Which place is cheaper, Oahu or Tucson?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tucson or Oahu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Tucson and Oahu can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Tucson or Oahu?
Tucson
Tucson, Arizona is the second largest city in the state and sits at an elevation of 2,400 feet. It's temperature is slightly milder than Phoenix and it is a pleasant place to visit. Most people arrive in the city by car, but Amtrak does travel through Tucson, as does Greyhound. The area is also served by the Tucson International Airport. Once in the city, you'll likely want to have access to a car, as the city is not very pedestrian friendly and public transportation is very much lacking. Many popular and beautiful sights are also outside of town in the surrounding desert, so having access to a vehicle is paramount if you hope to visit any of the places.
Oahu
Hawaii is the epitome of paradise, and at the heart of paradise is the island of O'ahu (or Oahu). While it's only the third largest of the Hawaiian islands, O'ahu, or "the gathering place," is the most populous in the state with approximately 976,000 people calling O'ahu home, many of which live in the capital city of Honolulu.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTucson $157Oahu $333
The average daily cost (per person) in Tucson is $157, while the average daily cost in Oahu is $333. 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 Tucson and Oahu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTucson $93Oahu $237
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTucson $186Oahu $474
Compare Hotels in Tucson and Oahu
Looking for a hotel in Tucson or Oahu? 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: Tucson Hotel Prices and Oahu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tucson $27Oahu $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oahu
Also for Oahu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Honolulu to Honolulu Airport HNL in Sedan Car: $108
- Private Transfer from Wakiki Beach to Honolulu (HNL) Airport: $87
- Private Transfer from Waikiki to Honolulu (HLN) Airport: $87
- Private Transfer from Honolulu Port to Honolulu / Waikiki hotels: $37
- Private Transfer from Honolulu Cruise Port to Honolulu Airport: $37
- Private Transfer from Honolulu (HNL) Airport to Wakiki Beach: $87
- Private Transfer from Honolulu (HLN) Airport to Waikiki : $87
- Private Transfer from Honolulu (HLN) Airport to Pupukea: $203
- Private Transfer from Honolulu (HLN) Airport to North Shore : $203
- Private Transfer from Honolulu (HLN) Airport to Ko Olina: $127
- Private Transfer from Beach Resorts to Honolulu Airport HNL by Executive Sedan: $157
- Private Transfer Waikiki to Honolulu Airport HNL by Executive SUV: $148
Is it cheaper to fly into Tucson or Oahu?
Prices for flights to both Oahu and Tucson 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 dayTucson $36Oahu $52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oahu
For Oahu, 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: $125
- Honolulu Sunset & Fireworks Dinner Cruise: $129
- Ka Moana Luau Dinner and Show at Aloha Tower: $129
- Hawaii Semisub Classic Friday Fireworks Dinner Cruise: $170
- Hawaiian Food Tour by Bike in Oahu: $179
- Germaine's Traditional Luau Show & Buffet Dinner: $191
- Nova Five Star Sunset Dinner and Jazz: $225
- Traditional Canoe Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $250
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tucson $16Oahu $27
Tours and Activities in Oahu
For Oahu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Tour de Honolulu" Foodie Bike Tour: $189
- New Year’s Eve Midnight Cruise: $246
- 1.5 -Hour Guided Whale and Marine Life Tour: $89
- 18 Minutes PRIVATE Helicopter Tour in Honolulu: $248
- 2-Hour Private Botanical Facial with Hand Dip Experience: $175
- 3 Hour Waikiki Waterslide, Snorkel and Wild Life Cruise: $109
- 3-Hour Honolulu Bottom Fishing Adventure : $87
- 30 Minutes SHARED Helicopter Tour in Honolulu: $284
- 4 Hour Guided Scuba Diving Adventures in Waikiki: $249
- 5:00PM Sunset Cruise & Whale Watch from Oahu (Wahine Koa): $57
- ATV Adventure in Hawaii by Da Mongoose EzRaider: $139
- Afternoon Waikiki Glass Bottom Boat Cruise: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTucson $16Oahu $6.47
Sample the Local Flavors in Oahu
Also in Oahu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Whiskey Tour - Koʻolau Distillery - Kailua, Hawai'i 96734: $25
- History Tour Pub Crawl in Waikiki: $45
- Waikiki History Tour Pub Crawl: $45
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tucson and Oahu, we can see that Oahu is more expensive. And not only is Tucson much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tucson would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tucson 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 Oahu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oahu than you might in Tucson.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tucson Expensive? and Is Oahu Expensive?.
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.