Which city is cheaper, Albuquerque or San Diego?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for San Diego and Albuquerque. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
San Diego is a hip, dynamic, and energetic coastal city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's a gorgeous place to visit. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and live music.
Albuquerque is a traditional, colonial, and desert town. This destination also has one of those special and quaint feelings. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and nightlife.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Albuquerque and San Diego. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
There are opportunities to sample the local cuisine at great restaurants in both San Diego and Albuquerque.
San Diego has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. The city has great seafood and a diversity of cuisines. Popular local dishes include fish tacos and California burritos.
Dining out in Albuquerque is an experience not to be missed. The city's local cuisine combines Native American and Spanish flavors to make a variety of unique specialties. You should try the green chili stew, breakfast burrito, sopaipillas, and blue corn pancakes.
The vibe at night is comparable in San Diego and Albuquerque.
Many people head to San Diego for the nightlife scene. The heart of the city's nightlife scene is in the Gaslamp District, which is filled with bars, clubs, and music venues.
There's a variety of activities in the evening in Albuquerque. Head downtown and to the Nob Hill neighborhood for wine bars, breweries, and billiard halls.
If you're looking to go shopping, San Diego and Albuquerque both offer plenty of spots.
Shopping is a popular activity when visiting San Diego. Head to Fashion Valley or Westfield UTC for some fun shopping.
Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Albuquerque. The city's old town has many cultural artisan shops where you can buy local items.
Both San Diego and Albuquerque are family-friendly destinations.
With a huge array of activities for kids, San Diego is very family-friendly. It has a number of kid-friendly activities that everyone can enjoy. There's the world class zoo, several amusement parks, the beaches, aquariums, and more.
Albuquerque is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. The city has a number of nature centers as well as the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo. Outside of town there are many parks and natural areas to explore.
San Diego and Albuquerque both fun destinations for a couple.
San Diego makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. For adventurous couples, there are many outdoor activities that you can enjoy together. There are also restaurants and a great nightlife in San Diego.
Albuquerque is a good coastal city for couples to visit. Surrounded by natural beauty, and filled with culture and charm, this city makes a great romantic getaway. It's particularly wonderful during the famous International Balloon Fiesta.
San Diego and Albuquerque both offer public transit to get you around.
Public transit is mostly limited in San Diego. The city has a trolley (light rail system) as well as a bus system. Most people depend on cars to get around.
Public transit is generally limited in Albuquerque. ABQ Ride is the bus system around town.
San Diego and Albuquerque are similar when it comes to walkability.
San Diego is a somewhat walkable place. The downtown area is walkable, but if you want to travel further, you'll need to find a different form of transportation.
Albuquerque is a somewhat walkable coastal city. Walkable areas include the old town, the area around the University of New Mexico, and the uptown area.
It's fun to spend time in either San Diego or Albuquerque. Generally, people tend to spend more time in San Diego due to the larger number of activities and things to do.
The ideal length of time for a trip to San Diego is 3-5 days, and the ideal length of time for a trip to Albuquerque is 2-4 days.
Visitors enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting the dynamic coastal city of San Diego. It's also a great beach destination, too. Most people visit for the beaches. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.
You'll find food and shopping around the town of Albuquerque. Visiting the old town is also a must. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
Visitors enjoy the live music and food when visiting the hip destination of San Diego. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. This coastal city offers something for everyone. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.
You'll find shopping and nightlife around the desert destination of Albuquerque. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this town has to offer. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from.
Visitors enjoy the food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the energetic coastal city of San Diego. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. Many people spend five days here.If you enjoy all that's offered here, then five days is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.
Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the colonial town of Albuquerque. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.
Many people enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting San Diego. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people come for the beaches. Most people visit for the beaches. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.
Albuquerque is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in San Diego is $161, while the average daily cost in Albuquerque is $108. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for San Diego and Albuquerque in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in San Diego or Albuquerque? 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.
Also for San Diego, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for Albuquerque, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Albuquerque and San Diego 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to San Diego:
For San Diego, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Albuquerque, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For San Diego, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Diego.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Albuquerque.
Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Diego and Albuquerque, we can see that San Diego is more expensive. And not only is Albuquerque much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Albuquerque would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Albuquerque 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 San Diego would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Diego than you might in Albuquerque.
Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.