Which place is cheaper, Ontario or Alberta?
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 Alberta or Ontario?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Alberta or Ontario? 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: Alberta or Ontario?
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.
Ontario
Chances are when you think of Canada, the things that come to mind are all located in the province of Ontario. Ontario has the highest population of any province in the country, and is the heart of Canadian tourism. As the home of Toronto, Niagara Falls and Lake Superior, this area is a major tourist destination.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vancouver, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Toronto, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Vancouver.
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Alberta Prices
Canada PricesOntario Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAlberta $20,602Ontario $230
The average daily cost (per person) in Alberta is $20,602, while the average daily cost in Ontario is $230. 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 Alberta and Ontario in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAlberta $8,947Ontario $103
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAlberta $
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16Ontario $206
Compare Hotels in Alberta and Ontario
Looking for a hotel in Alberta or Ontario? 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.Alberta $2,486Ontario $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alberta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alberta:
- Black Car Airport Transfers in Bow Valley: $289
- Calgary to Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise, Luxury YYC Transfer: $288
- Private Transfer YYC Airport to Banff Canmore Louise kananaskis: $252
- Banff/Canmore to Calgary YYC Airport Private Transfer: $246
- Edmonton Airport (YEG) to Edmonton - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $235
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Banff Resorts - Arrival Private Transfer: $210
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Sunshine Village - Arrival Transfer: $208
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Lake Louise - Arrival Private Transfer: $202
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $196
- Private Airport Transfer YYC to Banff Canmore or Lake Louise: $180
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport to Fairmont Banff Spring Hotel: $159
- Arrival Transfer: Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary by Luxury Van: $151
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ontario
Also for Ontario, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer: Pearson Airport YYZ to Toronto in Luxury Van: $168
- Departure Private Transfer: Niagara Falls to Toronto Airport YYZ in Luxury SUV: $209
- Departure Transfer: Toronto to Pearson Airport YYZ by Luxury SUV: $186
- Departure Transfer: Toronto to Pearson Airport YYZ in Sedan Car: $162
- Hamilton to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) - Departure Private Transfer: $134
- Low Cost :- Private Transfer Toronto Downtown to Niagara Falls Ont: $255
- Niagara Falls to Pearson Toronto Airport Private Transfer: $271
- One-Way Private Airport Transfer from Toronto to Pearson Airport: $65
- Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier Airport (YOW) to Ottawa - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $119
- Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier Airport (YOW) to Ottawa City - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Ottawa Parc Omega Private Tour with Hotel Transfer: $220
- Ottawa Train Station via Rail Transfer Service 1 Hour: $94
Is it cheaper to fly into Alberta or Ontario?
Prices for flights to both Ontario and Alberta 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 dayAlberta $8,366Ontario $75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alberta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alberta.
- Banff's Canadian Rocky Mountain Food Tour: $105
- Banff's Winter Wonderland Food Tour: $105
- Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $117
- Edmonton's #1 Food Bike Tour: The Best Local Food Tour on E-Bikes: $144
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ontario
For Ontario, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Fun Sushi Making Cooking Class at a Trendy Venue in Toronto: $54
- Toronto Premier Dinner Cruise on Odyssey in Toronto Harbour: $64
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Guided Food Tour with Ice Wine & Poutine: $64
- Downtown London Walking Food Tour: $64
- Toronto: Niagara Falls Night Tour, Boat, Journey, Dinner & Tower: $71
- Toronto: Authentic Food Tour with Local & International Flavors: $75
- Oh Canada Eh!? Ottawa Dinner Musical with Live Music and Comedy: $76
- Toronto's First Food Tour: Taste the World in Kensington Market: $79
- Niagara Falls Evening Tour with Boat, Journey, Dinner & Fireworks: $79
- Great Canadian Food Tour- St. Lawrence Market + The Distillery: $86
- Toronto's International Food Tour - Kensington Market: $89
- European Evening Walking Food Tour in London, Ontario: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Alberta $5,196Ontario $22
Tours and Activities in Alberta
Here are a few actual costs in Alberta for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Tour Drumheller Royal Tyrrell Museum from Calgary: $112
- 1 Day Tour in Banff Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: $108
- 1-Hour Edmonton River Valley Segway Tour: $43
- 1.5 Hour Stand Up Paddle-board (SUP) Tour in Banff National Park: $90
- 2 Days Banff and Jasper Tour : Lakes, Glaciers and Hot Springs: $216
- 3 Day Banff Moraine Lake Louise Johnston Columbia Icefield Tour: $216
- 4 hour Moraine Lake Tour from Banff and Canmore: $98
- 4WD Tour from Calgary to Bow Lake Banff: $180
- 5 Lakes Tour Louise and Moraine Emerald Peyto Takakkaw Falls: $112
- 5 Lakes day tour: Moraine, Louise, Bow, Peyto, small groups!: $115
- A Spectacular Audio Tour : Calgary Adventure: $15
- Badlands Guided Small Group Tour: Calgary to Drumheller Dinosaurs: $98
Tours and Activities in Ontario
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ontario.
- Discover Toronto: A Self-Guided Tour: $1.14
- Toronto Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $4.33
- Ottawa City Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based: $5.00
- Toronto Self Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Bracebridge & Toronto: $6.49
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Collingwood and Toronto: $6.49
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Huntsville & Toronto: $6.49
- Ottawa Walking Tour 2h20 and 25 audio commentary: $6.88
- Ottawa Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.99
- Ottawa Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Detective Adventure: $7.34
- Ottawa Downtown Historic Smartphone Guided Walking Tour: $7.75
- Toronto: Best of Toronto and Waterfront Self-Guided Tours: $8.17
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAlberta $2,050Ontario $19
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: $144
Sample the Local Flavors in Ontario
Also in Ontario, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Toronto Distillery District Walking Tour: $20
- Summer Sips - Private Outdoor Wine Tasting Experience: $22
- Between the Lines Black Glass Wine Tasting in Niagara-on-the-Lake: $22
- Guided Tasting Activity at Sake Brewery: $28
- Toronto Distillery District Self-Guided Walking Tour: $43
- Distillery District Breakfast Tour: $53
- Private Corktown and Distillery District Tour: $58
- Blindfold Wine Tasting Experience with a Sommelier Niagara: $64
- Niagara Wine Tour and Tastings with Transportation: $72
- Guided Bicycle Tour - Toronto Waterfront, Island and Distillery: $83
- Toronto Craft Brewery Tour: $90
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Small Group Wine Tasting Tour: $93
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Alberta and Ontario, we can see that Alberta is more expensive. And not only is Ontario much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ontario would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ontario 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 Ontario.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Alberta Expensive? and Is Ontario Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Alberta or Ontario?
Ontario has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Alberta. When comparing the sizes of Alberta and Ontario, 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.