Which place is cheaper, Rapid City or Tampa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Tampa vs. Rapid City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Tampa or Rapid City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Tampa 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: Tampa or Rapid City?
Tampa
On the north shore of Tampa Bay, across the water from Saint Peterburg, is the city of Tampa. The city has a population of almost 350,000. The metropolitan area includes Tampa, St. Peterburg, and Clearwater. It has about 2.9 million residents and is the second largest metropolitan area in the state. The city is a popular destination for outdoor activities and in 2008 it was ranked the 5th best outdoor city by Forbes.
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 dayTampa $179Rapid City $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Tampa is $179, 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Tampa and Rapid City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTampa $85Rapid City $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTampa $170Rapid City $120
Compare Hotels in Tampa and Rapid City
Looking for a hotel in Tampa 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: Tampa Hotel Prices and Rapid City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tampa $69Rapid City $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tampa
Also for Tampa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer to/from Tampa Airport (TPA): $70
- Tampa hotels to Tampa Bay Cruise Port-Departure Private Transfer : $37
- Tampa hotel or address to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Tampa hotels: $198
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $37
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa Hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $75
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Transfer: $37
- Tampa Bay Cruise Port to Tampa Airport (TPA) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
- Tampa Airport to Tampa Bay Cruise Port Private Arrival Transfer: $37
- Tampa Airport (TPA): Transfer tо Tampa Bay Cruise Port: $198
- Tampa Airport (TPA): Private Transfer to Tampa hotel/address: $207
Is it cheaper to fly into Tampa or Rapid City?
Prices for flights to both Rapid City and Tampa 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 dayTampa $53Rapid City $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tampa
For Tampa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Class near Disney in Tampa Florida: $88
- Ybor City Food Tour On Sundays: $89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Roller Coaster Tickets with Dinner and Show in Rapid City: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tampa $20Rapid City $26
Tours and Activities in Tampa
For Tampa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tampa Terrors Ghost Tour By US Ghost Adventures: $30
- 1.5-hour Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise from Tampa: $31
- 2 Hour Guided Segway Tour: $65
- Adventure Island Water Park Ticket: $143
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket: $108
- Christmas Lights Wonderland Deluxe Golf Cart Guided Tour in Tampa: $49
- Discover Tampa with Local Stories from a Virtual Tour: $30
- Downtown Tampa Historic Walking Tour: $30
- Escape to Paradise: Private Island Boat Adventure in Tampa Bay: $750
- Experience the season with a scavenger hunt in Tampa with Holly Jolly Hunt: $20
- Ghost Hunters Paranormal Ghost Tour: $49
- Ghost Investigation Tour Interactive Paranormal Experience 18Plus: $35
Tours and Activities in Rapid City
For Rapid City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Badlands Premium Van Tour - Public: $299
- Badlands National Park Adventure, Wall Drug and Baja: $279
- Badlands National Park Private Tour: $650
- Badlands Sunset and Wildlife Adventure : $239
- Badlands Sunset, Stars and Silhouettes Tour: $289
- Badlands Winter Wonderland Adventure: $239
- Bike Adventure on the Mickelson Trail - Private: $375
- Black Hills & Badlands: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tours: $20
- Black Hills: Private Tour of Mt. Rushmore & Flume Trail Hike: $650
- Buffalo Jeep Safari & Mammoth Site Tour: $698
- Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills: $133
- Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon and Northern Black Hills Adventure: $299
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTampa $26Rapid City $6.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Tampa
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tampa:
- Tampa Bar Hunt: Tampa Takeover Bar Crawl: $12
- Tampa Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Haunted Tampa Ghost and Pub Walking Tour - Ybor City: $35
- Tampa Bar Crawl on a 2023 Street Legal Golf Cart: $40
- Ybor City Private Brewery Tour by Custom Golf Cart: $200
- Tampa Heights Private Brewery Tour by Custom Golf Cart: $225
- Tampa Heights Private Brewery Tour by Private Golf Cart: $225
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tampa and Rapid City, we can see that Tampa 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 Tampa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tampa than you might in Rapid City.
Which is Bigger, Tampa or Rapid City?
Tampa is bigger, and its population is about 5.2 times larger than the population of Rapid City. When comparing the population of Tampa vs. Rapid City, 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 and the activities that interest you.
Related Articles for Tampa
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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.
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