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

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Should you visit Texas or California?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Texas and California. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Texas or California?

Texas

Texas is the second largest and second most populated state in the United States. It measures 267,000 square miles in size and exploring even a large section of the state takes longer than you might expect. The size and distinctive culture of the area brings much pride to the state's natives. The state was briefly its own country for ten years, starting in 1836 after the residents rebelled as a territory of first Spain and then Mexico. It then joined the United States in 1845. The state maintains its independent personality and many Texans proudly display the state flag near their home or car.

California

California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is known for a variety of attractions such as Hollywood, warm beaches, the San Francisco bay area, Redwood trees, national parks, and stunning mountain vistas. With a variety of locations and activities to offer, California has become one of the premier travel destinations in the world.

Which city is cheaper, California or Texas?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Texas is $158, while the average daily cost in California is $200. 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 Texas and California in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Texas $63
    California $92
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Texas $126
    California $184
Compare Hotels in Texas and California

Looking for a hotel in Texas or California? 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 Texas


Hotels in California


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: Texas Hotel Prices and California Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Texas $39
    California $34

Hired Cars and Shuttles in California

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

  • Carmel 1-Way Transfer to/from San Francisco Airport: $410
  • Departure Private Transfer to San Francisco Cruise Port by Business Car: $84
  • Los Angeles International Airport: Private Transfer to/from: $93
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to Mountain View City - One Way: $147
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to Oakland City - One Way: $105
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to San Francisco City - One Way: $166
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to San Jose City - One Way: $194
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to San Mateo City - One Way: $73
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to Union City - One Way: $137
  • Orange County: 1-Way Private Transfer to/from Anaheim Resort: $89
  • Private Airport Transfer from SFO to San Francisco: $79
  • Private San Francisco Transfer: Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port: $122

Is it cheaper to fly into Texas or California?

Prices for flights to both California and Texas 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
    Texas $34
    California $38

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California

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

  • Carlsbad Village: 3-Hour Local Food Tour: $70
  • San Francisco: Mission District Walking Food Tour: $75
  • San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $75
  • San Francisco: Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $79
  • North Beach: Curated 4-Course Food Tour: $99
  • Monterey: Guided Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $150
  • Napa Valley Wine Train: Gourmet Express Lunch or Dinner: $175
  • Los Angeles: 3-Hour Secret Food Tour: $217
  • Napa or Sonoma Dinner Transportation: $500

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Texas $19
    California $49

Tours and Activities in Texas

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

  • Austin: 1.5-Hour Lady Bird Lake Bike Tour: $45
  • Austin: Biker Gang E-Bike Adventure: $79
  • Austin: City and Hill Country 90-Minute Tour: $27
  • Austin: Lady Bird Lake Kayaking Tour: $45
  • Austin: Lost Legends of Texas Cocktail Tour: $99
  • Austin: Romantic Walking Tour for Domestic Tourists: $445
  • Austin: Romantic Walking Tour for Seniors: $445
  • Dallas JFK and West Village Restaurant Walking Tour: $78
  • Dallas: JFK Assassination and Sixth Floor Museum Tour: $73
  • Dallas: Tex-Mex Food and Culture Walking Tour: $35
  • Downtown Austin Adventure: 3-Hour Smartphone Scavenger Hunt: $44
  • Galveston: Ghost Tour by Bus: $25

Tours and Activities in California

For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • San Francisco: Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour with App: $5.57
  • San Francisco: Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $14
  • San Diego: Haunted Historic Whaley House - Self-Guided Tour: $14
  • San Francisco: Exploratorium After Dark Entry Ticket (18+): $20
  • Los Angeles: Skip-the-Line Battleship Iowa Museum Ticket: $23
  • Amazing Temecula Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $27
  • Los Angeles: Urban Adventure Quest Mini Scavenger Hunt: $27
  • San Francisco: 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Urban Hiking Tour: $29
  • Downtown Los Angeles: Food, Arts and Culture Walking Tour: $35
  • Newport Beach: Year-Round Whale Watching Cruise: $36
  • San Francisco: California Academy of Sciences Entry Ticket: $37
  • San Jose: Winchester Mystery House Tour: $42

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Texas $15
    California $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Texas

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Texas:

  • Austin: True Crime Walking Tour and Pub Crawl: $47

Sample the Local Flavors in California

Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Healdsburg Wine Tasting and Food Pairing Guided Walking Tour: $119
  • San Francisco: Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $149
  • Malibu: Vintage VW Hippie Sightseeing Tour with Wine Tasting: $179
  • Golf Somm - A Sommelier-Led Golf and Wine Tour in Napa Valley: $308
  • 6-Hours Customized Private NAPA Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • 6-Hour Customized Private LIVERMORE Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • 6-Hours Customized Private RUSSIAN RIVER Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay: $480
  • 6-Hours Customized Private SONOMA Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • Napa Wine Tour: $500
  • Sonoma Wine Tours: $500
  • Napa Valley Wine Tour Planning and Transportation: $513
  • 8-Hour Napa Valley Wine Tour: $570

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Texas and California, we can see that California is more expensive. And not only is Texas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Texas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Texas 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 California would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in California than you might in Texas.

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.
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Texas vs. California Travel Comparison

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