Which place is cheaper, Hawaii or South Carolina?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit South Carolina or Hawaii?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between South Carolina and Hawaii 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: South Carolina or Hawaii?
South Carolina
The U.S. state of South Carolina is a part of the American South-rich in all the culture, cuisine, and countryside that make up the region. From the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains to a stunning coastline with many charming towns in between, the landscape of South Carolina is full of things to do and see. There are many great opportunities to dive into the past while indulging in the culture that thrives today.
Hawaii
Located towards the center of the Pacific Ocean and the northeast corner of Polynesia, Hawai'i is the 50th state of the United States of America. It is a major tourist destination for travelers from around the world and as such, its economy is very dependent on the tourist dollar. Historically, the state had strong whaling, sugar and pineapple industries, but today tourism and the military make up a significant part of the economy. The state includes many islands that spread over 1,500 miles, but there are eight main islands which have a diversity of natural beauty and interesting landscapes. The islands offer visitors many impressive features from the beautiful beaches to the lush interior. There is a lot of hiking, snorkeling and scuba diving available throughout the islands. The capital of the state is Honolulu, which is also the largest city. Both Hawaiian and English are spoken throughout.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America, The Best Historical Tours in United States of America, The Best 10-Day Tours in United States of America, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySouth Carolina $207Hawaii $342
The average daily cost (per person) in South Carolina is $207, while the average daily cost in Hawaii is $342. 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 South Carolina and Hawaii in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSouth Carolina $96Hawaii $214
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSouth Carolina $192Hawaii $428
Compare Hotels in South Carolina and Hawaii
Looking for a hotel in South Carolina or Hawaii? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.South Carolina $33Hawaii $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in South Carolina
Some specific examples of transportation prices in South Carolina:
- Private Transfer from Charleston Cruise Port to Charleston city: $55
- Private Transfer from Charleston City to Charleston Cruise Port: $55
- Private Departure Transfer to Myrtle Beach Airport (MYR): $36
- Private Arrival Transfer from Myrtle Beach Airport MYR: $36
- Myrtle Beach to Myrtle Beach Intl. Airport (MYR) - Departure Private Transfer: $52
- Myrtle Beach Intl. Airport (MYR) to Myrtle Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $104
- Isle of Palms/Sullivans Island to Charleston Airport –Departure Private Transfer: $104
- Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP) to Greenville - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $74
- Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP) to Greenville - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Greenville to Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
- Folly Beach to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $103
- Charleston city to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hawaii
Also for Hawaii, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Maui Kahului Airport: $13
- Shared Departure Transfer: Kauai Hotels to Kauai International Airport: $13
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Maui Airport to Hotel: $13
- Departure Transfer from Hotels to Kona International Airport: $15
- Departure Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal: $18
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotels to Kona International Airport: $18
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Kona International Airport to Hotels: $18
- Shared Arrival Transfer from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki Hotels: $18
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Kauai International Airport to Kauai Hotels: $26
- Private Arrival Transfer from Maui Kahului Airport OGG: $31
- Honolulu Airport Private Transfer to or from Waikiki: $32
- Honolulu Airport -Waikiki Arrival Private Transfer W/Lei Greeting: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into South Carolina or Hawaii?
Prices for flights to both Hawaii and South Carolina 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 daySouth Carolina $53Hawaii $77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in South Carolina
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in South Carolina.
- Murder Mystery Dinner Show in Myrtle Beach: $50
- Charleston Sunset Blues & BBQ Dinner Cruise: $63
- Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show Ticket in Myrtle Beach: $67
- Charleston Harbor Luxury Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $88
- Charleston Food Tour: $99
- Sunset Hibachi Dinner Cruise : $102
- Hilton Head Sunset Dinner Cruise: $106
- Charleston Farm-to-Table Food Tour and Chef's Challenge: $109
- Charleston Walking Brunch Tour With Secret Food Tours: $110
- Charleston Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $110
- Downtown Charleston Food Tour: $110
- Savor the Flavors of Charleston Walking Food Tour: $110
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 2-Hour Dinner Cruise in Honolulu: $97
- Moonlight Dinner Cruise in Honolulu: $106
- Sunset Dinner Cruise in Honolulu: $107
- Honolulu Sunset & Fireworks Dinner Cruise: $107
- Ahi Uila Fire Show and Dinner: $110
- Walking Food Tour Exploring Hanalei: $119
- From Ma'alaea Harbor: Sunset Dinner Cruise Aboard the Quicksilver: $120
- Best Food Tours on Kaua'i: $125
- Hanalei, Kauaʻi Walking Food Tour: $129
- Explore Waimea Town on a Walking Food Tour: $129
- From Ma'alaea Harbor: Thanksgiving Dinner Cruise Aboard Calypso: $130
- Ma'alaea Harbor: Sunset Prime Rib or Mahi Mahi Dinner Cruise : $140
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.South Carolina $25Hawaii $38
Tours and Activities in South Carolina
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for South Carolina are as follows:
- 2 Hours Private Morris Island and River Cruise: $255
- #1 Historical Horse Drawn Carriage Tour: $35
- 1 Hour Private Dolphin Tour Hilton Head Island: $250
- 1.5-Hour Charleston Harbor Cruise with Live Narration: $42
- 2 Hours Shem Creek Safari Kayak Tour: $52
- 2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour in Charleston: $54
- 2-Hour Guided Segway Tour of Huntington Beach State Park in Myrtle Beach: $69
- 2-Hour Hilton Head Guided Kayak Nature Tour: $45
- 2-Hours Roaring 20s Premium Cocktail Walking Tour: $110
- 300 Years of War and Peacetime in Charleston: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- 60-Minute Escape Game Adventures in Myrtle Beach: $41
- 90 Minute Hilton Head Dolphin Tour: $48
Tours and Activities in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Baumkuchen Farm Tour: $5.00
- Diamond Head Hiking Narrated Tour: $5.00
- Honolulu Downtown Walking Tour: $5.00
- Walk The Deck of The USS Arizona Virtual Reality Tour: $5.99
- Hilo History and Legends (APP) Audio Self Guided Walking Tour: $6.50
- Pearl Harbor Virtual Reality Experience: $7.99
- USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Chief'sTour: $7.99
- Honolulu Historic District a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.99
- Historic Downtown Honolulu GPS-Led Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
- Kauai Poipu & Koloa Town Audio Driving Tour: $9.99
- Big Island - Kohala Coast & Backcountry Driving Tour: $9.99
- 15 Minutes Air Raid Pearl Harbor Virtual Reality Tour: $9.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySouth Carolina $30Hawaii $19
Sample the Local Flavors in South Carolina
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in South Carolina:
- Charleston Women and Wine Tour: $20
- Charleston Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- Spooky & Haunted Paranormal Bar Crawl Downtown Greenville: $32
- Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl Shared Tour in Charleston : $35
- Speakeasy Sagas - Charleston Prohibition Pub Crawl: $35
- Hilton Head's ONLY Distillery Experience: $55
- Charleston Brewery District Cruise (Public Tour): $95
- Half Day Party Bus Brewery Tour of Charleston: $140
Sample the Local Flavors in Hawaii
Also in Hawaii, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Whiskey Tour - Koʻolau Distillery - Kailua, Hawai'i 96734: $25
- Honolulu Haunts Ghost Tours And Pub Crawls: $30
- Shaxi Dive Bar Tour: $37
- History Tour Pub Crawl in Waikiki: $45
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between South Carolina and Hawaii, we can see that Hawaii is more expensive. And not only is South Carolina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to South Carolina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in South Carolina 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 Hawaii would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hawaii than you might in South Carolina.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is South Carolina Expensive? and Is Hawaii Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, South Carolina or Hawaii?
South Carolina has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Hawaii. When comparing the sizes of South Carolina and Hawaii, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.