The average price of a 7-day trip to Columbus is $1,598 for a solo traveler, $2,870 for a couple, and $5,380 for a family of 4. Columbus hotels range from $57 to $292 per night with an average of $110, while most vacation rentals will cost $120 to $380 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) are between $642 and $963 per person for economy flights and $2,015 to $3,022 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $40 to $113 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Columbus, OH, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to CMH and stay in a Columbus hotel:
- January 8th to March 11th
- August 13th to December 9th (except the week of November 26th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Columbus is usually early to mid September.
Average Columbus Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Columbus for a week is $1,129-$2,346($161-$335 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $40 to $113 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $405 to $799 for economy
Lodging: $79 to $126 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $74 to $90 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Columbus for a week is $2,288-$4,264($327-$609 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $80 to $226 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $810 to $1,598 for economy
Lodging: $79 to $126 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $74 to $90 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Columbus for a week is $3,448-$7,872($493-$1,125 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $160 to $452 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,620 to $3,196 for economy
Lodging: $158 to $252 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $118 to $126 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Columbus
How cheap can you make a vacation to Columbus? The cheapest trip to Columbus is about $121 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $80 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $46.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Columbus for a week is $849-$1,802($121-$257 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $24 to $49 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $405 to $799 for economy
Lodging: $46 to $57 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $80 to $110 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Columbus for a week is $1,422-$2,944($203-$421 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $48 to $98 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $810 to $1,598 for economy
Lodging: $46 to $57 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $80 to $110 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Columbus for a week is $2,844-$5,624($406-$803 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $96 to $196 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,620 to $3,196 for economy
Lodging: $92 to $114 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $120 to $176 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Columbus cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Columbus Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Columbus.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Columbus for a week is $2,697-$7,935($385-$1,134 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $76 to $226 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,037 to $2,021 for first class
Lodging: $188 to $292 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $380 to $722 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Columbus for a week is $4,266-$11,538($609-$1,648 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $152 to $452 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,074 to $4,042 for first class
Lodging: $188 to $292 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $380 to $722 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Columbus for a week is $8,532-$20,910($1,219-$2,987 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $304 to $904 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,148 to $8,084 for first class
Lodging: $376 to $584 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $570 to $1,083 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Columbus Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Columbus is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Columbus due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Columbus Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Columbus hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Columbus.
Flight Costs to Columbus
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $963 average in late July to a low of $642 in early to mid September. Median flight price is $695. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Columbus our data includes 653 originating airports, and 135 airlines. The area has average variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Columbus from an airport like Schoenefeld (SXF) in Berlin (Germany) for an average $6,707 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) in Raleigh/Durham, NC (the United States) at an average of just $167.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Columbus, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $322, so you can easily save about 50% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Columbus can easily cost $360 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $24 per person. Private tours can cost $728 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.