Should you visit Savannah or Charlotte?
Should I visit Savannah or Charlotte? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Savannah
Savanah is a reasonably priced city by U.S. standards. With a wide range of accommodation and food options, it's possible to experience this historical city on a cheaper budget, or, if you like, to live it up in luxury without spending an inordinate amount of money.
The oldest city in the state of Georgia, Savannah sits right on the Savannah River, a historic commercial port dating back to the Thirteen Colonies. The old port of the city still lies along this river, paved in traditional cobblestone roads and radiating with old southern charm. Savannah is also known for its many small parks, tunnels of oak trees and magnolias draped in southern moss, romantic horse-drawn carriages, as well as some of the most ornate antebellum architecture to be found in the south.
Whether you are interested in the past of a historically prosperous seaport or wish to enjoy the enchanting atmosphere that it still holds, Savannah is a quaint destination full of beauty with an arsenal of historic appeal to match.
Charlotte
With a population of almost 800,000, Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina. The city has grown rapidly in recent years and the thriving economy has led to major revitalization efforts in the city's central district. The city is a center for finance, industry, technology, and entertainment within the state. It is the location of the corporate headquarters of Bank of America as well as the east coast operations of Wells Fargo, making it the second largest banking center in the United States. Although Charlotte has never been considered a significant tourist destination, recent efforts to enhance the urban core and develop entertainment venues have begun to appeal to outside visitors.
Which city is cheaper, Charlotte or Savannah?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Savannah is $128, while the average daily cost in Charlotte is $153. 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. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Savannah and Charlotte in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $67. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Savannah the cost is $134 on average.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $188 in Charlotte For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Savannah is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $22 per person, per day, on local transportation in Savannah.
Charlotte's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $27 per person, per day on transportation in Charlotte.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Savannah
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Savannah:
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Hotel:
$157
-
Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Savannah Airport:
$157
-
Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) to Savannah - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$124
-
SAV Airport Transfer To & From South Carolina:
$120
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Savannah Airport SAV:
$73
-
Private Departure Transfer to Savannah Airport SAV:
$73
-
Savannah to Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) - Departure Private Transfer:
$62
-
Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) to Savannah - Arrival Private Transfer:
$62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charlotte
Also for Charlotte, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Departure Transfer to Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT):
$38
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT:
$38
-
Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) to Charlotte City - Arrival Private Transfer:
$54
-
Charlotte City to Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) - Departure Private Transfer:
$54
-
Departure Private Transfer Charlotte to Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT Sedan Car:
$85
-
Arrival Private Transfer Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT to Charlotte by Sedan car:
$86
-
Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) to Charlotte City - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$106
-
Departure Private Transfer Charlotte to Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT by SUV:
$140
-
Arrival Private Transfer Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT to Charlotte by SUV:
$141
Is it cheaper to fly into Savannah or Charlotte?
Prices for flights to both Charlotte and Savannah 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
On average, meal and food prices in Savannah cost around $46 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $18.
Food in Charlotte costs travelers about $37 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Savannah $46
Charlotte $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Savannah
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Savannah.
-
Savannah Southern Fried Expectations Walking Food Tour:
$47
-
Famous and Secret East Side Food Tour:
$57
-
3-Hour First Squares Food Tour:
$57
-
Savannah's Historic & Secret East Side Walking Food Tour:
$61
-
Savannah Culinary & Cultural Walking Food Tour:
$61
-
Savannah Riverboat Gospel Music Dinner Cruise:
$72
-
Monday Gospel Dinner Cruise:
$73
-
Savannah Riverboat Dinner Cruise:
$79
-
Savannah Walktails & Bar Bites Guided Food Tour:
$80
-
Savannah Riverboat: Dinner Cruise with Entertainment:
$87
Typical Food prices in Charlotte
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Charlotte:
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Savannah typically cost an average of $13 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Charlotte can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $34 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Typical Entertainment prices in Savannah
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Savannah are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Savannah
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Savannah are as follows:
-
"Pedal through Savannah" 2-Hour Bike Tour:
$30
-
10:00 pm Restless Souls Tour:
$29
-
13 Ghosts of Christmas: Savannah Ghost Tour:
$26
-
60-Minute Guided Segway History Tour of Savannah:
$49
-
8:00 pm Voices of the Dead Tour:
$29
-
90-Minute Segway History Tour of Savannah:
$71
-
America's Most Haunted City Savannah, Georgia Interpreter Tour:
$179
-
Bonaventure Cemetery Walking Tour with Transportation:
$30
-
Botanical Walking Tour of Savannah:
$32
-
Cayman Honey Beekeeping Adventure:
$67
-
Colonial Park Cemetery Segway and Walking Tour:
$69
-
Custom Savannah Private Tour:
$103
Tours and Activities in Charlotte
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Charlotte.
-
Charlotte Beyond the Grave Haunted History Walking Ghost Tour:
$18
-
Queen City Ghost Tour:
$22
-
Charlotte Ghost Walking Tour:
$23
-
Charlotte Comedy City Tour:
$30
-
Charlotte Comedy City PG-13 Tour:
$35
-
Charlotte's Historical City Tour:
$38
-
90-Minute Electric Cart City Sightseeing Tour:
$40
-
Belize Jungle Limo - Triple Activity Tour:
$50
-
Historic Uptown 90-Minute Segway Tour:
$60
-
Historic Uptown Neighborhood Segway Tour of Charlotte:
$60
-
Private and Custom Tours:
$75
-
Discover Charlotte Historic City: Segway Tour:
$234
Alcohol
The average person spends about $28 on alcoholic beverages in Savannah per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Charlotte, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $16.
Sample the Local Flavors in Savannah
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Savannah:
-
Epic Savannah Bar Crawl: By Let’s Roam:
$12
-
90 Minute Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl:
$15
-
Spanish Moss Haunted Savannah Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour:
$24
-
Haunted Savannah Ghost & Pub Walking Tour:
$28
-
Bad Kitty Haunted Pub Crawl - The Best Savannah Ghost and Spirits Experience:
$29
-
Spooky Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl and Walking Ghost Tour:
$30
-
Haunted Savannah Pub Crawl:
$30
-
Creepy Crawl Night-Time Haunted Pub Walking Tour of Savannah's Historic District:
$30
-
Damsels & Divas Pub Crawl:
$35
-
Drag Queen Guided Pub Crawl with Sing-a-Longs:
$38
-
Savannah Yes, Queen! Drag Queen Pub Crawl:
$39
Sample the Local Flavors in Charlotte
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charlotte:
-
Haunted Charlotte Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Trolley Pub Tour of Charlotte:
$41
-
3-Hour Charlotte Brewery Crawl Tour:
$54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Savannah and Charlotte, we can see that Charlotte is more expensive. And not only is Savannah much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Savannah would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Savannah 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 Charlotte would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Charlotte than you might in Savannah.
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