Should you visit Wilmington or Winston-Salem?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Wilmington or Winston-Salem, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Wilmington
Wilmington is a port city in southeastern North Carolina. It's a great city to visit for it's nearby beaches, large historic district, and quaint atmosphere. The city has a population of about 115,000 and it's the eighth largest city in the state.
Wilmington is also home to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington as well as the EUE Screen Gems Studios. This is the largest domestic television and movie production facility outside of California. The studio, which opened in 1984, helped grow Wilmington into a major base for film and television production. The city has been the backdrop for many movies and tv shows including Iron Man 3, Sleepy Hollow, One Tree Hill, and Revolution.
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a moderately sized city in Forsyth Country, North Carolina. The city has a population of about 360,000 and is located in the central part of the state in the Piedmont Triad. Winston-Salem goes by several nicknames including the "Twin City", the "City of Arts and Innovation" and "Camel City", a reference to the city's history in the tobacco industry. Like several towns in central North Carolina, the city's economy was also once influenced by the furniture industry, although this sector continues to shrink.
Which city is cheaper, Winston-Salem or Wilmington?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Wilmington is $163, while the average daily cost in Winston-Salem is $120. 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. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Wilmington and Winston-Salem in more detail.
Accommodation
The prices for places to stay in Wilmington can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $96, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $192.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $73. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Winston-Salem the cost is $146 on average.
Local Transportation
To get around in Wilmington, the average visitor spends $38 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $18 per day to get around in Winston-Salem.
Is it cheaper to fly into Wilmington or Winston-Salem?
Prices for flights to both Winston-Salem and Wilmington 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
Wilmington food costs typically run travelers around $45 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
The price of a meal in Winston-Salem can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $34 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $14 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Wilmington $45
Winston-Salem $34
Entertainment
In Wilmington, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $14 per person, per day.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $16 per person, per day in Winston-Salem. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Winston-Salem
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Winston-Salem are as follows:
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Winston-Salem Historical Ghost Tour:
$18
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Wilmington, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $31.
The average person spends about $19 on alcoholic beverages in Winston-Salem per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Wilmington and Winston-Salem, we can see that Wilmington is more expensive. And not only is Winston-Salem much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Winston-Salem would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Winston-Salem 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 Wilmington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wilmington than you might in Winston-Salem.
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