Which city is cheaper, Rapid City or Sedona?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Sedona vs. Rapid City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Sedona or Rapid City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sedona or Rapid City? 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: Sedona or Rapid City?
Sedona
Sedona, Arizona is a desert town near Flagstaff. Sedona has many canyons and pine forests, but the most stunningly, beautiful landscape here is the many red rock limestone formations that can be found almost everywhere. The stone formations always have a deep red color, and this color only intensifies in the light of the sun. Sedona has been named one of the most beautiful places in America because of its mesmerizing scenery that changes hourly with the shifting of light. Native Americans have always regarded Sedona as a place of healing and renewal, and that continues to be true as they still value this land as sacred. Sedona is surrounded by 1.8 million acres of national forest land, and no matter where you are in Sedona you are never far from breathtaking scenery.
Rapid City
Rapid City is a large city in western South Dakota that is considered the gateway to the Black Hills National Forest. Rapid City is often used as a base for all types of outdoor activities, including tours to the infamous Mount Rushmore and surrounding parks. The city has a budding art scene and offers the perfect combination of a metropolitan city surrounded by stunning natural scenery. Rapid City experiences the best weather from June-September with temperatures in the 70's and 80's Fahrenheit. Temperatures drop to the low 20's F in the winter and the area receives the most rain pour in April and May.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySedona $165Rapid City $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Sedona is $165, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $116. 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 Sedona and Rapid City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSedona $93Rapid City $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSedona $186Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Sedona and Rapid City
Looking for a hotel in Sedona or Rapid 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.
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: Sedona Hotel Prices and Rapid City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sedona $40Rapid City $53
Is it cheaper to fly into Sedona or Rapid City?
Prices for flights to both Rapid City and Sedona 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
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Food Meals for one daySedona $48Rapid City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sedona
For Sedona, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Small-Group Sedona Photography Workshop with Lunch or Dinner: $267
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sedona $19Rapid City $26
Typical Entertainment prices in Sedona
For Sedona, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Red Rock Fantasy Light Show (for 2)$10
Tours and Activities in Sedona
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sedona.
- 15-Minute Helicopter Tour of Sedona: $125
- 2 Hour Guided Motorcycle Tour To Sedona: $1,200
- 2-Day Grand Canyon Tour from Sedona: $542
- 2-Hour Sedona Guided Tour: $55
- 2.5-Hour Sedona Sightseeing Tour with Sedona Hotel Pickup: $52
- 25-Minute Helicopter Tour of Sedona: $206
- Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Private Luxury Car Tour: $528
- Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Small-Group Tour from Sedona or Flagstaff: $224
- Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Tour from Sedona: $235
- Antelope Slot Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Day Tour from Sedona: $236
- Awaken to You: Journey and Sedona Vortex Tour 6 to 8 hr: $778
- Broken Arrow Jeep Tour in Sedona: $140
Tours and Activities in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Bike Adventure on the Mickelson Trail - Private: $267
- Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $123
- Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Bus Tour with Live Commentary: $84
- Private Badlands National Park Day Tour: $315
- Private Jeep Safari and Hiking Tour/ Two Person Minimum: $307
- Private Mickelson Trail Bicycling Tour/ Two Person Minimum: $299
- Private Mt Rushmore & Southern Black Hills Tour: $329
- Southern Black Hills Bicycle Tour - Private: $267
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySedona $13Rapid City $6.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Sedona
Also in Sedona, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bliss Wine Tours - The Most Luxurious Vineyard Tour in Sedona: $94
- Wine Tour from Sedona to the Verde Valley Vineyards in Luxury Transportation: $99
- Private Luxury Wine Tour from Sedona to the Famous Verde Valley Vineyards: $199
- From Phoenix: Sedona Day Tour With Wine Tasting: $225
- Private, Customized Verde Valley Wine Trail or Microbrewery Tour for 2 Adults: $380
- Personalized, Private Wine Tour for 2 Adults from Sedona: $380
- Private Wine Tour Sedona to Verde Valley Wineries Party of 2: $1,050
- Private Wine Tour from Sedona to Verde Valley Wineries: $1,647
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sedona and Rapid City, we can see that Sedona is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Rapid City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rapid City 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 Sedona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sedona than you might in Rapid City.
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Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.More City Comparisons
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