Which place is cheaper, Banff or Baltimore?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Baltimore or Banff?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Baltimore and Banff can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Baltimore or Banff?
Baltimore
Baltimore is a large, industrial city and popular tourist destination in the state of Maryland. It is about an hour outside of Washington, D.C. and is a hub of tourism and entertainment for the area. It has a vibrant nightlife, comfortable climate, and is a great place to visit when you're in the area. The city proper has a population of about 600,000 and the metropolitan area has 2.7 million. Its economy is centered around science, technology, engineering and math and it has many undergraduate and graduate schools including the world renowned Johns Hopkins University.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, and The Best Camping Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBaltimore $184Banff $84
The average daily cost (per person) in Baltimore is $184, 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 Baltimore and Banff in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBaltimore $93Banff $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBaltimore $186Banff $76
Compare Hotels in Baltimore and Banff
Looking for a hotel in Baltimore 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: Baltimore Hotel Prices and Banff Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Baltimore $21Banff $5.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baltimore
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baltimore:
- Oakland to San Francisco Airport (SFO)-Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Private Arrival Transfer from Baltimore Washington Airport BWI: $60
- Baltimore City to Washington City - Private Car Transfer: $63
- Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) to Washington - Arrival Private Transfer: $93
- Arrival Private Transfer Baltimore Airport BWI to Baltimore by Business Vehicle: $111
- Departure Private Transfer Baltimore to Baltimore Airport BWI - Business Vehicle: $111
- BWI Airport: Transfer to Baltimore or Washington DC: $150
- Airport Transfer BWI Airport to Baltimore Downtown Area Only: $160
- Private Transfer to BWI or Washington DC/Airports: $160
- Airport transfer to or from Silver Spring, MD & Reagan Airport(DCA): $200
- Private transfer To or Form Bethesda and Dulles International Airport: $209
- Airport Transfer Baltimore/Washington International Airport BWI to Washington,DC: $240
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 Baltimore or Banff?
Prices for flights to both Banff and Baltimore 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 dayBaltimore $46Banff $29
Typical Food Prices in Baltimore
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Baltimore:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2) in Fells Point$76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Baltimore
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Baltimore.
- Inner Harbor Buffet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner: $67
- Federal Hill Food Tour: $71
- Little Italy and Jonestown Food Tour: $73
- Fells Point Food Tour in Baltimore: $74
- Christmas Eve Gourmet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $84
- Christmas Day Gourmet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $84
- Baltimore Signature Dinner Cruise: $101
- Baltimore Buffet Dinner/Dance Cruise of the Inner Harbor: $119
- Baltimore Father's Day Buffet Dinner Cruise : $126
- Baltimore New Year's Eve Buffet Dinner Cruise: $251
Typical Food Prices in Banff
Some typical examples of dining costs in Banff are as follows:
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Tea House Lunch for Two$33
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Hostel Breakfast$27
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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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Baltimore $18Banff $12
Tours and Activities in Baltimore
Here are a few actual costs in Baltimore for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Self-guided Waterfall Hiking Tour through Great Falls National Park: $5.00
- Downtown Baltimore In-App Audio Tour: $9.00
- Historic & Cultural Baltimore Self-Driving Audio Guided Tour: $14
- Antietam National Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Historical Baltimore Self-Driving Sightseeing Audio Tour: $17
- Baltimore Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
- The Original Fells Point Ghost Walk by Baltimore Ghost Tours: $24
- Baltimore Ghosts By US Ghost Adventures: $24
- Baltimore's Cruise ship Tour-shuttle service: $25
- Inner Harbor Sightseeing Cruise: $28
- Baltimore Harbor Tour: $28
- The Original Fells Point Ghost Walk by Baltimore Ghost Tours: $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Banff
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Banff are as follows:
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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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBaltimore $17Banff $9.34
Sample the Local Flavors in Baltimore
Also in Baltimore, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Original Fells Point Haunted Pub Tour by Baltimore Ghost Tours: $33
- Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- From Patapsco Region Wine Tour with Lunch: $175
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Baltimore and Banff, we can see that Baltimore 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 Baltimore would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Baltimore 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 Baltimore Expensive? and Is Banff Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Baltimore or Banff?
Baltimore has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Banff. When comparing the sizes of Baltimore 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.