Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Bern?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bern or Vancouver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Bern 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: Bern or Vancouver?
Bern
The capital city of Switzerland, Bern, is a surprisingly small city with a population of only about 130,000. It's located on a peninsula that is created by the turns of the River Aare. The city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has a wonderfully preserved old town area. There are about four miles worth of quaint walkways that are lined with clock towers and fountains.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Switzerland, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Switzerland, 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 dayBern $252Vancouver $142
The average daily cost (per person) in Bern is $252, 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 Bern and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBern $163Vancouver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBern $326Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Bern and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Bern 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: Bern Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bern $34Vancouver $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bern
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bern:
- Private Transfer From Bern to Zurich, English Speaking Driver: $228
- Private Transfer From Bern To Basel With a 2 Hour Stop in Olten: $214
- Private Direct Transfer From Bern to Basel: $192
- Private Car Departure Transfer from Bern to Bern Airport BRN: $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$6.40
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown$21
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15 min Taxi Ride$8.78
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SkyTrain DayPass$6.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer from Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32
- Private Departure Transfer to Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32
- Vancouver Airport-Cypress/Grouse Mountain Private Transfer: $38
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to White Rock - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Private Transfer from Vancouver Airport (YVR) to White Rock City: $46
- White Rock to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to Canada Place Port - Arrival Transfer: $55
- Vancouver to Canada Place Cruise Port Departure Private Transfer: $55
- Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
- City Highlights Tour with Hotel Transfers: $61
- Transfer Private Vehicle Vancouver Airport (YVR)-Vancouver Downtown: $67
- Vancouver to Victoria: Ferry with Bus Transfer: $73
Is it cheaper to fly into Bern or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Bern 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 dayBern $60Vancouver $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bern
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bern.
- Cooking delicious Spanish paella in Switzerland.: $66
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$8.87
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
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
- The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $94
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $100
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
- North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $100
- Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
- Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $134
- VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $138
- Authentic Asian Eats Walking Food Tour: $142
- 3-Hour Bowen Island Boat Cruise with Dinner: $153
- Evening Cruise with Dinner Buffet: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bern $34Vancouver $36
Tours and Activities in Bern
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bern are as follows:
- 007 Elegance:Exclusive Private Tour to Schilthorn from Bern: $633
- Alpine Heights: Small Group Tour to Jungfraujoch from Bern: $598
- Beautiful Bern's Old Town: Self Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Bern : Highlights & Hidden Gems Walking Tour: $81
- Bern : Private Walking Tour with a Local Guide (Private tour): $59
- Bern Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Walking Tour: $7.00
- Bern Highlights Small-Group Walking Tour with a Local: $157
- Bern Historical UNESCO Old Town Private Tour: $162
- Bern Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $60
- Bern Old City Walking Tour: $464
- Bern Old Town - Private Historic Walking Tour: $537
- Bern Private Walking Tour: $336
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: $4.31
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.75
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.83
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.19
- Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.20
- Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
- Vancouver Tips-Based Walking Tour | 3-Hour: $5.47
- Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.68
- Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.69
- Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.99
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBern $27Vancouver $16
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: $88
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour Led by a Local: $89
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $89
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $134
- Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $134
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $138
- From Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Local Tastings: $139
- Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bern and Vancouver, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Vancouver much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bern is in Europe and Vancouver is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Vancouver would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vancouver 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 Bern would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bern than you might in Vancouver.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bern Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bern or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern 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 Bern 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 Bern or Vancouver in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Bern as well as Vancouver. Most visitors come to Bern for the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Bern is a little warmer than Vancouver in the summer. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In the summer, Bern often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.
Bern usually gets more rain in July than Vancouver. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBern 21°C (70°F)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Bern or Vancouver in the Autumn?
Both Vancouver and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Bern because of the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Bern is a little warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Bern in October average around 13°C (55°F), and Vancouver averages at about 11°C (51°F).
Bern usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Vancouver during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 124 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. In October, Bern usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBern 13°C (55°F)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Bern or Vancouver in the Winter?
Both Vancouver and Bern during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Bern this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Vancouver. It's quite cold in Bern in the winter. In January, Bern is generally much colder than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 3°C (37°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).
In the winter, Bern often gets more sunshine than Vancouver. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.
Vancouver gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Bern usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBern 3°C (37°F)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Bern or Vancouver in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Vancouver. Many travelers come to Bern for the natural beauty.
Bern is a little warmer than Vancouver in the spring. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 11°C (52°F) in April, and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
Bern usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Vancouver during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.
Vancouver receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Bern usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBern 11°C (52°F)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Bern
| Bern | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (40°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (46°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (52°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 15°C (60°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 19°C (65°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (69°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 13°C (55°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (38°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 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.