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Havana vs Seattle

Which destination is right for your next trip?

Havana

Havana

Cuba

Seattle

Seattle

United States

Havana

Safety: 70/100Pop: 2.1M (city)America/Havana

Seattle

Safety: 72/100Pop: 750K (city), 4M (metro)America/Los_Angeles

πŸ’° Budget

budget
Havana: $30-50Seattle: $90-150
mid-range
Havana: $70-130Seattle: $220-360
luxury
Havana: $200+Seattle: $550+

πŸ›‘οΈ Safety

Havana70/100Safety Score70/100Seattle

Havana

Cuba is generally one of the safest countries in Latin America. Violent crime against tourists is extremely rare. The main annoyances are persistent jineteros (hustlers) offering everything from cigars to restaurant recommendations on commission.

Seattle

Seattle is generally safe for visitors, with low rates of violent crime in tourist areas. Property crime (car break-ins, package theft, bike theft) is common. Homelessness is visible in parts of downtown, Pioneer Square, and SoDo. Avoid empty downtown streets and Third Avenue late at night.

⭐ Ratings

Havana2/5English Friendlyβœ“5/5Seattle
Havana4/5Walkability4/5Seattle
Havana2/5Public Transitβœ“4/5Seattle
Havana3/5Food Sceneβœ“4/5Seattle
Havana4/5βœ“Nightlife3/5Seattle
Havana4/5Cultural Sites4/5Seattle
Havana3/5Nature Accessβœ“5/5Seattle
Havana2/5WiFi Reliabilityβœ“5/5Seattle

🌀️ Weather

Havana

Havana has a tropical climate with a dry season (November-April) and a wet season (May-October). Temperatures are warm year-round. Hurricane season runs from June to November, with September and October being the highest-risk months.

Dry Season (November - April)20-28Β°C
Early Wet Season (May - June)23-32Β°C
Hurricane Season Peak (July - October)24-33Β°C
Late Season Transition (November)22-29Β°C

Seattle

Seattle has a temperate oceanic climate β€” mild year-round with a pronounced wet season from October through April. Summers are dry, sunny, and cool. The famous rain is usually a fine drizzle ("Seattle mist") rather than downpours. Snow at sea level is rare.

Spring (March - May)5-18Β°C
Summer (June - August)13-26Β°C
Autumn (September - November)8-20Β°C
Winter (December - February)2-10Β°C

πŸš‡ Getting Around

Havana

Havana's transport is a fascinating mix of vintage American cars, Chinese buses, coconut-shaped taxis, and horse-drawn carts. There's no ride-hailing app that works reliably. Getting around requires a mix of walking, negotiating with taxi drivers, and patience.

Walkability: Old Havana, Centro Habana, and the Malecon are all walkable, though sidewalks are uneven and sometimes missing. The 3-4 km walk from Habana Vieja to Vedado along the Malecon is one of the great urban walks. Beyond central areas, distances become too large for walking.

Classic Car Taxis (Almendrones) β€” CUP 40-100 (~$0.30-0.80) for shared rides along fixed routes
Private Taxis β€” $5-15 USD for trips within central Havana
HabanaBusTour (Hop-on Hop-off) β€” $10 USD for a full-day pass

Seattle

Seattle transit is run by Sound Transit (regional) and King County Metro (buses, streetcar, water taxi). Light rail, buses, streetcars, and Washington State Ferries form a useful network. An ORCA card works across all systems. Driving downtown is painful β€” traffic is consistently ranked among America's worst.

Walkability: Downtown, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, and Seattle Center are all walkable β€” but prepare for steep hills. Capitol Hill, Ballard, and Fremont are each walkable neighborhoods, but you'll want transit between them. The Link light rail plus walking will cover most of what you want to see.

Link Light Rail β€” $2.25-3.50 based on distance, $3 day-of flat airport fare
King County Metro β€” $2.75 flat fare, unlimited transfers for 2 hours
Washington State Ferries β€” $9.45 passenger round trip, $22-30 car one way

The Verdict

Choose Havana if...

you want a time-warp to 1959 β€” vintage Chevys on the MalecΓ³n, Old Havana plazas, rum mojitos, son cubano clubs, and crumbling colonial grandeur

Choose Seattle if...

you want Pike Place Market, coffee culture, Puget Sound ferries, and Mt. Rainier & Olympic National Park at the doorstep