A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Savannah vs. Chicago for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Savannah or Chicago?

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

Should I visit Savannah or Chicago? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Savannah or Chicago?

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.

Chicago

Located in the Midwest, Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. It has a population of almost 3 million and a metropolitan area that covers more than 10,000 square kilometers. It is also a hub for music, comedy and theater. It's skyline is beautiful with modern skyscrapers and Lake Michigan as a backdrop. It is easy to stay entertained in Chicago for weeks. There are world class museums, upscale or eclectic shopping opportunities, and impressive architecture.

Which city is cheaper, Chicago 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 Chicago is $221. 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 Savannah and Chicago in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Savannah $67
    Chicago $152
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Savannah $134
    Chicago $304
Compare Hotels in Savannah and Chicago

Looking for a hotel in Savannah or Chicago? 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 Savannah


Hotels in Chicago


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: Savannah Hotel Prices and Chicago Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Savannah $22
    Chicago $29

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Savannah

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Savannah:

  • Private Arrival Transfer from Savannah Airport SAV: $73
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Hotel: $157
  • Private Departure Transfer to Savannah Airport SAV: $73
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Savannah Airport: $157
  • SAV Airport Transfer To & From South Carolina: $120
  • Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) to Savannah - Arrival Private Transfer: $62
  • Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) to Savannah - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $124
  • Savannah to Savannah Hilton Airport (SAV) - Departure Private Transfer: $62

Typical Local Transportation prices in Chicago

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Chicago:


  • Parking
    $19
  • Taxi Ride
    $10
  • Taxi from Airport
    $45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chicago

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chicago:

  • Private Airport Transfer: O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Chicago: $43
  • Private Airport Transfer: from Chicago to O’Hare International Airport (ORD): $43
  • Private Airport Transfer: Midway International Airport (MDW) to Chicago: $55
  • Private Airport Transfer: from Chicago to Midway International Airport (MDW): $55
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Chicago Midway Airport to Chicago City: $66
  • Private Departure Transfer from Chicago City to Midway International Airport: $66
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Chicago City: $78
  • Private Departure Transfer from Chicago City to O'Hare International Airport: $78
  • Arrival Private Transfer Chicago O'Hare Airport ORD to Chicago by Sedan Car: $79
  • Departure Private Transfer Chicago City to O'Hare Airport ORD by Sedan Car: $79
  • Private Departure Transfer to Chicago Airports (ORD)(MDW): $80
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Chicago Airports (ORD) (MDW): $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Savannah or Chicago?

Prices for flights to both Chicago 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Savannah $46
    Chicago $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 Chicago

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Chicago:


  • Dinner for 1
    $24
  • Dinner for 3
    $118

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chicago

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

  • Traveling Spoon Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Private Online Cooking Class: $27
  • Learn to Make Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza with a Local: $49
  • Lonely Planet Experiences: River North Historical Food Tour: $61
  • Private Fusion Cooking Class in Downtown Chicago: $64
  • Best in Chow: Chicago River North Food Tour: $64
  • Signature Food Tour at Chicago's Navy Pier: $64
  • Skip the Line: Tommy Gun's Garage Dinner and Show Ticket: $67
  • Small-Group Chicago Food Tour: Gold Coast and Old Town: $75
  • Best of Chicago Tour Including a Deep-Dish Pizza: $75
  • River North Walking Food Tour: $75
  • Chicago's Wicker Park Food Tour: $75
  • Private Indian-Mexican Fusion Cooking Class with a Modern Cook: $78

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Savannah $13
    Chicago $34
Typical Entertainment prices in Savannah

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Savannah are as follows:


  • Pub Crawl
    $10

Tours and Activities in Savannah

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

  • Savannah's Famous Ghost Tour - On-Location Technology (GPS) Guided Experience: $3.95
  • Savannah Virtual Tour - See Savannah Virtually & Safely On Your Phone: $5.95
  • Skip the Line: General Admission Webb Military Museum Ticket: $10
  • Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum Self-Guided Tour: $10
  • Savannah Scavenger Hunt: Historic Savannah Adventure: $12
  • Skip-The-Line: The American Prohibition Museum Admission Ticket: $16
  • Savannah's Haunted Historic Pub and Tavern Tour: $18
  • Savannah Hidden History Walking Tour: $18
  • Spirits with Spirits Happy Hour Tour in Savannah: $19
  • Guided Sightseeing & History Walking Tour of Savannah: $20
  • Savannah Civil War Guided Walking History Tour: $20
  • Savannah Night-Time Ghost Walking Tour: $20

Typical Entertainment prices in Chicago

Here are a few typical costs in Chicago for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Sears Tower (family of 4)
    $102
  • Aquarium for 4
    $118
  • Water Taxi (family of 4)
    $22
  • IMAX Movie for Two
    $35
  • Shakespeare Play (2)
    $116
  • Art Institute (2)
    $36
  • U-Boat Tour (2)
    $8.00

Tours and Activities in Chicago

Here are a few actual costs in Chicago for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • A Storied Neighborhood: Dance the dialectic with Bill Ayers on an audio tour: $5.00
  • Discovering Vintage The Loop Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap: $5.34
  • Riverwalk Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.00
  • Millennium Park Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.00
  • Chicago Riverwalk Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.00
  • Skip the Line: American Writers Museum Admission Ticket: $14
  • Pilsen Walking Tour of Local Publicly Displayed Art: $15
  • Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Historic Chicago Theatre: $18
  • Chicago Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
  • Windy City Ghost Tour: $24
  • Street Art & Mural Tours By Native 312- Wabash Arts Corridor: $25
  • In the Streets: Milwaukee Ave Guided Bike Tour: $25

For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Free Things to Do in Chicago, Chicago Bucket List: The Best Places to See, and The Best Museums in Chicago.


Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Savannah $28
    Chicago $20

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 Chicago

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Chicago:

  • Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour: $25
  • Walking tour to Chicago dive bars: $41
  • Chicago Barrel Bus Craft Distillery Tour: $90
  • Chicago Craft Brewery Barrel Bus Tour: $90
  • Ultimate Girl's Night Out in Sparkling Wine, Photo Shoot, Burlesque: $900

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Savannah and Chicago, we can see that Chicago 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 Chicago would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chicago than you might in Savannah.


When is the best time to visit Savannah or Chicago?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Savannah or Chicago in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Savannah and Chicago. Furthermore, many travelers come to Chicago for the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Savannah is generally around the same temperature as Chicago. Temperatures in Savannah average around 82°F (28°C), and Chicago stays around 77°F (25°C).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Chicago this time of the year. In Savannah, it's very sunny this time of the year. Savannah usually receives less sunshine than Chicago during summer. Savannah gets 267 hours of sunny skies, while Chicago receives 326 hours of full sun in the summer.

Chicago receives a lot of rain in the summer. Savannah gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Savannah usually receives more rain than Chicago. Savannah gets 7.9 inches (200 mm) of rain, while Chicago receives 3.9 inches (100 mm) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Savannah 82°F (28°C) 
    Chicago 77°F (25°C)

Should I visit Savannah or Chicago in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Savannah as well as Chicago. Additionally, many visitors come to Chicago in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

Savannah is a little warmer than Chicago in the autumn. The temperature in Savannah is usually 68°F (20°C) in October, and Chicago stays around 56°F (14°C).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Savannah this time of the year. In the autumn, Savannah often gets more sunshine than Chicago. Savannah gets 223 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Chicago receives 195 hours of full sun.

Savannah usually gets more rain in October than Chicago. Savannah gets 2.8 inches (71 mm) of rain, while Chicago receives 2.2 inches (56 mm) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Savannah 68°F (20°C) 
    Chicago 56°F (14°C)

Should I visit Savannah or Chicago in the Winter?

Both Chicago and Savannah are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Chicago for the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine during these months.

Chicago can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Savannah is much warmer than Chicago. Typically, the winter temperatures in Savannah in January are around 49°F (9°C), and Chicago is about 25°F (-4°C).

Savannah usually receives more sunshine than Chicago during winter. Savannah gets 176 hours of sunny skies, while Chicago receives 134 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Savannah usually receives more rain than Chicago. Savannah gets 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain, while Chicago receives 1.9 inches (47 mm) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Savannah 49°F (9°C) 
    Chicago 25°F (-4°C)

Should I visit Savannah or Chicago in the Spring?

Both Chicago and Savannah during the spring are popular places to visit. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Chicago because of the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.

In April, Savannah is generally much warmer than Chicago. Temperatures in Savannah average around 66°F (19°C), and Chicago stays around 52°F (11°C).

In Chicago, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Savannah. In the spring, Savannah often gets more sunshine than Chicago. Savannah gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Chicago receives 218 hours of full sun.

Chicago gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Savannah usually gets less rain in April than Chicago. Savannah gets 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain, while Chicago receives 4.3 inches (108 mm) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Savannah 66°F (19°C) 
    Chicago 52°F (11°C)

Typical Weather for Chicago and Savannah

Savannah Chicago
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 49°F (9°C) 2.9 inches (74 mm) 25°F (-4°C) 1.9 inches (47 mm)
Feb 52°F (11°C) 2.9 inches (73 mm) 29°F (-2°C) 1.4 inches (35 mm)
Mar 59°F (15°C) 4.4 inches (112 mm) 41°F (5°C) 3.7 inches (93 mm)
Apr 66°F (19°C) 2.9 inches (74 mm) 52°F (11°C) 4.3 inches (108 mm)
May 73°F (23°C) 4.2 inches (107 mm) 63°F (17°C) 3 inches (75 mm)
Jun 79°F (26°C) 5.9 inches (150 mm) 73°F (23°C) 3.9 inches (100 mm)
Jul 82°F (28°C) 7.9 inches (200 mm) 77°F (25°C) 3.9 inches (100 mm)
Aug 81°F (27°C) 6.5 inches (164 mm) 76°F (24°C) 3.5 inches (90 mm)
Sep 77°F (25°C) 5.6 inches (141 mm) 68°F (20°C) 3.8 inches (96 mm)
Oct 68°F (20°C) 2.8 inches (71 mm) 56°F (14°C) 2.2 inches (56 mm)
Nov 59°F (15°C) 1.9 inches (49 mm) 44°F (7°C) 2.2 inches (56 mm)
Dec 52°F (11°C) 3.3 inches (83 mm) 31°F (-1°C) 2.8 inches (71 mm)


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Savannah vs. Chicago Travel Comparison

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