A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Sonoma vs. Rapid City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

North America / Comparisons /
Jump to  down-arrow

Should you visit Sonoma or Rapid City?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Sonoma and Rapid City can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Sonoma or Rapid City?

Sonoma

When people say Sonoma, they are often referring to the region's wine country, but in fact, Sonoma is a county, a valley, and a town. The county covers 1,768 square miles and is more spread out than nearby Napa. There are more than 30 cities and towns in the county and 425 wineries with tasting rooms. The county also borders the Pacific Ocean, and the beautiful 55 mile stretch of coastline is rugged and dramatic.

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.

Which city is cheaper, Rapid City or Sonoma?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Sonoma is $176, while the average daily cost in Rapid City is $93. 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 Sonoma and Rapid City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sonoma $74
    Rapid City $48
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sonoma $148
    Rapid City $96
Compare Hotels in Sonoma and Rapid City

Looking for a hotel in Sonoma 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.

Hotels in Sonoma


Hotels in Rapid City


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: Sonoma Hotel Prices and Rapid City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sonoma $107
    Rapid City $42

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sonoma

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

  • Private transfer from Sonoma to SFO: $215
  • Private transfer from SFO to Sonoma: $215
  • From San Francisco: Transfer to Lake Tahoe & Palisades Tahoe: $1,699

Is it cheaper to fly into Sonoma or Rapid City?

Prices for flights to both Rapid City and Sonoma 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
    Sonoma $45
    Rapid City $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sonoma

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

  • Wine Country Food Tours. Sightseeing to various local artisanal food producers: $462

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sonoma $13
    Rapid City $21

Tours and Activities in Sonoma

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

  • #1 Private Walking Food, Wine & History Tour: $139
  • 6 Hour Private Wine Sonoma Tours Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passengers Van: $499
  • All-Inclusive Sonoma Wine and Picnic Tour: $198
  • Behind-the-Scenes Food and Wine E-Bike or Regular Bike Tour: $151
  • Point Reyes Station: Food and Farm Tour with Lunch: $225
  • Rides by me, Sonoma Sidecar Wine-Tasting tours: $220
  • Small-Group Wine-Tasting Tour through Sonoma Valley: $130
  • Sonoma County Wine Segway Tour: $151
  • Sonoma Food and Wine Private Group Tour: $138
  • Sonoma Valley Full-Day Pedal Assist Bike Tour with Lunch - (Reg. Bike Optional): $151
  • Sonoma Valley Half-Day Wine Country Tour: $100
  • Sonoma Valley Wine Buyer's Picnic Tour: $125

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sonoma $33
    Rapid City $5.54

Sample the Local Flavors in Sonoma

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

  • 2-Hour Private Guided E-Trike Wine Tour at Sonoma: $80
  • Sonoma County Wine Tasting Tour: $103
  • #1 Small Group Sonoma Walking Food and Wine Tour: $105
  • Napa Valley: Guided Wine Tour with Picnic Lunch: $119
  • Sonoma County: Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour: $130
  • From San Francisco: Redwoods and Wine Tasting: $179
  • Private Sonoma and Napa Wine Tour Including Custom Concierge: $225
  • Wine Tours: $513
  • 6 Hour Napa or Sonoma Wine Tour in Private Limousine: $675
  • 8-Hour Private Wine Tour Experience for up to 6 Guests - San Francisco to Sonoma: $680
  • Guided Private Wine Tour to Napa and Sonoma Wine Country: $800
  • 8 Hour Napa or Sonoma Wine Tour in Private Limousine: $875

About these numbers

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

Budget Your Trip

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.
Sign Up

More City Comparisons
Flagstaff vs. Sonoma
Flagstaff vs. Rapid City
Phoenix vs. Sonoma
Phoenix vs. Rapid City
Sedona vs. Sonoma
Sedona vs. Rapid City
Big Sur vs. Sonoma
Big Sur vs. Rapid City
Los Angeles vs. Sonoma
Los Angeles vs. Rapid City
Napa Valley vs. Sonoma
Napa Valley vs. Rapid City
Sacramento vs. Sonoma
Sacramento vs. Rapid City
San Diego vs. Sonoma
San Diego vs. Rapid City
San Francisco vs. Sonoma
San Francisco vs. Rapid City
Sonoma vs. South Lake Tahoe
Sonoma vs. Aspen
Sonoma vs. Avon
Sonoma vs. Breckenridge
Sonoma vs. Colorado Springs
Sonoma vs. Denver
Sonoma vs. Durango
Sonoma vs. Vail
Sonoma vs. Albuquerque
Sonoma vs. Roswell, New Mexico
Share This Page
Pin This Page
Sonoma vs. Rapid City Travel Comparison

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.