Travel Budget for Wilmington Visit Wilmington on a Budget or Travel in Style

Wilmington, North Carolina, United States of America

How much does it cost to travel to Wilmington?

You should plan to spend around $204 per day on your vacation in Wilmington. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

  • $56 on meals
  • $47 on local transportation
  • $240 on hotels

A one week trip to Wilmington for two people costs, on average, $2,857. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    $204
  • One Week Per person
    $1,428
  • 2 Weeks Per person
    $2,857
  • One Month Per person
    $6,122
  • One Week For a couple
    $2,857
  • 2 Weeks For a couple
    $5,713
  • One Month For a couple
    $12,243
This data comes from the travel budgets of real travelers - How it works. Put these numbers on your website.


How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to Wilmington cost?

A one week trip to Wilmington usually costs around $1,428 for one person and $2,857 for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to Wilmington on average costs around $2,857 for one person and $5,713 for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Wilmington will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to Wilmington on average costs around $6,122 for one person and $12,243 for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.




Independent Travel

Traveling Independently to Wilmington has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.

All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.

Is Wilmington expensive to visit?

Prices in Wilmington are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.

Within North America, which is known to be an expensive region, Wilmington is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Saint Petersburg or Seattle.

For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Wilmington Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Wilmington?

The average Wilmington trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Wilmington travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.


Category Cost
Accommodation 1 (Double Occupancy) $240
Local Transportation 1 $47
Food 2 $56
Entertainment 1 $17
Alcohol 2 $19 - 58
Accommodation Budget in Wilmington
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Wilmington is $120. For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Wilmington is $240. This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.


  • Accommodation1 Hotel or hostel for one person
    $120
  • Accommodation1 Typical double-occupancy room
    $240

Hotel Prices in Wilmington

Looking for a hotel in Wilmington? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

 

Actual Hotel Prices
The average hotel room price in Wilmington based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $155. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.


Recommended Properties


Transportation Budget in Wilmington
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The cost of a taxi ride in Wilmington is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $47 per person, per day, on local transportation in Wilmington.


  • Transportation1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    $47


Flights to Wilmington
How much does it cost to go to Wilmington? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.

Rental Cars in Wilmington
The price of renting a car in Wilmington will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.



Food Budget in Wilmington
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • While meal prices in Wilmington can vary, the average cost of food in Wilmington is $56 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Wilmington should cost around $22 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Wilmington is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.


  • Food2 Meals for one day
    $56


Entertainment Budget in Wilmington
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • Entertainment and activities in Wilmington typically cost an average of $17 per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.


  • Entertainment1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    $17

Recommended Activities


Alcohol Budget in Wilmington
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The average person spends about $39 on alcoholic beverages in Wilmington per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.


  • Alcohol2 Drinks for one day
    $39

Recommended


Wilmington On a Budget
Wilmington Wilmington, NC
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.
Sights
Many people use Wilmington as a base for exploring the nearby beaches. Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach are all nearby. The beaches can get crowded during the summer months but they can be quite pleasant during the fall and spring.

Other attractions around town include several unique museums and historic sights such as Cape Fear Museum, Bellamy Mansion, and Burgwin-Wright House. A highlight of a trip to Wilmington is a visit to the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial. The ship is open daily. It's moored in the river across from downtown Wilmington and has exhibits that highlight the history and stories of the ship.

Fort Fisher Aquarium is also worth a visit. It's a nice local aquarium that has both aquariums with fish and sea life as well as a large terrarium with reptiles including snakes and an albino alligator.

Other attractions in the area include Poplar Grove Plantation, Cape Fear Serpentarium, and Burchetta Glassblowing Studio & Gallery.
Neighborhoods
Wilmington has a nice and impressive historic area. There are restaurants that line the river front and several nice shops a few blocks in. You can easily pass a few hours wandering around the town.

There are also three good beaches in the area. Wrightsville Beach has two piers, one with a restaurant and the other open to the public. Carolina Beach has a board walk that has an arcade, several restaurants, an ice cream shop, and a pier. Kure Beach is a slightly less crowded alternative to both Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach.

Activities
Many people spend at least some time on the beach while they're in Wilmington. The beaches can get crowded during the summer months and parking can be limited. Even so, it's worth relaxing for a few hours in the sun or taking a dip in the water.

Other activities in the area include kayaking, taking a ghost tour, or visiting a water park. Jungle Rapids offers a water park, arcade, and mini golf. It can be a fun destination for kids of all ages.

Airlie Gardens is a 67 acre garden that has southern charm, freshwater lakes, and a variety of plants. It's worth a visit and a nice place to explore.
Food and Dining
Wilmington has no shortage of restaurants. There are several great seafood restaurants in the downtown area, many with views of the river. There are also some good seafood restaurants around Wrightsville Beach. If you're looking for budget options, the university area has plenty of casual places to grab a quick bite. You can also grab ingredients at either Lowes Foods, Harris Teeter, Food Lion, or Walmart and prepare your own meal. It can be fun to pack a picnic lunch and take it to the beach. There are several international options available around town as well including Japanese, Mexican, and Italian.

Transportation
Most people arrive in Wilmington by car. Wilmington International Airport is located northwest of the downtown area and is served by three airlines: Allegiant Air, Delta, and American Airlines.

Once you arrive in Wilmington you really must have access to a car. There is a local bus service that is provided by the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority. There are eight local routes through the city and New Hanover Country. Buses run every 30 minutes on weekdays. There's also a free trolley in the downtown area that runs every 10 minutes on weekdays. You can not rely on public transportation to make your way around Wilmington. If you don't have your own car, you must rent a vehicle. Avis, Hertz, National Car Rental, and Thrifty Rent-a-Car are all available.


Related:

Looking for a party hostel in Las Vegas or San Diego? Traveling alone to NYC or LA? Want a budget hostel in San Francisco?

We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.



1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.