Which place is cheaper, Seattle 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 Seattle. 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 energetic, relaxed, and outdoorsy coastal city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. As this is a very quaint destination, you'll find it has a special atmosphere. Other popular activities here include beaches, hiking, and shopping.
Seattle is a progressive, cultural, and outdoorsy city. Travelers will also find plenty of sights and attractions here, as it's a big city that attracts lots of visitors. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the beaches, hiking, and shopping.
Travelers will generally find more things to do in Seattle than San Diego. While San Diego is larger than Seattle, Seattle has more sights and attractions for tourists. Seattle is more popular for its theatre productions, food, and big city activities, while San Diego is known for its resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, and quaint atmosphere. San Diego is more touristy than Seattle and is popular for its relaxed coastal atmosphere, its many kid-friendly sights, and its beautiful beaches with critter-filled tidal pools. Seattle is popular for its beautiful waterfront setting, diverse culinary scene, thriving art and cultural venues, and being the home of many international tech companies. It is also home to The Space Needle.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Seattle and San Diego. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both San Diego and Seattle.
Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around San Diego. While the city is famous for it's beaches, zoos, and aquariums, don't overlook the museums and other landmarks. Popular options include the Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum, the Old Town State Historic Park, and Point Loma and Cabrillo Monument.
Seattle offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The city's most iconic landmark is the Space Needle. There's also a zoo, aquarium, and a handful of nice museums. Several favorites include the Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of History & Industry, and the Seattle Art Museum.
Seattle is a good destination for its theatre productions. However, San Diego is not a theatre destination.
If you have some extra time in Seattle, take in a show. There are a handful of theaters where you can enjoy traveling Broadway shows or smaller productions.
San Diego is not a theatre destination.
Seattle is great for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, San Diego is not as popular, but is still a nice coastal city for its local cuisine and restaurants.
Seattle has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The city has many diverse dining options that make it a popular foodie destination. The seafood is world-class with many restaurants offering fresh caught salmon and oysters. There are also many great Asian restaurants with Pho, sushi, and dim sum all being popular around town. Seattle is also famous as the birthplace of Starbucks coffee, and both chain and independent coffee shops are common. Finally, make sure you check out the donuts at Pike's Place Market.
There are many up and coming restaurants in the San Diego area. The city has great seafood and a diversity of cuisines. There are many casual dining options that serve informal foods like burgers or salads, but there are also award-winning fine dining restaurants with elegant atmospheres. Popular local dishes include fish tacos and California burritos.
The vibe at night is great in both San Diego and Seattle.
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 young student population that keeps the nightlife scene casual and fun.
Seattle has plenty to do after the sun goes down. The city is known for its breweries and eclectic nightlife scene. There is a thriving theater scene as well as many bars and trendy restaurants. The best neighborhoods for nightlife include Capitol Hill, Belltown, and Downtown.
San Diego and Seattle are both destinations where visitors can find great live music.
The music scene in San Diego draws a good crowd. Popular venues include the House of Blues, The Belly Up, and The Shout House.
If you love music, you'll find something to enjoy in Seattle. The city has developed its own music culture around several genres including alternative rock and grunge.
San Diego is a nice place to visit for its resorts. However, Seattle is not a resort destination.
San Diego has a few great resort options. Most people prefer to stay in hotels or VRBOs, but several popular resorts include Fairmont Grand Del Mar, Paradise Point, and the famous Hotel del Coronado.
Seattle is not a resort destination.
San Diego is a nice place to visit for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Seattle is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.
San Diego has a few areas where visitors often go scuba diving or snorkeling. Popular snorkeling and diving spots include La Jolla Cove, Mission Bay, and Turtle Town. The water's a bit chili, but it's still worth going for a dive or popping on a mask and snorkeling around for a bit.
Seattle is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.
San Diego is renowned for the beach. Also, Seattle is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its beaches.
The beaches in San Diego are among the best in the world. The city has great beaches with tidal pools and interesting sea life at low tide. Adults and kids alike will enjoy hitting the beach when the tides are out and looking for local critters in the tidal pools. Popular beaches in the area include La Jolla Cove Beach, Coronado Beach, and Pacific Beach.
Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Seattle. The city is surrounded by water so there are a number of rocky and sandy beaches nearby. Some beaches are more popular with locals while others attract a large amount of tourists. Alki Beach Park, Discovery Park, and Golden Gardens Park are among the best.
Hiking trails can be found around both San Diego and Seattle, and they are great.
Many visitors go to San Diego for the hiking trails. The city is filled with parks and has tons of natural beauty. There is plenty of urban hiking in town, or you can visit more natural areas just out of town. Head to Torrey Pines State Park or Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail for some nice hikes.
Seattle is a popular spot for hiking. It's famously an outdoorsy city and the hiking will not disappoint. Within a half hour drive of town you'll find beautiful forests and stunning natural beauty. Head into the Cascades, to the coastal rainforests, or around Mount Rainier for all kinds of diverse landscapes. Seattle is well situated for you to experience hiking through the diverse Pacific Northwest landscapes.
If you're looking to go shopping, San Diego and Seattle both offer plenty of good spots.
Shopping is a popular activity when visiting San Diego. Head to Fashion Valley or Westfield UTC for some fun shopping. There are suburban shopping malls in the area as well as souvenir shops in the more touristy areas.
Many visitors go to Seattle to go shopping. Shopping in town has an eclectic mix of high end brands, local vendors, and vintage shops. There are farmers markets as well as the famous Pike Place Market, but also major malls with all of the standard department stores.
San Diego is renowned for its family-friendly activities. Also, Seattle is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its kid-friendly activities.
San Diego is an amazing family-friendly coastal city to visit. The city is filled with kid-friendly activities that everyone can enjoy. There's the world-class zoo, several amusement parks, the beaches, aquariums, and more. The year-round warm weather makes it easy to spend plenty of time outdoors in parks, playgrounds, and beaches where kids can stretch their legs and run around.
Seattle is a family-friendly coastal city. This is an outdoor city with plenty of places where kids can run around and experience nature. There are several good museums as well as outdoor activities, parks, and a zoo. Make sure you check out the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Volunteer Park, and Artists at Play Playground.
San Diego is renowned for couples. Also, Seattle is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for romance.
San Diego has so much to offer for a romantic couple's vacation. For adventurous couples, there are many outdoor activities that you can enjoy together. The beaches offer a great playground for adults who enjoy the water and warm weather. There are also restaurants and a great nightlife in San Diego.
Seattle is a nice destination for couples. The city has a laid back vibe, a nice downtown area, and plenty of outdoor activities. There are a diversity of restaurants to enjoy and a great nightlife scene that makes for a good couple's getaway.
For backpackers, both San Diego and Seattle are good places to visit.
Plenty of backpackers visit San Diego. Backpackers will enjoy the young vibe of the city. There are a few great hostels near the beach or in town.
Plenty of budget travelers visit Seattle. Although it's not the most popular city for backpackers in America, the city's chill vibe, fun breweries, and lively setting make it a great spot for young backpackers.
San Diego is renowned for students. Also, Seattle is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its student-friendly activities.
San Diego is a great destination for students. With its young population and many universities, international students will feel right at home in San Diego. There are also many great outdoor activities for the adventurous.
Students come from all over to stay in Seattle. It is a major IT center with a large university, so international students will have plenty of opportunities here. It's also a vibrant city with many outdoor recreational opportunities and a fun nightlife scene.
Seattle is a good destination for times when you don't have a car. However, San Diego is not a good destination for its public transit.
While Seattle offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There is a light rail system, a monorail, a street car, and buses.
Public transit is generally 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, and you'll likely enjoy your trip a bit more if you have your own vehicle.
Seattle is great for its high level of walkability. Also, San Diego is not as popular, but is still a nice coastal city for its ease of walking around.
Seattle is a very walkable city. Many neighborhoods are very walkable, particularly in the downtown and major tourist areas.
San Diego is a somewhat walkable coastal city. The downtown area is walkable, but if you want to travel further, you'll need to find a different form of transportation.
For even more information, also check out Is San Diego Worth Visiting? and Is Seattle Worth Visiting?.
Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both San Diego and Seattle. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in San Diego than in Seattle. Usually, 3-5 days is a good amount of time for San Diego, and 2-3 days is enough time in Seattle.
Families should spend more time in San Diego than Seattle. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in San Diego, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Couples should spend more time in San Diego than Seattle. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in San Diego that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.
In San Diego, you'll find food and scuba diving and snorkeling. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. One reason most visitors come is for the beaches. This coastal city offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.
People visit Seattle because there is so much to do. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. 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.
In San Diego, you'll find scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. One reason most visitors come is for the beaches. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.
People visit Seattle because there is so much to do. Hikers are also drawn to this area. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.
San Diego is a great place to explore. It is common to spend five days here. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. Five days is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that San Diego has to offer. Anyone can find something fun to do here.
Travelers enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting the laid-back city of Seattle. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.
It's hard to know how much time to spend in San Diego. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting San Diego. One reason most visitors come is for the beaches. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.
Seattle is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. 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.
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.
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 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 San Diego and Seattle in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in San Diego 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.
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:
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Seattle:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seattle:
Prices for flights to both Seattle 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:
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seattle are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seattle.
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.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seattle are as follows:
Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Seattle:
When comparing the travel costs between San Diego and Seattle, we can see that Seattle 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.
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 Seattle Expensive?.
San Diego has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Seattle. When comparing the sizes of San Diego 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.
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Both Seattle and San Diego during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to San Diego in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. Also, most visitors come to Seattle for the beaches, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, San Diego is a little warmer than Seattle. Typically, the summer temperatures in San Diego in July average around 71°F (22°C), and Seattle averages at about 67°F (19°C).
In Seattle, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in San Diego. In the summer, San Diego often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Seattle. San Diego gets 306 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seattle receives 313 hours of full sun.
San Diego usually gets less rain in July than Seattle. San Diego gets 0 inches (1 mm) of rain, while Seattle receives 0.9 inches (22 mm) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both San Diego and Seattle. Most visitors come to San Diego for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Seattle because of the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, San Diego is generally much warmer than Seattle. Daily temperatures in San Diego average around 68°F (20°C), and Seattle fluctuates around 54°F (12°C).
In San Diego, it's very sunny this time of the year. San Diego usually receives more sunshine than Seattle during autumn. San Diego gets 244 hours of sunny skies, while Seattle receives 143 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, San Diego usually receives less rain than Seattle. San Diego gets 0.4 inches (9 mm) of rain, while Seattle receives 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
The winter brings many poeple to San Diego as well as Seattle. The winter months attract visitors to San Diego because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine are the main draw to Seattle this time of year.
San Diego is much warmer than Seattle in the winter. The daily temperature in San Diego averages around 57°F (14°C) in January, and Seattle fluctuates around 42°F (5°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Diego this time of the year. In the winter, San Diego often gets more sunshine than Seattle. San Diego gets 239 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seattle receives 67 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Seattle. San Diego usually gets less rain in January than Seattle. San Diego gets 1.8 inches (46 mm) of rain, while Seattle receives 5.4 inches (136 mm) of rain this time of the year.
Both Seattle and San Diego are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty are the main draw to San Diego this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Seattle for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.
In the spring, San Diego is much warmer than Seattle. Typically, the spring temperatures in San Diego in April average around 62°F (17°C), and Seattle averages at about 51°F (11°C).
It's quite sunny in Seattle. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Diego. San Diego usually receives more sunshine than Seattle during spring. San Diego gets 277 hours of sunny skies, while Seattle receives 212 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, San Diego usually receives less rain than Seattle. San Diego gets 0.8 inches (20 mm) of rain, while Seattle receives 2.5 inches (64 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
San Diego | Seattle | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 57°F (14°C) | 1.8 inches (46 mm) | 42°F (5°C) | 5.4 inches (136 mm) |
Feb | 59°F (15°C) | 1.5 inches (39 mm) | 45°F (7°C) | 4 inches (102 mm) |
Mar | 59°F (15°C) | 1.8 inches (45 mm) | 47°F (9°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
Apr | 62°F (17°C) | 0.8 inches (20 mm) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.5 inches (64 mm) |
May | 64°F (18°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.9 inches (47 mm) |
Jun | 67°F (19°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) | 62°F (17°C) | 1.6 inches (40 mm) |
Jul | 71°F (22°C) | 0 inches (1 mm) | 67°F (19°C) | 0.9 inches (22 mm) |
Aug | 73°F (23°C) | 0.1 inches (3 mm) | 67°F (19°C) | 1.2 inches (31 mm) |
Sep | 71°F (22°C) | 0.2 inches (6 mm) | 62°F (17°C) | 1.9 inches (49 mm) |
Oct | 68°F (20°C) | 0.4 inches (9 mm) | 54°F (12°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) |
Nov | 62°F (17°C) | 1.5 inches (37 mm) | 47°F (8°C) | 5.7 inches (144 mm) |
Dec | 57°F (14°C) | 1.6 inches (40 mm) | 42°F (6°C) | 6 inches (152 mm) |