Which place is cheaper, Victoria or Banff?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Banff or Victoria?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Banff or Victoria? 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 Victoria?
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.
Victoria
The capital city of British Columbia, Canada, Victoria is positioned near the southern edge of Vancouver Island. It's a wonderfully pleasant city and has been nicknamed the Garden City because of its vast green space and public gardens. There is a population of just over 80,000 in the city proper and almost 350,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Dating back to 1843, it's also one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest. As such, it has many historic buildings and beautiful architecture. It also has the second oldest Chinatown in North America, following San Francisco's.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, The Best Camping Tours in Canada, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Canada, and The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBanff $84Victoria $182
The average daily cost (per person) in Banff is $84, while the average daily cost in Victoria is $182. 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 Victoria in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBanff $38Victoria $113
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBanff $76Victoria $226
Compare Hotels in Banff and Victoria
Looking for a hotel in Banff or Victoria? 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 Victoria Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Banff $5.18Victoria $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Banff
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Banff:
- Private Transfer - Between YYC Calgary Airport and Banff: $233
- Private Airport Transfer to Banff: $287
- From Private One-Way Transfer to Calgary: $363
- From 1-Way Private Transfer to Calgary Airport (YYC): $508
- Private Banff National Park Tour with Hotel Transfers: $872
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Victoria
Also for Victoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Victoria to Vancouver Ferry with Bus Transfer: $72
- Victoria to Vancouver - Coach Bus Transfer: $74
- Victoria to Vancouver - Vancouver Hotel Drop Off - Coach Bus Transfer: $83
- Victoria to Vancouver - Vancouver Airport (YVR) Drop Off - Coach Bus Transfer: $88
- Vancouver: Seaplane Transfer between Vancouver & Victoria: $205
- Seaplane Transfer between Victoria and Whistler: $217
Is it cheaper to fly into Banff or Victoria?
Prices for flights to both Victoria 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 $29Victoria $27
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: $154
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Victoria
For Victoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Chocolate Lovers Food Tour: $44
- Chinatown and Old Town Food Tour with Tastings: $58
- Hip & Hidden Chinatown + Old Town Food Tour Victoria: $60
- Victoria Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $73
- Sip, Savor, Stroll Evening Food Tour: $145
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Banff $12Victoria $45
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 National Park Big Canoe Tour: $57
- Skybridge Adventure Golden BC from Canmore & Banff: $166
- 2 Hour Banff Horseback Riding Adventure: $145
- 4 Days Tour to Banff & Jasper National Park with Hotels: $2,581
- 4 Days Tour to Banff & Jasper National Park without Hotels: $1,454
- BANFF EVENING eBIKE WILDLIFE TOUR: $73
- Banff : Day Tour : Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Peyto Lake: $185
- Banff Highlights & Wildlife | Award-Winning Small Group Adventure: $74
- Banff National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour: $17
- Banff National Park Snowshoeing Adventure | Small Group Guided Tour: $77
- Banff National Park Tour with Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: $84
- Banff National Park: Big Canoe River Explorer Tour: $52
Tours and Activities in Victoria
For Victoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Victoria self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.27
- Victoria Harbor: Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.08
- 2.5-hour Tips-Based City Walking Tour: $6.54
- Victoria, BC: Murder Mystery Detective Experience: $11
- Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour: $13
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Experience Victoria by Foot Walking Tour: $15
- Butterfly Gardens Admission Ticket: $15
- Ghostly Walking Tour in Victoria: $16
- Cultural & Historical Victoria Walking Tour: $16
- Malahat SkyWalk General Admission Tickets: $29
- Experience Victoria City Tour: $36
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBanff $9.34Victoria $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Victoria
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Victoria:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Ferry Rides and Appetizers: $47
- 3-Hour Street Art & Craft Beer Tour of Victoria, Brewery Tour & Tasting included: $102
- Victoria Wine Tour with Wine Tastings and Charcuterie: $134
- Cowichan Valley Premium Wine Tour: $436
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Banff and Victoria, we can see that Victoria 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 Victoria would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Victoria 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 Victoria Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Banff or Victoria?
Victoria has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Banff. When comparing the sizes of Banff and Victoria, 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.