Which place is cheaper, Alberta or Alaska?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Alaska or Alberta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Alaska or Alberta? 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: Alaska or Alberta?
Alaska
Alaska joined the United States of America as the 49th state. The US purchased the area from the Russian Empire in 1867 for just 7.2 million dollars (about two cents an acre). It became an organized territory in 1912 and a state in 1959. It is separated from the rest of the country by Canada and, although it is the largest state, it is the least densely populated and for many years had the lowest population. It covers an area equal to California, Texas and Montana combined and lies on the Arctic Circle. Many people consider Alaska to be the United State's "final frontier" because of its vast wilderness. It is also where you will find the highest point in North America.
Alberta
If you ever wanted to visit a place where all the beauty of nature is centrally located, you will want to make a trip to Alberta, Canada. With part of the Canadian Rockies, the prairies and the wilderness of forests, Alberta has something for everyone. As the home to Canada's oil industry, this is also the richest province in the country.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America, The Best Historical Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vancouver.
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Alaska Prices
USA PricesAlberta Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAlaska $280Alberta $20,492
The average daily cost (per person) in Alaska is $280, while the average daily cost in Alberta is $20,492. 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 Alaska and Alberta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAlaska $135Alberta $8,899
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAlaska $270Alberta $
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Compare Hotels in Alaska and Alberta
Looking for a hotel in Alaska or Alberta? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Alaska $51Alberta $2,472
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alaska
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alaska:
- Anchorage to Seward Cruise Transfer & Wildlife Tour: $227
- Anchorage to Seward Cruise Transfer with Exit Glacier: $190
- Anchorage to Seward Direct Transfer Tour: $89
- Anchorage to Whittier Direct Transfer Tour: $80
- Private Transfer, Anchorage to Seward Cruise Ship Terminal: $299
- Private Transfer, Anchorage to Whittier Cruise Ship Terminal: $299
- Private Transfer, Seward Cruise ship to Anchorage: $299
- Seward Cruise Transfer with Wildlife & Scenic Tour to Anchorage: $249
- Seward to Anchorage Cruise Transfer & Wildlife Tour: $247
- Seward to Anchorage Direct Transfer Tour: $89
- Seward to Anchorage Shared Bus Transfer Service: $75
- Whittier Cruise Transfer with Wildlife&Glacier tour to Anchorage: $199
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alberta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alberta:
- Calgary Private Airport & City Transfer: $42
- Calgary Best Private Transfer Between Local Airport and Hotels: $53
- Canmore to Calgary Airport Shared Shuttle Transfer: $57
- Calgary Downtown Hotels to YYC Airport Private Transfer: $71
- Transfer Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary, Banff and Lake Louise: $71
- Alberta Transfer: Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Calgary: $74
- Private Shuttle from Calgary/ YYCAirport/Canmore/Banff Transfers: $78
- Limousine Sedan Airport Transfer Service in YYC Calgary Airport: $90
- Private Transfer from Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary Hotels: $95
- Calgary hotel or address to Calgary Airport (YYC) - Departure Private Transfer: $96
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $96
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport to Downtown: $107
Is it cheaper to fly into Alaska or Alberta?
Prices for flights to both Alberta and Alaska 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 dayAlaska $94Alberta $8,321
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alaska
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alaska.
- Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theatre Experience: $95
- Aurora Viewing and Dinner: $120
- Ketchikan Fireside Feast: Open-Fire Salmon & Reindeer Dinner: $159
- Anchorage Sightseeing and Food Tour - Available All Year Long!: $195
- Northern Lights Experience and Cabin Dinner: $200
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alberta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alberta.
- Refined Indian Cooking Class in Edmonton (Includes 4-Course Meal): $83
- Banff's Best Breakfast Food Tour: $93
- Banff's Canadian Rocky Mountain Food Tour: $104
- Jasper SkyTram and Astronomy Experience with Dinner options: $106
- The Banff Food Tour and So Much More: $108
- Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $116
- Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $127
- Edmonton's #1 Food Bike Tour: The Best Local Food Tour on E-Bikes: $143
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Alaska $65Alberta $5,168
Tours and Activities in Alaska
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Alaska are as follows:
- Anchorage Self-Guided Tour: Discover Glaciers & Alaska's Frontier: $4.56
- Podcast Tour Anchorage Mud, Concrete, and Wild Air: $5.48
- Gold Rush Boomtown: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Skagway: $7.99
- Skagway Downtown Walking Private Tour Experience: $9.75
- Juneau Scenic Drive on Your Own 70 Mile Self Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- The Last Saloon Before the Wilderness: A Ketchikan Audio Tour: $9.99
- Skagway Cultural Garden Self Guided Tour: $15
- Skagway Gold Rush Self Guided GPS Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Self Guided Driving Audio Tour: Anchorage to Seward: $17
- Self-Guided Anchorage to Denali Driving Audio Tour: $20
- Self Guided Driving Audio Tour Anchorage to Homer: $20
- Seward Hwy Scenic Drive: Anchorage-Seward Self-Guided Audio Tour: $20
Tours and Activities in Alberta
Here are a few actual costs in Alberta for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Edmonton City Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour Gratuity-Based: $5.00
- Calgary Self Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- Edmonton Self Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- Calgary Bow River Trail Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $6.45
- Sights of Canmore Self-Guided Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.88
- Sights of Banff: Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $7.89
- Tunnel Mountain Trail: a Smartphone Audio Nature Tour: $7.89
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Banff and Calgary: $7.89
- Banff Basin and Town Self-Guided Walking Tour (No Ticket): $9.99
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Edmonton by Crazy Dash: $10
- Calgary Self Guided Walking Tour and Scavenger Hunt: $10
- Buffalo Nations Museum in Banff - Admission Ticket: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAlaska $20Alberta $2,039
Sample the Local Flavors in Alaska
Also in Alaska, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Sitka Haunted Pub Crawl: Ghost Stories, Local History & Drinks: $104
- Craft Brews & Epic Views: Juneau's Brewery & Sightseeing Tour: $159
- Arctic Ale Trail: a Fairbanks Brewery Tour with Drinks & Pickup.: $189
Sample the Local Flavors in Alberta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Alberta:
- An Epic Bar Crawl: Cruisin' Calgary: $12
- Edmonton Brewery Tour (10 person minimum group): $101
- Calgary to Banff Brewery Tour and Lunch: $143
- Cask Blending Class at Burwood Distillery: $144
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Alaska and Alberta, we can see that Alberta is more expensive. And not only is Alaska much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Alaska would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alaska and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Alberta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Alberta than you might in Alaska.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Alaska Expensive? and Is Alberta Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Alaska or Alberta?
Alberta has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Alaska. When comparing the sizes of Alaska and Alberta, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.