: Salt Lake City Hotel Prices and Seattle Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Salt Lake City $45
    Seattle $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salt Lake City

Also for Salt Lake City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Departure Transfer to Salt Lake City Airport SLC: $36
  • Departure Private Transfer City to Salt Lake City Airport SLC by Sedan or SUV: $76
  • Private Transfer: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City : $108
  • Salt Lake Airport (SLC) to Canyons Village - Arrival Transfer: $116
  • Private Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City : $121
  • Private Transfer from SLC to Salt Lake City : $121
  • Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Park City UT - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $183
  • Salt Lake City Airport (SLC): Transfer to Salt Lake City: $204
  • Salt Lake Airport (SLC) to Canyons Village - Round-Trip Transfer: $231
  • Private Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Park City hotel or address: $263

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seattle

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Seattle:


  • Lightrail from Airport (for 2)
    $5.50
  • Roundtrip Ferry to Bainbridge Island (for 2)
    $15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seattle

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seattle:

  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Seattle HTL-APT (SEA): $143
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Seattle Airport (SEA)- Seattle Downtown: $86
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Seattle Downtown - Seattle Airport (SEA): $97
  • Smith Cove Terminal: Private Transfer to Seattle hotels: $313
  • Smith Cove Terminal to Seattle hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $150
  • Smith Cove Terminal to Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA) - Departure Private Transfer: $75
  • Smith Cove Terminal to Seattle Airport (SEA) - Departure Transfer: $75
  • One-Way Private Transfer from Seattle Airport: $76
  • Seattle Tacoma Airport(SEA): Transfer to Smith Cove Terminal: $313
  • Seattle Tacoma Airport to Summit at Snoqualmie Arrival Transfer: $155
  • Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA): Private Transfer to Seattle: $269
  • Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA) to Smith Cove Terminal - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $150

Is it cheaper to fly into Salt Lake City or Seattle?

Prices for flights to both Seattle and Salt Lake 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Salt Lake City $50
    Seattle $51

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salt Lake City

For Salt Lake City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Salt Lake City : Cooking Classes With a Local Chef: $55

Typical Food Prices in Seattle

Some typical examples of dining costs in Seattle are as follows:


  • Expresso & cookie at Pier 70
    $7.00
  • Cashews at Pike Place Market
    $6.00
  • 6 Mini Donuts at Pike Place Market
    $3.25
  • Chinese Lunch in International District (for 2)
    $21
  • Breakfast at Lowel's in Pike Place Market (for 2)
    $32
  • Breakfast at French Cafe (for 2)
    $37

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seattle

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seattle.

  • Seattle : Fun Cooking Classes With Chef Seamus: $55
  • Seattle Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $60
  • Pike Place Market: Walking Food Tour: $66
  • Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market- 2 Hours: $67
  • Pike Place Market Chef-Guided Food Tour: $67
  • International District Food Tour: $69
  • Ballard Waterfront Walking Food Tour: $75
  • Plant Based Food Tour in Pike Place Market: $79
  • Secret Food Tours: Seattle Pike Place Market: $86
  • Pike Place Market Food Tour: $99
  • Small Group Cooking Class: $138
  • Market to Table Tour and Cooking Class at Pike Place Market: $159

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Salt Lake City $28
    Seattle $16

Tours and Activities in Salt Lake City

For Salt Lake City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Mormon History - Salt Lake Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $6.75
  • Mormon History Salt Lake Self-Guided Audio app Walking Tour: $7.75
  • Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
  • Salt Lake City Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
  • Utah Jazz Basketball Game Ticket at Delta Center: $17
  • Utah Jazz Basketball Game Ticket: $23
  • Salt Lake City Haunted Old Town Tour: $23
  • Salt Lake City & La Sal: Self-Guided Walking & Driving Tour: $25
  • Ghosts and True Crime Walking Tour: $26
  • Salt Lake Ghosts and Hauntings Tour By US Ghost Adventures: $30
  • Salt Lake City Puzzling Adventure: $35
  • 45 Minute Great Salt Lake Boat Tour: $37

Tours and Activities in Seattle

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seattle are as follows:

  • 3 Hour Seattle City Tour: $90
  • 3 Hours Electric Bike Tour of Seattle's Waterways, Nature and Neighborhoods: $87
  • A Fun Day in Olympia: Rotunda tour: $253
  • Adult Pirate Party Cruise: $47
  • Bald Eagles Nesting Area Tour at Skagit River: $135
  • Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour: $29
  • Best of Seattle Small Group Walking Tour W/ Space Needle: $244
  • Boeing Factory Tour with Guided Transport from Seattle: $125
  • Customized Mount Rainier Tour from Seattle: $176
  • Discover the magic of Seattle (all inclusive 3 hour tour): $38
  • Downtown Seattle Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Early-Bird Tasting Tour of Pike Place Market: $76

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Salt Lake City $17
    Seattle $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Seattle

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Seattle:

  • Guided Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
  • Seattle Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $38
  • Woodinville's Downtown Wine Tasting Pass: $65
  • Woodinville Wine Country: Downtown Wine Tasting Pass: $65
  • Woodinville Wine Country: Artisan Hill Wine Tasting Pass: $65
  • Bon Vivant Woodinville Wine Tasting Tour : $120
  • Day Private Snoqualmie Falls & Woodinville Wine Tour from Seattle: $181
  • From Snoqualmie Falls & Woodinville Wine Tasting: $262


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salt Lake City and Seattle, we can see that Salt Lake City is more expensive. And not only is Seattle much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Seattle would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Seattle 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 Salt Lake City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Salt Lake City than you might in Seattle.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salt Lake City Expensive? and Is Seattle Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Salt Lake City or Seattle?

Seattle has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Salt Lake City. When comparing the sizes of Salt Lake City and Seattle, 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.