A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santorini vs. Dallas for Couples, Attractions, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Santorini or Dallas?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Dallas, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Santorini

Santorini is a historic, romantic, and stunning island. You'll find world class beauty here as well. This is an attractive and quaint destination worth visiting as well. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Dallas

Dallas is a upscale, chic, and active city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Santorini and Dallas: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Nice resorts
  • Good scuba and snorkeling destination
  • Popular beach
  • Good for hiking
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for backpackers and budget travelers
  • Impressive beauty
  • Quaint atmosphere
Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for students
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with backpackers


Is there more to do in Santorini or Dallas?

Both Dallas and Santorini have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Santorini is better known for its resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, hiking, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Dallas is more popular for its museums, food, nightlife, and big city activities. Santorini is more touristy than Dallas and is popular for its beautiful volcanic beaches, stunning natural beauty, and breathtaking sunsets over the whitewashed villages. Dallas is well known for its Tex Mex cuisine, upscale shopping venues, and cowboy culture.

How is Santorini different from Dallas?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Dallas and Santorini. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santorini or Dallas?

Santorini
Dallas

Dallas is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its sights and museums.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Dallas can be an interesting and educational experience. Museums range from historical to art and science with some of the favorites being the Dallas Contemporary Museum, the African American Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Frontiers of Flight Museum. The city is also home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and the Nasher Sculpture Center. A must-see is the Sixth Floor Museum, which is in historic Dealey Plaza and is where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed JFK. Today there's a museum that goes over the events of that day.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Santorini. One of the most impressive historical sights is Akrotiri Archaeological Site. The island has many archeological sites as well as the Archeological Museum in Fira.


Is the Food Better in Santorini or Dallas? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santorini
Dallas

Dallas is a great city for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Dallas has a huge number of terrific restaurants. There's a perfect combination of Texas cuisine and international flavors. You'll find Texas barbecue, Tex Mex, and steakhouses intermixed with Thai, Japanese, and Caribbean cuisine. There's also a great food truck scene and many local eateries.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Santorini area. Popular foods on this island include fava, Greek salad, and kofta.

Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Nightlife?

Santorini
Dallas

Dallas is a great city for nightlife and partying. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its evening party scene.

The nightlife in Dallas has something for everybody. Head to East Dallas for the most active clubs with large dance floors and great music. The city also has rooftop lounges and plenty of live music as well as comedy clubs.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Santorini. It is one of the calmer, more romantic islands in Greece. For the best nightlife, you'll want to stay near Fira.

Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Resorts?

Santorini
Dallas

Santorini is renowned for its resorts. However, Dallas is not a resort destination.

If you're looking for a fantastic resort destination, Santorini is a perfect choice. The resorts range from all-inclusive options to resorts with a more local feel. The island is one of the most romantic of the Greek Islands, and the resorts are no exception.

Dallas is not a resort destination.


Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santorini
Dallas

Santorini is very good for its diving and snorkeling. However, Dallas is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

It's worth going snorkeling or scuba diving in Santorini. Some of the best snorkeling places are found at Red Beach, White Beach, and the less accessible Kambia. One of the island's best diving spots is Caldera Beach.

Dallas is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Beaches?

Santorini
Dallas

Santorini is very good for the beache. However, Dallas is not a beach destination.

Many people head to Santorini to enjoy the beach. The island has many beaches, most of which are made of black pebbly sand that are a result of the island's volcanic history. Popular beaches include Perissa Beach, Kamari Beach, and Perivolos Beach.

Dallas is not a beach destination.

Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Hiking?

Santorini
Dallas

Santorini is very good for the nearby hiking options. However, Dallas is not a hiking destination.

Many people include a hike when visiting Santorini. The best hiking trails on the island pass by quaint villages and offers stunning ocean views. You can also hike along the edge of a volcano.

Dallas is not a hiking destination.


Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Dallas?

Santorini
Dallas

If you're looking to go shopping, Santorini and Dallas both offer plenty of excellent spots.

Santorini is well-known for its shopping. Towns around the island are filled with clothing and jewelry boutiques as well as many unique Greek shopping experiences.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Dallas. You'll find a very diverse shopping scene around town, with everything from quirky local vendors to upscale fashion boutiques. There are cowboy outfitters where you can get a feel for the Texas style, but there are also posh shopping centers and local flea markets.

Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Families?

Santorini
Dallas

Dallas is a great city for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its family-friendly activities.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Dallas is very family-friendly. The city is filled with families, and you'll find many kid-friendly activities around town. For some outdoor time you can visit the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden or the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. The Dallas Zoo is a favorite for many kids and there are also a number of kid-friendly museums around town such as the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Dallas World Aquarium.

Santorini is a family-friendly place to visit. It is a calmer destination than many of the Greek Islands. While it's a great place to relax with kids, the beaches aren't as good as they are on some of the other islands. Most families hang out in Kamari and Perissa Beach.

Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Couples?

Santorini
Dallas

Santorini is renowned for its romantic activities. Also, Dallas is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for couples.

For those traveling as a couple, Santorini has plenty to offer. It is a dream honeymoon destination that is famous for its picturesque setting and luxury resorts. For many couples, this is a top pick for a romantic trip to the Greek Isles.

Dallas makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Head to the observation deck at Reunion Tower for spectacular views of the night skyline. The city also has many great comedy clubs and performing arts venues as well as fine dining restaurants that make for a great date night.


Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santorini
Dallas

Santorini is very good for backpackers. However, Dallas is not a good city for backpackers and budget travelers.

Santorini is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. The island has its share of 5 star resorts, but if you head a few streets in you'll find some surprisingly affordable accommodation. Backpackers are welcomed on the island and beaches are free, so it's possible to get by on a relatively low budget.

Dallas is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. While there are a couple of hostels around town, this isn't a popular destination for the backpacker crowd.

Is Santorini or Dallas Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santorini
Dallas

Santorini and Dallas both offer notable public transit to get you around.

While Santorini offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There is a bus system, KTEL Santorini Buses, that runs 23 buses during the summer months but only a small fraction of that operate during the winter months.

Dallas has a few public transit options. While it's still very much a car-centered city, the public transportation system, DART, is one of the fastest growing in the country. It includes both light rail and bus service.

Is Santorini or Dallas a more walkable city?

Santorini
Dallas

Santorini is very good for its high level of walkability. However, Dallas is not a good city for its ease of walking around.

Santorini is a somewhat walkable place. Many towns on the island are walkable, including Fira, but the actual island is too large to explore on foot.

Dallas is generally not a very walkable island. The city is not particularly walkable, but there are several more walkable areas such as Ellum and Uptown.


For even more information, also check out Is Santorini Worth Visiting? and Is Dallas Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Dallas or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Dallas?

It's fun to spend time in either Santorini or Dallas. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Santorini due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Santorini, and 2-4 days is enough time in Dallas.

Families should spend more time in Dallas than Santorini. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Dallas, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Santorini than Dallas. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Santorini that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santorini than Dallas if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Santorini.


  • How many days in Santorini or Dallas? Ideal Length of Stay
    Santorini 3-7 
    Dallas 2-4

One day in Santorini or Dallas?

Many travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the quaint destination of Santorini. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Dallas. 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.

A weekend in Santorini or Dallas?

Santorini is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the active destination of Dallas. 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.

Five days in Santorini or Dallas?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santorini. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the upscale city of Dallas. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.


A week in Santorini or Dallas?

Many travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the historic destination of Santorini. This island offers a variety of activities to choose from. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. If you have one week, this is a great place to go. This would be the perfect place to spend one week, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Dallas is a popular choice for travelers. 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 Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City.


Which place is cheaper, Dallas or Santorini?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is $188, while the average daily cost in Dallas is $141. 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 Santorini and Dallas in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santorini $100
    Dallas $84
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santorini $200
    Dallas $168
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Dallas

Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Dallas? 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 Santorini


Hotels in Dallas


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: Santorini Hotel Prices and Dallas Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santorini $30
    Dallas $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini

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

  • One-Way Transfer to/from the Port or Airport: $15
  • Santorini Private Transfer From or To Airport: $19
  • Departure Shared Transfer in Santorini Island: $22
  • Arrival Shared Transfer in Santorini Island: $22
  • Shared Departure Transfer: Santorini Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port: $22
  • Santorini shared transfer: $22
  • Private Transfers To/From Airport, Port & Hotels: $22
  • Santorini : Economy Private transfer to all destinations: $22
  • Departure Private Transfer Santorini to Santorini Airport JTR by Sedan Car: $23
  • Private Transfer from Santorini Airport to Santorini : $24
  • Economy Transfers From & To Santorini Port: $24
  • PrivateTransfer from Santorini to Santorini Airport: $24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dallas

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dallas:

  • Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW): Transfer to Dallas: $205
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Dallas Airport (DFW) - Dallas City Center: $138
  • Arrival Private Transfer Dallas Airport DAL to Fort Worth by Luxury Vehicle: $135
  • Private Transfer from Dallas Airport DFW to Dallas in Luxury Van: $126
  • Private Transfer from Dallas Airport DFW to Dallas in Luxury SUV: $126
  • Departure Private Transfer: Dallas to Dallas Airport DFW in Luxury SUV: $126
  • RoundtripTransfer Executive Private Car Dallas Airport (DFW) -Dallas City Center: $120
  • Private Transfer Fort Worth Airport DFW to Downtown Fort Worth by Luxury Vehicle: $109
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Dallas Airport DFW to Dallas in Business Car: $105
  • Private Transfer from Dallas Airport DFW to Dallas in Business Car: $104
  • Private Transfer from Dallas to Dallas Airport DFW in Business Car: $101
  • Private Transfer Downtown Dallas to Fort Worth Airport DFW Luxury Vehicle: $92

Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Dallas?

Prices for flights to both Dallas and Santorini 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
    Santorini $51
    Dallas $35

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini

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

  • Traditional Greek Night live Music & Dinner Show in Santorini: $55
  • Santorini Caldera: Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $70
  • Romantic Sunset Caldera Cruise with Dinner: $70
  • Volcanic Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $81
  • Catamaran Tour with BBQ Dinner, Drinks, and Music: $85
  • Santorini Caldera Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner and Wine: $87
  • Volcano and Hot Springs Sunset Dinner Cruise: $97
  • Santorini Cooking Class with Wine Tasting: $108
  • Santorini Volcano Sunset Cruise Including Dinner on Board: $108
  • The Aegean Cooking Class: $109
  • Cooking Class in Traditional cave house in Santorini!: $120
  • Fira: 4-Hour Walking Food Tour With Tastings: $124

Typical Food Prices in Dallas

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


  • Cowboys Stadium Tour (for 2)
    $55
  • Whataburger Lunch (family of 4)
    $21

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dallas

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

  • West Village Happy Hour Food Tour: $39
  • Dallas Secret Food Tour: $98
  • Secret Food Tour of Dallas with Private Tour Option: $99

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santorini $39
    Dallas $13

Tours and Activities in Santorini

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

  • Authentic A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Oia: $6.99
  • Megalochori: Lost Atlantis 9D Experience Museum Entry Ticket: $15
  • Skip the Line Lost Atlantis Experience Ticket: $15
  • Akrotiri Archaeological Site Entry Ticket: $16
  • E-Ticket to Akrotiri with Audio Tour on your Phone: $24
  • Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Cruise Tour from Fira Old Port: $27
  • Volcanic Islands Cruise with Hot Springs Visit: $28
  • Kayak Rental Adventure in Watersports Santorini: $33
  • Santorini Caldera Cruise Tour (Volcano, Hot Springs, Thirassia): $33
  • Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Tour: $38
  • Santorini Volcano & Hot Springs Tour : $40
  • Santorini Volcano Half Day Tour: $44

Tours and Activities in Dallas

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

  • 2 Hour Dallas Night Sightseeing E-Scooter Tour: $90
  • Private Walking Tour of Dealey Plaza Assassination of JFK: $135
  • 1-Hour JFK Assassination Walking Tour: $28
  • 1-Hour JFK Assassination Walking Tour : $28
  • 2-Hour Historic Dallas Segway Tour: $79
  • 3-Hour Ropes Course & Zip Line Adventure : $60
  • 3hr Dallas Cowboys Stadium Small Group Tour with Transportation: $108
  • Combination Southfork Ranch and Dallas/JFK Highlights Tour: $145
  • Dallas Highlights Tour: $205
  • Dallas Indoor Skydiving Experience with 2 Flights & Personalized Certificate: $114
  • Dallas Terrors Ghost Tour By US Ghost Adventures: $30
  • Dallas and Cowboys Stadium Combo Tour: $153

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santorini $28
    Dallas $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini

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

  • Top Sights Day Trip, Wine Tasting, & Oia Sunset: $63
  • Fira Town Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $75
  • Visit to a Wine Museum and Wine Tasting in Santorini : $76
  • 2 Hours Private Wine Tasting Tour in Santorini With Pick Up: $87
  • Notos Day Tour through History & Wine Tasting: $98
  • Wine Tour with Sunset in Oia: $107
  • Santorini Highlights Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting from Fira: $109
  • 5 towns in 5 hours: Santorini Most Popular Tour with Wine tasting: $117
  • 3-Hour Wine Tasting in Santorini : $126
  • Santorini Wine Adventure with 12 Wine Tastings, Tapas and Sunset: $131
  • Santorini wine tasting and Traditional Cave Settlement Tour: $142
  • Intimate Santorini - Small Group Shore Excursion and Wine Tasting: $142

Sample the Local Flavors in Dallas

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

  • Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
  • Party Bike Pub Crawl in Deep Ellum and Downtown Dallas: $55
  • Dallas Party Bike Pub Crawl in Deep Ellum: $55


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Dallas, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Dallas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santorini is in Europe and Dallas is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Dallas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dallas 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini than you might in Dallas.

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


Which is Bigger, Santorini or Dallas?

Dallas has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Santorini. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Dallas, 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.