Which place is cheaper, Quebec 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 Quebec?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Alberta or Quebec? 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 Quebec?
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.
Quebec
The culture and history of Europe is alive and well in North America. The largest province in Canada, Quebec, was a French colony from the time of Jacques Cartier in 1534 until 1760. Today, it is the only province in Canada where French is the official language. With the second largest population in the country, approximately 6.4 million, or 80% of the people speak French as their native language.
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 PricesQuebec Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAlberta $132Quebec $193
The average daily cost (per person) in Alberta is $132, while the average daily cost in Quebec is $193. 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 Quebec in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAlberta $66Quebec $111
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAlberta $132Quebec $222
Compare Hotels in Alberta and Quebec
Looking for a hotel in Alberta or Quebec? 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 $19Quebec $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alberta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alberta:
- Black Car Airport Transfers in Bow Valley: $295
- Edmonton Airport (YEG) to Edmonton - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $241
- Banff Canmore to Calgary YYC Airport Transfer: $218
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Lake Louise - Arrival Private Transfer: $208
- Calgary or Calgary Airport to Lake Louise Private Transfer: $203
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $202
- Calgary or YYC Airport to Banff | Private Transfer: $162
- Calgary YYC Airport: Hassle-free Private Transfer to Lake Louise: $161
- Calgary to Banff - Private Transfer: $150
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury Van: $141
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury SUV: $141
- Departure Private Transfer: Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury Van: $141
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quebec
Also for Quebec, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 8 Passengers Transfer from or to Montreal Airport YUL to Montreal City Center : $222
- Departure transfer Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL by Car or SUV: $60
- From Quebec City : Cruise & Visit to Grosse-Ile with bus transfer: $107
- From Quebec City: Grosse Île Tour & Cruise + Bus Transfer: $104
- Le Terminal Quebec Cruise Port to Quebec - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
- Le Terminal Quebec Cruise Port to Quebec - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $149
- Le Terminal Quebec Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Quebec: $249
- Montréal Airport (YUL) to Montreal hotel or port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $139
- Montreal Best Private Transfer services : $73
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury Van: $186
- Private One Way Transfer from Montreal to Montreal Airport: $64
- Private Transfer from Jean Lesage Airport (YQB) to Québec City: $96
Is it cheaper to fly into Alberta or Quebec?
Prices for flights to both Quebec 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 $47Quebec $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alberta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alberta.
- Pasta Cooking Class at a Local Distillery in Calgary: $63
- Sushi Cooking Class at a Local Distillery in Calgary: $63
- Bites and Sites of Canmore Walking Food Tour: $78
- Sips & Sweets - Canadian Evening Food Tour: $85
- A Taste of Banff Food Tour: $106
- Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $119
- Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $130
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quebec
For Quebec, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Quebecois Aperitif Food Tour in Quebec City: $61
- Beyond the Market Non-Touristy Food Tour by Spade & Palacio: $81
- Montreal Cooking Class - Learn to make Dim Sums: $84
- Jean-Talon Market & Little Italy Food Tour with 8 Tastings: $89
- Montreal Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
- Old Montreal Food & Drink Tour by Local Montreal Food Tours: $115
- Jewish Neighborhood Food Tour: $129
- Québec City: 3 or 5-Course Dinner Cruise with DJ & Dancing: $129
- Montreal Gourmet Dinner Cruise with DJ & Dancing: $129
- Montreal Cooking Class x Michelin-Trained Chef: $132
- Progressive Dinner on Grande-Allée and History Tour: $202
- Quebec City: Old Quebec 5-Course Gourmet Food Tour: $202
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Alberta $13Quebec $23
Tours and Activities in Alberta
Here are a few actual costs in Alberta for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Banff National Park Big Canoe Tour: $57
- Banff and Yoho Lakes with Takakkaw Falls Group Tour: $147
- Bestseller From Canmore/Banff: Moraine Lake Adventure: $81
- Lake Louise Bus Tour Experience: $54
- 1 Day of Drumheller Dinosaurs and Badlands Guided Group Tour : $132
- 1 Day of Drumheller Dinosaurs and Badlands in Private Custom Tour: $88
- 1-Hour Edmonton River Valley Segway Tour: $44
- 2 Day Banff Lake Louise Johnston Canyon Gondola Cave Basin tour: $140
- 2 Hour Banff Horseback Riding Adventure: $158
- 2-Day Lake Louise, Moraine Lake & Columbia Icefield Rockies Tour: $80
- 25-Minute Helicopter Adventure in Three Sisters Canmore: $250
- 3 Day Banff Moraine Lake Louise Johnston Columbia Icefield Tour : $242
Tours and Activities in Quebec
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Quebec.
- Montreal City Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based : $5.00
- Montreal Prohibition Mystery: Self-Guided Walking Adventure: $7.20
- Montréal Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour: $7.74
- APP Self-Guided Tours Quebec with Audioguide: $9.62
- Old Montreal Historical Downtown Self Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- Montreal's Golden Square Mile: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Quebec City: Observatoire de la Capitale Entry Ticket: $11
- Quebec City: MNBAQ National Fine Arts Museum Entry Ticket: $11
- Old Montreal: Self-Guided Tour from Place D‘Armes to Old Port: $12
- Québec: Fortifications-of-Québec Guided Walking Tour: $15
- Old Quebec Walking Tour with a Certified Local Guide: $15
- La Citadelle de Québec Ticket and Guided Tour: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAlberta $11Quebec $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Alberta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Alberta:
- Park Distillery Tour with Craft Spirits Tasting: $11
- Park Distillery Tour with Whisky Tasting: $18
- Calgary Brewery Tour: $88
- Edmonton Brewery Tour (10 person minimum group): $103
Sample the Local Flavors in Quebec
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Quebec:
- Quebec City: Honey and Distillery Tour with Tasting: $21
- Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $24
- Quebec City: Craft Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour: $50
- Quebec City: Island of Orleans Wine Tour: $94
- Wine Tasting on Ile d'Orleans: $96
- Quebec City: Montmorency Falls and Microbrewery eBike Tour: $107
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Alberta and Quebec, we can see that Quebec is more expensive. And not only is Alberta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Alberta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alberta 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 Quebec would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quebec than you might in Alberta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Alberta Expensive? and Is Quebec Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Alberta or Quebec?
Quebec has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Alberta. When comparing the sizes of Alberta and Quebec, 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.