Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Austin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Austin or Vancouver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Austin or Vancouver, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Austin or Vancouver?
Austin
Located in the Texas Hill Country, Austin is the capital city of the state. It is a relatively small city with a compact downtown area and many sprawling suburbs stretching out along the interstate. Austin prides itself on its eclectic culture and alternative vibe which is epitomized by the city's unofficial slogan "Keep Austin Weird." The University of Texas at Austin is also located downtown. The school's large student population helps give the city a youthful feel with a lively nightlife and no shortage of activities on weekends. The city is also the self proclaimed live music capital of the country. As such, it has many music venues and bars, most of which are clustered around the 6th Street area downtown. There are also many free outdoor concerts, particularly during the summer months.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Western Canada. It is also the largest city in British Columbia, and is dramatically positioned between the coast and mountains. It's a very international city, with a high level of energy and countless activites that you can enjoy while you're in town. In addition to offering all of the activities and entertainment of a modern city, it is also in jumping off distance to any number of outdoor activities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Walking Tours in United States of America, The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America, The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAustin $142Vancouver $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Austin is $142, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $141. 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 Austin and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAustin $56Vancouver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAustin $112Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Austin and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Austin or Vancouver? 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: Austin Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Austin $47Vancouver $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Austin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Austin:
- Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS) to Austin City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $96
- Private Transfer Between Airport and Hotels: $80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport$6.35
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown$21
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15 min Taxi Ride$8.71
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SkyTrain DayPass$6.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port to Vancouver by SUV: $120
- Arrival Private Transfer: Vancouver Airport YVR to Vancouver in Luxury Car: $163
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $93
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $185
- Canada Place Cruise Port: Transfer to Vancouver hotels: $425
- Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
- Cypress/Grouse Mountain to Vancouver Airport - Departure Transfer: $38
- Departure Private Transfer Vancouver to YVR Airport or Cruise Port- Business Car: $85
- Departure Private Transfer from Vancouver to Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port by SUV: $97
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Business Car: $120
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury Car: $163
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury SUV: $133
Is it cheaper to fly into Austin or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Austin 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 dayAustin $35Vancouver $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Austin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Austin.
- Famous Texas BBQ & Food Tour in Austin: $89
- Famous Texas BBQ & Food Tour in Austin: $89
- Secret Food Tour: $97
- Austin Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $99
- Secret Food Tour of South Congress: $107
- The Brunch Bus: Food Tour with a Live Band on Board the Bus!: $125
Typical Food Prices in Vancouver
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:
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All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch$8.80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Vancouver Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $78
- The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $85
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $93
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $96
- North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $108
- VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $111
- Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $134
- Downtown Vancouver Asian Eats - Walking Food Tour: $138
- Authentic Asian Eats Walking Food Tour: $142
- 3-Hour Bowen Island Boat Cruise with Dinner: $153
- Granville Island Uncorked Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $156
- Vancouver Evening Dinner Cruise: $158
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Austin $28Vancouver $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Austin
Here are a few typical costs in Austin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Austin Duck Tour$31
Tours and Activities in Austin
Here are a few actual costs in Austin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Austin Glass Bottom Kayak Tour with Olympian: $50
- Pioneer Farms Ghost Hunt by The Original Austin Ghost Tours : $55
- Afternoon in Austin Segway Tour: $99
- Austin Art & Architecture Bicycle Tour: $56
- Austin Biker Gang E-Bike Tour: $99
- Austin Boat Tour with Full Sun Shading Available: $84
- Austin Breakfast Taco Tour: $85
- Austin E-Bike Brunch Tour : $118
- Austin E-Bike Foodie Tour : $128
- Austin Electric Bike Tour: Let it Ride: $70
- Austin Family Explorer Private Magical Urban Adventure Tour: $232
- Austin Family Explorer: A Magical Urban Adventure: $452
Tours and Activities in Vancouver
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.
- Vancouver self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.28
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.74
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.85
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.22
- Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
- Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.72
- Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.72
- Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.94
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.30
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tours of Stanley Park: $7.46
- VanDusen Botanical Garden Admission Ticket: $7.69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAustin $28Vancouver $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Austin
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Austin:
- Austin Bar Hunt: Sixth Street Spree: Austin Bar Crawl: $12
- Austin Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $30
- Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $30
- Downtown Austin Live Music Pub Crawl: $35
- Downtown Live Music Pub Crawl: $35
- From Texas Hill Country Brewery & Distillery Shuttle: $65
- Private Austin Brewery Tour by Pedicab with All-Inclusive Beer Flight Option: $70
- 4-Hour Austin Signature Brewery Tour: $100
- The Brew Bus: Austin Brewery Tour with Live Band: $125
- Half-Day Private Texas Hill Country Wine Tour from Austin: $143
- Brewery 5K Fun Run, BBQ, and Texas History Museum in Austin : $175
- Texas Hill Country Group Wine Tour by Limousine: $185
Sample the Local Flavors in Vancouver
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl ROUTE B: $18
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $22
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl: $26
- 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $84
- Vancouver Behind-the-Scenes Brewery Tour: $93
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
- Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $134
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $138
- Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $149
- Stawamus Chief Hike and Local Brewery Tasting: $164
- Stawamus Chief Hike & Local Brewery Tasting : $168
- Full-Day Private Fraser Valley Wine Tour from Vancouver: $189
When comparing the travel costs between Austin and Vancouver, we can see that Austin 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 Austin Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Austin or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Austin. When comparing the sizes of Austin and Vancouver, 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.
When is the best time to visit Austin or Vancouver?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Austin or Vancouver in the Summer?
Both Vancouver and Austin during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Austin for the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
Austin is much warmer than Vancouver in the summer. The daily temperature in Austin averages around 87°F (30°C) in July, and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
In Vancouver, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Austin. In the summer, Austin often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Vancouver. Austin gets 318 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.
Austin usually gets less rain in July than Vancouver. Austin gets 1.9 inches (48 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyAustin 87°F (30°C)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Austin or Vancouver in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Austin and Vancouver. Many visitors come to Austin in the autumn for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Austin is much warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Austin in October average around 73°F (23°C), and Vancouver averages at about 11°C (51°F).
In Austin, it's very sunny this time of the year. Austin usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during autumn. Austin gets 214 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 124 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Vancouver receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Austin usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Austin gets 3 inches (77 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberAustin 73°F (23°C)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Austin or Vancouver in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Austin as well as Vancouver. Most visitors come to Austin for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.
The weather in Vancouver can be very cold. In January, Austin is generally much warmer than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Austin average around 51°F (11°C), and Vancouver fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).
In the winter, Austin often gets more sunshine than Vancouver. Austin gets 163 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Austin usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Austin gets 1.9 inches (48 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryAustin 51°F (11°C)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Austin or Vancouver in the Spring?
Both Vancouver and Austin are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Austin because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
Austin is much warmer than Vancouver in the spring. The daily temperature in Austin averages around 71°F (22°C) in April, and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Austin. Austin usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Austin gets 209 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. In April, Austin usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Austin gets 3.5 inches (89 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilAustin 71°F (22°C)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Austin
| Austin | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 51°F (11°C) | 1.9 inches (48 mm) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 55°F (13°C) | 3.1 inches (78 mm) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 63°F (17°C) | 1.9 inches (48 mm) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 71°F (22°C) | 3.5 inches (89 mm) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 77°F (25°C) | 4 inches (101 mm) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 83°F (29°C) | 3.1 inches (80 mm) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 87°F (30°C) | 1.9 inches (48 mm) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 87°F (31°C) | 2.2 inches (56 mm) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 82°F (28°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 73°F (23°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 62°F (17°C) | 2 inches (52 mm) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 54°F (12°C) | 2.2 inches (56 mm) | 4°C (40°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
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.