Which place is cheaper, Alberta or California?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit California or Alberta?
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 California and Alberta. 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: California or Alberta?
California
California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is known for a variety of attractions such as Hollywood, warm beaches, the San Francisco bay area, Redwood trees, national parks, and stunning mountain vistas. With a variety of locations and activities to offer, California has become one of the premier travel destinations in the world.
Alberta
If you ever wanted to visit a place where all the beauty of nature is centrally located, you will want to make a trip to Alberta, Canada. With part of the Canadian Rockies, the prairies and the wilderness of forests, Alberta has something for everyone. As the home to Canada's oil industry, this is also the richest province in the country.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America, The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vancouver.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCalifornia $252Alberta $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in California is $252, while the average daily cost in Alberta is $0.00. 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 California and Alberta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCalifornia $116Alberta -
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCalifornia $232Alberta $0.00
Compare Hotels in California and Alberta
Looking for a hotel in California or Alberta? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.California $43Alberta -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Anaheim Resort Private Transfer to or from Los Angeles.: $75
- Sta. Monica Private Transfer To or From Los Angeles Airport/Cruise Port.: $71
- Airport Transfer: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Francisco: $107
- Anaheim Resort Private Transfer To or From Hollywood, CA.: $79
- Anaheim Resort Private Transfer to or from Universal Studios.: $79
- Anaheim to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $92
- Anaheim to Los Angeles Airport Departure Private Transfer: $102
- Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $245
- Arrival Private Transfer San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego City by Business Car: $111
- Arrival Private Transfer San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego by Executive SUV: $134
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $108
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Luxury Car: $169
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alberta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alberta:
- Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Downtown - Calgary Airport (YYC): $91
- Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary Downtown: $138
- Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Airport (YYC) - Calgary Downtown: $91
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Calgary Airport (YYC) -Calgary Downtown: $121
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Calgary Airport (YYC) -Calgary: $181
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport to Downtown: $111
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary by Luxury SUV: $119
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury Van: $128
- Private Transfer from Calgary Airport to Sunshine Village : $60
- Private Transfer from Calgary Airport to Calgary Hotels: $63
- Private Departure Transfer from Hotels to Edmonton Airport: $43
- Private Calgary to Banff One-way Transfer in Luxury Car: $296
Is it cheaper to fly into California or Alberta?
Prices for flights to both Alberta and California 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 dayCalifornia $48Alberta -
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California
For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
- Encinitas Food Tour: $70
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $75
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $79
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- San Diego Vegan Food Tour: $85
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
- San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
- San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $89
- Venice Beach LA Food Tour: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- West Hollywood Food Tour: $89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alberta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alberta.
- Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $107
- Peak Nic - A hike and an outdoor cooking lesson: $119
- Banff Food Tour: Eat the Castle: $153
- 4-Hours E-Bike Food Tour : $201
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.California $63Alberta -
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Pies & Pickaxes: A Historic Walking Tour of Julian, CA: $4.49
- Gambling Built the Sunset Strip: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Avalon City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- The Heart of Los Angeles’ Dreamland: A Self-Guide Tour in Culver City: $5.99
- Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.99
- Gold Rush and Ghosts of Sacramento Smart Phone guided (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $6.75
- Essential Downtown SLO: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Carmel-by-the-Sea's Fairytale Houses: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
- Historic Cannery Row: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of John Steinbeck's Monterey: $7.99
- Historic Folsom: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
Tours and Activities in Alberta
Here are a few actual costs in Alberta for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Banff National Park Big Canoe Tour: $56
- Skybridge Adventure Golden BC from Canmore & Banff: $165
- 1 Day Yoho Tour | Moraine Lake | Johnston Canyon | From Calgary: $118
- 2 Days Jasper and Banff Tour from Calgary: $163
- 2 Hour Banff Horseback Riding Adventure: $144
- 2-Hour Private Walking Tour of Calgary's Highlights: $238
- 2-Hour Scooter Tour of Calgary's City Highlights: $68
- 3-Hour Bike Tour of Calgary, E-Bike Upgrade Options Available: $101
- 3-Hour Street Art Tour of Calgary with Craft Beer Tastings: $101
- 3-Hour Tips Based Walking Tour of Calgary: $5.46
- 5.5-Hour Jasper Wildlife and Waterfalls Tour with Maligne Lake Cruise from Jasper: $131
- Banff Area & Johnston Canyon 1-Day Tour from Calgary or Banff: $119
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCalifornia $21Alberta -
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Sacramento Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl: $12
- Long Beach Bar Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- San Diego Bar Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Calaveras and Tuolumne Digital Wine Tasting Pass: $19
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
- Wine Tasting Around the World: $48
- 2 to 3 Hour Bar Crawl in Castro San Francisco: $49
- Private Self-Guided Wine Tasting Tour in Sonoma: $50
- Large Group Wine Tasting Tour (For 6+ Guests • We Drive Your Car): $60
- The North Orange County Craft Brewery Tour: $91
- Private Wine Tour Napa or Sonoma from $99 per person up to 7 & Concierge Service: $99
Sample the Local Flavors in Alberta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Alberta:
- Calgary Brewery Tour: $89
- Edmonton Brewery Tour: $105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between California and Alberta, we can see that California is more expensive. And not only is Alberta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Alberta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alberta 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 California would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in California than you might in Alberta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is California Expensive? and Is Alberta Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, California or Alberta?
California has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Alberta. When comparing the sizes of California and Alberta, 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.