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

Should you visit San Diego or Salt Lake City?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for San Diego and Salt Lake City. 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.

Where Should I go: San Diego or Salt Lake City?

San Diego

For many visitors and locals alike, San Diego is a paradise. Located in southern California, not far from Los Angeles, it has the perfect climate, wonderful beaches, and a culturally rich environment. It's surrounded by beautiful landscape and has a strong focus on wildlife conservation and eco-friendly living. Home to about 1.3 million residents, it is California's second largest city. It also has many universities, a large tech industry, and a thriving economy. Despite its size, many people perceive San Diego as a slower, more relaxed city with a pleasant vibe away from the chaos of a large city.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles.


Which place is cheaper, Salt Lake City or San Diego?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in San Diego is $202, while the average daily cost in Salt Lake City is $246. 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 San Diego and Salt Lake City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    San Diego $115
    Salt Lake City $119
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    San Diego $230
    Salt Lake City $238
Compare Hotels in San Diego and Salt Lake City

Looking for a hotel in San Diego or Salt Lake City? 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 San Diego


Hotels in Salt Lake City


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: San Diego Hotel Prices and Salt Lake City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    San Diego $24
    Salt Lake City $45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Diego

Also for San Diego, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in San Diego HTL-APT(SAN): $47
  • Transfer in private vehicle from San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Diego Downtown: $47
  • Tijuana to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
  • Tijuana to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) – Departure Private Transfer: $55
  • Tijuana Intl Airport (TIJ) to Playas de Rosarito -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $242
  • Tijuana Intl Airport (TIJ) to Playas de Rosarito - Arrival Private Transfer: $121
  • Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Tijuana hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
  • Private Airport SUV Transfer: $120
  • San Diego International Airport (SAN) Private Arrival Transfer: $38
  • San Diego Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to San Diego: $70
  • San Diego Airport (SAN): Private Transfer to San Diego: $191
  • San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Marcos, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salt Lake City

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

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

Is it cheaper to fly into San Diego or Salt Lake City?

Prices for flights to both Salt Lake City 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    San Diego $45
    Salt Lake City $50
Typical Food Prices in San Diego

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to San Diego:


  • Mexican Lunch for Two
    $27
  • Breakfast at Starbucks
    $20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Diego

For San Diego, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Old Town Tequila and Tacos Walking Food Tour: $81
  • Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
  • Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: $89
  • San Diego Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $95
  • San Diego, Seaport Village: Waterfront Walking Food Tour: $99
  • Seaport Village Food Tour in San Diego : $99
  • Guided Secret Food Tour: $103
  • Scenic Buffet Dinner Cruise: $108
  • Gourmet Dinner Cruise: $118
  • San Diego Harbor Dinner Cruise: $118
  • Thanksgiving Day Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $121
  • Christmas Day Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $135

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    San Diego $48
    Salt Lake City $28
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Diego

For San Diego, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • San Diego Zoo
    $15
  • Sea World Parking
    $12

Tours and Activities in San Diego

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Diego.

  • Maritime Museum of San Diego Admission Ticket: $24
  • 1 Hour GPS Guided Scooter Tour: Harbor/Gaslamp Quarter: $92
  • 1-Hour Voodoo Escape Room Experience in San Diego: $35
  • 1.5 Hour Walking Tour from La Jolla in San Diego: $59
  • 2 Hour GPS Guided Scooter Tour: Downtown & Balboa Park: $82
  • 4 Hour Self-Guided Electric Bike Tour or Rental: $87
  • A Seaside Stroll: La Jolla's Hidden Treasures Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
  • All Day San Diego Scenic Tour: $125
  • Apple Pies & Desert Skies: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $15
  • Balboa Park Electric Scooter Tour with Pictures: $59
  • Behind-the-Scenes at Petco Park Tour: $38
  • Best of San Diego eBike Tour (English or Spanish): $81

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:

  • 2 Hour Salt Lake Boat Tour with Swimming on the Lake: $79
  • 4-Day Winter Yellowstone Tour: $2,499
  • 45 Minute Great Salt Lake Boat Tour: $37
  • 5-day Tour Yellowstone Park Los Angeles-Salt Lake City: $1,558
  • From 3-Day Yellowstone Wildlife Adventure: $999
  • From Private Bryce Canyon National Park Tour: $1,475
  • From Private Canyonlands National Park Tour: $1,475
  • From Private Capitol Reef National Park Tour: $1,475
  • From Private Goblin Valley State Park Tour: $1,475
  • From Private Tour of Arches National Park: $1,475
  • Great Salt Lake Flying Tour: $249
  • Great Salt Lake Guided Bus Tour from Salt Lake City: $70

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    San Diego $21
    Salt Lake City $17

Sample the Local Flavors in San Diego

Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Gaslamp Bar Crawls and Events: $20
  • San Diego Small-Group Gaslamp History Tour Pub Crawl: $30
  • Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings: $85
  • Vino! Vino! Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
  • Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
  • Private Wine Tasting Tour in Valle de Guadalupe: $135
  • Baja Tour Guide wine tour: $169
  • Sidecar Wine Tasting Tour: $199
  • Brewery and Tap Room Sidecar Tour: $199
  • California Sunset Brewery Tour: $199
  • Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour in San Diego: $215
  • Valle de Guadalupe Wine Tour: $249


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Diego and Salt Lake City, we can see that Salt Lake City is more expensive. And not only is San Diego much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Diego would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Diego 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 San Diego.

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


Which is Bigger, San Diego or Salt Lake City?

San Diego has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Salt Lake City. When comparing the sizes of San Diego and Salt Lake City, 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.