The average price of a 7-day trip to Sanibel is $2,372 for a solo traveler, $4,260 for a couple, and $7,987 for a family of 4. Sanibel hotels range from $111 to $507 per night with an average of $198, while most vacation rentals will cost $240 to $560 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) are between $520 and $983 per person for economy flights and $1,632 to $3,085 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $92 to $170 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 Sanibel, FL, US

On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to RSW and stay in a Sanibel hotel:

  • January 8th to March 11th (except the week of February 12th)
  • August 6th to December 9th (except the week of November 19th)

The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Sanibel is usually early to mid September.

 

Average Sanibel Trip Costs

Average Solo Traveler

The average cost for one person to visit Sanibel for a week is $1,919-$3,498($274-$500 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $92 to $170 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights: $375 to $796 for economy

Lodging: $191 to $252 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room

or $150 to $184 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Average Couple’s Trip

The average cost for a couple to visit Sanibel for a week is $3,228-$5,858($461-$837 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $184 to $340 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights: $750 to $1,592 for economy

Lodging: $191 to $252 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room

or $150 to $184 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Average Family Vacation

The average cost for 4 people to visit Sanibel for a week is $5,516-$10,968($788-$1,567 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $368 to $680 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights: $1,500 to $3,184 for economy

Lodging: $382 to $504 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms

or $240 to $258 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental

Traveling Cheap to Sanibel

How cheap can you make a vacation to Sanibel? The cheapest trip to Sanibel is about $178 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 $120 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 $96.

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 Sanibel for a week is $1,245-$2,224($178-$318 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $42 to $84 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights: $375 to $796 for economy

Lodging: $96 to $111 per night for one 1-star hotel room

or $120 to $140 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Budget Couple’s Trip

The lowest cost for a couple to visit Sanibel for a week is $1,914-$3,608($273-$515 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $84 to $168 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights: $750 to $1,592 for economy

Lodging: $96 to $111 per night for one 1-star hotel room

or $120 to $140 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Budget Family Vacation

The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Sanibel for a week is $3,684-$6,880($526-$983 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $168 to $336 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights: $1,500 to $3,184 for economy

Lodging: $192 to $222 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms

or $168 to $224 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental

Overall it is very difficult to travel to Sanibel cheaply.

The Cost of a Luxury Sanibel Trip

There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Sanibel.

Luxury Solo Traveler

The high-end price for one person to visit Sanibel for a week is $3,690-$10,626($527-$1,518 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $166 to $374 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights: $1,016 to $1,624 for first class

Lodging: $252 to $507 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room

or $560 to $1,064 per night for a preferred vacation rental

Luxury Couple’s Trip

The high-end price for a couple to visit Sanibel for a week is $5,868-$14,868($838-$2,124 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $332 to $748 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights: $2,032 to $3,248 for first class

Lodging: $252 to $507 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room

or $560 to $1,064 per night for a preferred vacation rental

Luxury Family Vacation

The high-end price for 4 people to visit Sanibel for a week is $11,736-$26,544($1,677-$3,792 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $664 to $1,496 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights: $4,064 to $6,496 for first class

Lodging: $504 to $1,014 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms

or $840 to $1,596 per night for a preferred vacation rental

 

Sanibel Hotel Prices

The cost of staying in Sanibel is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Sanibel 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.

Sanibel 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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Hotel Price

Prices are based on Sanibel 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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Percent of rentals

There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Sanibel.

 

Flight Costs to Sanibel

Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $983 average in late December to a low of $520 in early to mid September. Median flight price is $558. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Sanibel our data includes 561 originating airports, and 112 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Sanibel from an airport like Schoenefeld (SXF) in Berlin (Germany) for an average $6,355 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG) in Cincinnati, OH (the United States) at an average of just $229.

 

Average Flight Cost by Season

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Worldwide Flight Prices

Average Flight Cost by Day of Week

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Departure Day Prices
Return Day Prices

 

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 Sanibel, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $464, so you can easily save about 89% 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 Sanibel can easily cost $630 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $42 per person. Private tours can cost $1264 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.

 

 

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The Cost of a Trip Anywhere› the United States › Sanibel, FL, US