Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Banff?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Banff or Vancouver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Banff or Vancouver? 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: Banff or Vancouver?
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.
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 Luxury Tours to Canada, The Best Tours for Seniors to Canada, The Best Contiki Tours to Canada, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBanff $85Vancouver $142
The average daily cost (per person) in Banff is $85, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $142. 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 Banff and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBanff $39Vancouver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBanff $78Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Banff and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Banff 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: Banff Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Banff $5.23Vancouver $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Banff
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Banff:
- Calgary Airport to Banff - Private Transfer: $850
- Private Banff National Park Tour with Hotel Transfers: $785
- Banff to Calgary YYC Airport (Private Transfer with Tesla): $290
- Canmore/Banff to Calgary Airport (YYC) Private Transfer: $290
- Banff to Calgary Airport | Private Transfer: $277
- Banff to Lake Louise/Moraine Lake sightseeing transfer: $73
- From Banff/Canmore: Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Shared Transfer: $73
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport$6.41
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown$21
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15 min Taxi Ride$8.80
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SkyTrain DayPass$6.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer to Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32
- Vancouver Whistler Private Transfer: $37
- Cypress/Grouse Mountain to Vancouver Airport - Departure Transfer: $39
- Vancouver Airport-Cypress/Grouse Mountain Private Transfer: $39
- Private Transfer from Vancouver Airport (YVR) to White Rock City: $47
- YVR Airport: Private Airport Transfer to/from Vancouver: $51
- Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $56
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to Canada Place Port - Arrival Transfer: $56
- City Highlights Tour with Hotel Transfers: $60
- Transfer Private Vehicle Vancouver Airport (YVR)-Vancouver Downtown: $67
- Vancouver to Victoria: Ferry with Bus Transfer: $72
- Private Transfer - Canada Place Cruise Terminal: $73
Is it cheaper to fly into Banff or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Banff 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 dayBanff $29Vancouver $31
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$4.68
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: $154
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$8.88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
- Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $85
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $93
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
- Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $101
- Private Historical Food Tour of Gastown : $108
- Granvile Island Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $112
- VIP Access Granville Island Market Walking Food Tour: $113
- Granvile Island Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $115
- Evening Cruise with Dinner Buffet: $123
- VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $125
- Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $135
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Banff $12Vancouver $36
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$5.36
Tours and Activities in Banff
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Banff are as follows:
- Banff National Park Big Canoe Tour: $62
- Columbia Icefield Tour with Glacier Skywalk & Peyto Lake: $268
- Skybridge Adventure Golden BC from Canmore & Banff: $247
- 2 Hour Banff Horseback Riding Adventure: $145
- 4 Days Tour to Banff & Jasper National Park with Hotels: $2,583
- 4 Days Tour to Banff & Jasper National Park without Hotels: $1,455
- Banff : Day Tour : Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Peyto Lake: $186
- Banff Cave & Hot Springs Self-Guided Walking Tour (Not a Ticket): $9.99
- Banff Highlights & Wildlife | Award-Winning Small Group Adventure: $82
- Banff Highlights Tour : Gondola, Fairmont & Johnston Canyon: $77
- Banff Mountain Lakeside - E-bike Tour: $130
- Banff National Park Tour with Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: $85
Tours and Activities in Vancouver
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.
- Stanley Park Self Guided Bike Tour: $3.63
- Vancouver self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.36
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.72
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.09
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.97
- Bloedel Conservatory Admission Ticket: $6.52
- Gastown Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Tour: $6.75
- Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $7.07
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.27
- VanDusen Botanical Garden Admission Ticket: $7.69
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure in North Vancouver by Wacky Walks: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBanff $9.43Vancouver $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Vancouver
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $22
- Vancouver Mansions Pub Crawl: $22
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl: $25
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $26
- 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $84
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour Led by a Local: $90
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $90
- Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $123
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $135
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $137
- Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $149
- Fraser Valley & White Rock Premium Public Wine Tour: $167
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Banff and Vancouver, we can see that Vancouver 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 Vancouver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vancouver 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 Banff Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Banff or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 240 times larger than the population of Banff. When comparing the sizes of Banff 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.
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.