Which place is cheaper, Banff or Asheville?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Asheville or Banff?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Asheville and Banff. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Asheville or Banff?
Asheville
Asheville is a beautiful mountain town between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains. It's a popular tourist destination in western North Carolina that attracts hikers, shoppers, and adventurers alike. It's the largest city in the area and is famous for it's liberal mindset and large art community. Local crafts are frequently available for sale in the downtown shops.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, and The Best Camping Tours in Canada.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAsheville $133Banff $84
The average daily cost (per person) in Asheville is $133, while the average daily cost in Banff is $84. 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 Asheville and Banff in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAsheville $89Banff $38
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAsheville $178Banff $76
Compare Hotels in Asheville and Banff
Looking for a hotel in Asheville or Banff? 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: Asheville Hotel Prices and Banff Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Asheville $14Banff $5.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Banff
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Banff:
- Private Banff National Park Tour with Hotel Transfers: $876
- From 1-Way Private Transfer to Calgary Airport (YYC): $511
- From Private One-Way Transfer to Calgary: $365
- Private Airport Transfer to Banff: $289
- Private Transfer - Between YYC Calgary Airport and Banff: $234
Is it cheaper to fly into Asheville or Banff?
Prices for flights to both Banff and Asheville 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
-
Food Meals for one dayAsheville $33Banff $29
Typical Food Prices in Asheville
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Asheville:
-
Biltmore Estate Entrance Fee$60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Asheville
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Asheville.
- 1-HR cooking class: $40
- Electric Bike Tour of Asheville's Best Pizza: $98
- Best Pizza E-bike Tour: $111
Typical Food Prices in Banff
Some typical examples of dining costs in Banff are as follows:
-
Tea House Lunch for Two$33
-
Hostel Breakfast$27
-
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
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Asheville $16Banff $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Asheville
Here are a few typical costs in Asheville for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Massage$40
Tours and Activities in Asheville
Here are a few actual costs in Asheville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Downtown Asheville Tip-Based Sightseeing Walking Tour : $5.00
- River Arts District Tip-Based Sightseeing Walking Tour : $5.00
- Asheville's Famous Ghosts Smart Phone GPS APP Solo Walking Tour: $6.75
- Asheville's Historic Smart Phone Guided App (GPS) Walking Tour: $7.75
- Blue Ridge Parkway South Audio Driving Tour: $7.99
- Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Audio Driving Tour: $7.99
- Asheville Historic Highlights: Self-Guided Walking Tour: $8.49
- Blue Ridge Parkway Self-Drive Tour w/ Audio Guide: $9.99
- Blue Ridge Parkway Driving Audio Tour (Asheville ↔ Roanoke): $12
- Asheville Scavenger Hunt: Downtown Asheville Adventure: $12
- Blue Ridge Parkway (Asheville to Roanoke) Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Asheville Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Banff
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Banff are as follows:
-
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: $2.14
- Tunnel Mountain Trail: Nature Tour with Audio Guide: $5.11
- Tunnel Mountain Trail: a Smartphone Audio Nature Tour : $5.19
- Calgary & Lake Louise: Smartphone Audio Driving Tour: $6.21
- The Sights of a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.21
- The Sights of Canmore: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.31
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Banff and Calgary: $6.31
- The Sights of a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.31
- 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
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAsheville $16Banff $9.34
Sample the Local Flavors in Asheville
Also in Asheville, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Skip the Line: Copper Barrel's Premium Distillery Tour & Tasting: $10
- Terrors, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Ultimate Late Night Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Asheville Terrors Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl: $39
- Expert-Led Brewery Walking Tour with Beer Samples: $65
- Downtown Asheville Guided Brewery Walking Tour: $69
- Premier Walking Guided Brewery Tour Through Downtown Asheville: $69
- Electric Bike Brewery Crawl of Asheville: $74
- Premier Mobile Guided Brewery Tour Around Asheville: $99
- Guided Craft Brewery Tour with a Snack: $99
- Asheville Signature Guided Brewery Tour: $105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Asheville and Banff, we can see that Asheville is more expensive. And not only is Banff much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Banff would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Banff 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 Asheville would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Asheville than you might in Banff.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Asheville Expensive? and Is Banff Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Asheville or Banff?
Asheville has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Banff. When comparing the sizes of Asheville and Banff, 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.