A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Brussels vs. Vancouver for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Brussels or Vancouver?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Brussels and Vancouver. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Brussels or Vancouver?

Brussels

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and also the sight of the headquarters of the European Union. Generally speaking, it's an expensive city that sees a good amount of travelers. It is also a highly political city that has an air of importance and power. It's an incredibly international city, with people from all over the world flocking to it due to its political, economical, and cultural significance.

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 Cultural Tours in Belgium, The Best Luxury Tours to Belgium, The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Brussels?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Brussels is €137, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is €132. 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 Brussels and Vancouver in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Brussels 73
    Vancouver 81
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Brussels 146
    Vancouver 162
Compare Hotels in Brussels and Vancouver

Looking for a hotel in Brussels 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.

Hotels in Brussels


Hotels in Vancouver


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: Brussels Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Brussels 17
    Vancouver 11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brussels

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Brussels are as follows:


  • Subway Pass
    4.50
  • Atomium train ticket (2)
    8.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brussels

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Brussels:

  • Private Transfer from Brussels to Amsterdam: $505
  • Brussels Airport (BRU) To Amsterdam: VIP Transfer: $495
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Brussels to Amsterdam by Luxury car: $295
  • Private Transfer From Brussels To Amsterdam, Stop in Utrecht: $282
  • Brussels Shuttle Transfer <-> Disneyland Paris (1 to 8 SEATS): $280
  • Private Direct Transfer from Brussels to Amsterdam: $257
  • VIP Transfer between Brussels Airport (BRU) and Antwerp: $248
  • Private VIP Transfer to/from Bruges: $246
  • Private Transfer from Brussels to Luxembourg with Luxury car: $234
  • Private Transfer From Brussels To Circuit SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS Belgium Luxury car : $191
  • Transfer Shuttle Leuven <-> Amsterdam (1 to 8 Places): $175
  • Private Transfert from Bruges to Brussels Airport By Business car: $164

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:


  • SkyTrain from Airport
    5.94
  • Taxi from Airport to Downtown
    20
  • 15 min Taxi Ride
    8.15
  • SkyTrain DayPass
    6.11

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 Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $93
  • Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $93
  • Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $186
  • Canada Place Cruise Port: Transfer to Vancouver hotels: $428
  • Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
  • Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury Car: $163
  • Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury SUV: $133
  • Maximize Your Cruise Adventure: Vancouver Tour & Transfer: $292
  • Mount Washington to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Transfer: $93
  • Private Departure Transfer to Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32

Is it cheaper to fly into Brussels or Vancouver?

Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Brussels 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Brussels 38
    Vancouver 29
Typical Food Prices in Brussels

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Brussels:


  • Ice Cream & Macaroons
    4.60
  • Dessert (Turkish Delights)
    4.75
  • Cheese
    5.60
  • Olives and Snacks
    6.98
  • Waffle
    3.00

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brussels

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Brussels.

  • Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $28
  • Chocolate and Beer Food Tour of Brussels: $43
  • City Center Guided Food Tour with Tastings: $61
  • Food Tour in Brussels - Do Eat Better Experience: $106
  • Brussels Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $130
  • Secret Food Tours Brussels: $138
  • Market Tour and Cooking Lesson with a Belgian Gourmet Meal in a Brussels Home: $160
  • Private Food Tour – 10 Tastings with Locals: $164

Typical Food Prices in Vancouver

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:


  • All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch
    8.23

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
  • The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $94
  • Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
  • Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
  • North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $108
  • 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
  • Vancouver Evening Dinner Cruise: $157
  • Granville Island Uncorked Walking Food Tour: $161

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Brussels 23
    Vancouver 34

Tours and Activities in Brussels

Here are a few actual costs in Brussels for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Beer Tasting Tour in Brussels: $24
  • Brussels Walking Tour with Waffle Tasting: History and Delights: $23
  • Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $7.27
  • Christmas Gems of Brussels - Walking Tour: $261
  • 2-Hour Brussels Guided Walking Tour: $15
  • 2-Hour Private Walking Tour in the templar village of Lissewege: $75
  • 4 Hour Private Tour in Brussels : $273
  • 600 Years of History and Heritage: A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Leuven: $5.99
  • A Self-Guided Tour of Brussels' Secret Places and Untold Stories: $5.99
  • A Self-Guided Tour of From Medieval to Modern Times: $7.99
  • A Self-Guided Tour of Medieval to Modern Times: $7.99
  • A day in the life of Brussels - Private tour with a local: $148

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: $4.82
  • Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
  • Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.19
  • Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.19
  • Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
  • Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.68
  • Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.68
  • Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.99
  • Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.31
  • Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tours of Stanley Park: $7.42

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Brussels 13
    Vancouver 15
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brussels

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Brussels are as follows:


  • Bottle of Wine
    10
  • Beer
    6.00

Sample the Local Flavors in Brussels

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Brussels:

  • Brussels Pub Crawl - Nightlife & Party Experience: $17
  • Pub Crawl and Nightlife Party Experience: $18

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
  • 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
  • From Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Local Tastings: $139
  • Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
  • Stawamus Chief Hike and Local Brewery Tasting: $165
  • Fraser Valley & White Rock Premium Public Wine Tour: $166
  • Stawamus Chief Hike & Local Brewery Tasting : $167


When comparing the travel costs between Brussels and Vancouver, we can see that Brussels 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. Even though Brussels is in Europe and Vancouver is in North America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Brussels Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Brussels or Vancouver?

Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 80% larger than the population of Brussels. When comparing the sizes of Brussels 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 Brussels 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 Brussels or Vancouver in the Summer?

Both Vancouver and Brussels during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Brussels because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.

Brussels is around the same temperature as Vancouver in the summer. The daily temperature in Brussels averages around 18°C (65°F) in July, and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

In Vancouver, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Brussels often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Brussels gets 186 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.

Brussels usually gets more rain in July than Vancouver. Brussels gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Brussels 18°C (65°F) 
    Vancouver 18°C (64°F)

Should I visit Brussels or Vancouver in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Brussels and Vancouver. The city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Brussels this time of year.

In the autumn, Brussels is a little warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Brussels in October average around 12°C (54°F), and Vancouver averages at about 11°C (51°F).

Brussels usually receives less sunshine than Vancouver during autumn. Brussels gets 114 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, Brussels usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Brussels gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Brussels 12°C (54°F) 
    Vancouver 11°C (51°F)

Should I visit Brussels or Vancouver in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Brussels as well as Vancouver. Many travelers come to Brussels for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Vancouver can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Brussels. In January, Brussels is generally cooler than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Brussels average around 3°C (38°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).

In the winter, Brussels often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Brussels gets 49 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Brussels usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Brussels gets 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Brussels 3°C (38°F) 
    Vancouver 4°C (40°F)

Should I visit Brussels or Vancouver in the Spring?

Both Vancouver and Brussels are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Brussels in the spring for the activities around the city.

Brussels is around the same temperature as Vancouver in the spring. The daily temperature in Brussels averages around 10°C (49°F) in April, and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).

Brussels usually receives less sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Brussels gets 147 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, Brussels usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Brussels gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Brussels 10°C (49°F) 
    Vancouver 9°C (49°F)

Typical Weather for Vancouver and Brussels

Brussels Vancouver
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 3°C (38°F) 67 mm (2.6 in) 4°C (40°F) 167 mm (6.6 in)
Feb 4°C (39°F) 53 mm (2.1 in) 6°C (42°F) 179 mm (7.1 in)
Mar 6°C (43°F) 72 mm (2.8 in) 7°C (45°F) 142 mm (5.6 in)
Apr 10°C (49°F) 57 mm (2.2 in) 9°C (49°F) 110 mm (4.3 in)
May 14°C (57°F) 71 mm (2.8 in) 13°C (55°F) 81 mm (3.2 in)
Jun 17°C (62°F) 79 mm (3.1 in) 16°C (60°F) 66 mm (2.6 in)
Jul 18°C (65°F) 75 mm (3 in) 18°C (64°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Aug 18°C (65°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 18°C (64°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Sep 16°C (60°F) 59 mm (2.3 in) 15°C (59°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)
Oct 12°C (54°F) 70 mm (2.8 in) 11°C (51°F) 164 mm (6.5 in)
Nov 7°C (45°F) 76 mm (3 in) 7°C (44°F) 234 mm (9.2 in)
Dec 4°C (40°F) 76 mm (3 in) 4°C (40°F) 198 mm (7.8 in)