Which place is cheaper, Jasper National Park or Banff?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Banff or Jasper National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Banff or Jasper National Park? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Banff or Jasper National Park?
Banff
Nestled in the pristine and gorgeous mountains of the Alberta Rockies is the popular town of Banff. This town sits right in Canada's Banff National Park and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
While the surrounding nature may give the impression of a quiet, little town, Banff is typically crowded with tourists. The beauty of this area is irresistible for travelers from all over the world. This may not be the place for solitude or even an authentic, country experience, you'll still find an unforgettable vacation.
Jasper National Park
An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jasper National Park, located in Canada's Alberta Province, is one of a few national and provincial parks that showcase the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, The Best Camping Tours in Canada, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Canada, and The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBanff $84Jasper National Park $82
The average daily cost (per person) in Banff is $84, while the average daily cost in Jasper National Park is $82. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Banff and Jasper National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBanff $38Jasper National Park $45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBanff $76Jasper National Park $90
Compare Hotels in Banff and Jasper National Park
Looking for a hotel in Banff or Jasper National Park? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Banff Hotel Prices and Jasper National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Banff $5.18Jasper National Park $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Banff
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Banff:
- Private Banff National Park Tour with Hotel Transfers: $872
- From Banff/Canmore: Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Shared Transfer: $81
- From 1-Way Private Transfer to Calgary Airport (YYC): $508
- From Private One-Way Transfer to Calgary: $363
- Private Airport Transfer to Banff: $287
- Private Transfer - Between YYC Calgary Airport and Banff: $233
- Sunshine Village to Calgary Airport (YYC): Departure Transfer: $60
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jasper National Park
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jasper National Park are as follows:
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Park Pass$14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jasper National Park
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Jasper National Park:
- Jasper Thermal Resorts to Calgary Airport YYC Departure Transfer: $168
- Jasper Thermal to Edmonton Airport (YEG) Departure Transfer: $168
Is it cheaper to fly into Banff or Jasper National Park?
Prices for flights to both Jasper National Park and Banff change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBanff $29Jasper National Park $23
Typical Food Prices in Banff
Some typical examples of dining costs in Banff are as follows:
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Tea House Lunch for Two$33
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Hostel Breakfast$27
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McDonalds$4.63
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Banff
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Banff.
- Banff Food Tour: Eat the Castle: $153
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jasper National Park
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Jasper National Park.
- Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $106
- Peak Nic - A hike and an outdoor cooking lesson: $119
- 4-Hours E-Bike Food Tour : $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Banff $12Jasper National Park $7.75
Typical Entertainment Prices in Banff
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Banff are as follows:
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Hot Springs$5.31
Tours and Activities in Banff
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Banff are as follows:
- Banff self-guided tour App with multi-language audio guide: $4.27
- Tunnel Mountain Trail: Nature Tour with Audio Guide: $5.08
- Tunnel Mountain Trail: a Smartphone Audio Nature Tour : $5.18
- Calgary & Lake Louise: Smartphone Audio Driving Tour: $6.17
- The Sights of a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.17
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Banff and Calgary: $6.29
- The Sights of Canmore: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.34
- Paranormal History Walking Ghost Tour: $7.63
- Historic Cave & Basin Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
- Banff National Park: Self-Guided Scenic Driving Tour: $13
- Listen to a Tour Guide as You Drive & Walk with our Discover the Rockies Package: $15
- Banff National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour: $17
Tours and Activities in Jasper National Park
Here are a few actual costs in Jasper National Park for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Icefields Parkway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $17
- Live Theater Show Ticket 'From Jasper with love': $24
- From Jasper: Jasper National Park Wildlife Discovery Tour: $53
- Planetarium and Telescope Combo Tour : $54
- Winter Wildlife Discovery Tour: $55
- Maligne Canyon Hiking Tour: $59
- Jasper National Park Tour: Maligne Valley, Medicine Lake and Spirit Island: $59
- Morning Jasper National Park Wildlife Tour: $63
- Jasper Evening Wildlife Tour: $63
- Maligne Lake Cruise: $67
- Jasper Wildlife and Waterfalls Tour with Maligne Lake Hike: $71
- Class 3 Sunwapta River Rafting Adventure in Jasper: $94
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBanff $9.34Jasper National Park $11
When comparing the travel costs between Banff and Jasper National Park, we can see that Banff is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Banff Expensive? and Is Jasper National Park Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.