The average price of a 7-day trip to Durham is $1,713 for a solo traveler, $3,077 for a couple, and $5,768 for a family of 4. Durham hotels range from $69 to $315 per night with an average of $115, while most vacation rentals will cost $230 to $490 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) are between $659 and $1,082 per person for economy flights and $2,068 to $3,395 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $48 to $116 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 Durham, NC, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to RDU and stay in a Durham hotel:
- January 15th to March 25th (except the week of March 12th)
- August 6th to November 18th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Durham is usually early to mid September.
Average Durham Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Durham for a week is $1,188-$2,488($170-$355 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $48 to $116 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $402 to $866 for economy
Lodging: $75 to $135 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $98 to $120 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Durham for a week is $2,440-$4,598($349-$657 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $96 to $232 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $804 to $1,732 for economy
Lodging: $75 to $135 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $98 to $120 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Durham for a week is $3,852-$8,332($550-$1,190 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $192 to $464 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,608 to $3,464 for economy
Lodging: $150 to $270 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $157 to $180 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Durham
How cheap can you make a vacation to Durham? The cheapest trip to Durham is about $134 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 0% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $130 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 $59.
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 Durham for a week is $938-$2,190($134-$313 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $26 to $52 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $402 to $866 for economy
Lodging: $59 to $69 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $130 to $160 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Durham for a week is $1,522-$3,420($217-$489 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $52 to $104 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $804 to $1,732 for economy
Lodging: $59 to $69 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $130 to $160 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Durham for a week is $3,044-$6,360($435-$909 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $104 to $208 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,608 to $3,464 for economy
Lodging: $118 to $138 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $195 to $240 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Durham cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Durham Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Durham.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Durham for a week is $2,921-$9,459($417-$1,351 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $106 to $255 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,045 to $2,382 for first class
Lodging: $189 to $315 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $490 to $882 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Durham for a week is $4,708-$13,626($673-$1,947 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $212 to $510 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,090 to $4,764 for first class
Lodging: $189 to $315 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $490 to $882 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Durham for a week is $9,416-$24,078($1,345-$3,440 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $424 to $1,020 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,180 to $9,528 for first class
Lodging: $378 to $630 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $784 to $1,235 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Durham Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Durham is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Durham 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.
Durham 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 Durham 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 Durham.
Flight Costs to Durham
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,082 average in late July to a low of $659 in early to mid September. Median flight price is $722. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Durham our data includes 838 originating airports, and 146 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Durham from an airport like Omsk Tsentralny (OMS) in Omsk (Russia) for an average $10,144 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Chicago O’Hare International (ORD) in Chicago, IL (the United States) at an average of just $145.
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 Durham, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $422, so you can easily save about 64% 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 Durham can easily cost $390 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $26 per person. Private tours can cost $786 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.