Which place is cheaper, British Columbia or California?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit California or British Columbia?
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 British Columbia. 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 British Columbia?
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.
British Columbia
The westernmost province in Canada, British Columbia, is four times the size of Great Britain with less than one tenth of the population. This is due to the vast mountain ranges just ready to be tackled including the Rockies, Selkirks and the Coastal Range. With vibrant cities and ambitious outdoor activities, British Columbia is ready for any traveler.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCalifornia $252British Columbia $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in California is $252, while the average daily cost in British Columbia 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 British Columbia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCalifornia $116British Columbia -
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCalifornia $232British Columbia $0.00
Compare Hotels in California and British Columbia
Looking for a hotel in California or British Columbia? 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 $43British Columbia -
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
- Luxury transfer between San Francisco and SFO Airport: $130
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to Carlsbad, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $77
- World Cruise Center to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Departure Private Transfer: $62
- Anaheim Resort Private Transfer To or From Hollywood, CA.: $79
- Anaheim Resort Private Transfer to or from San Diego.: $221
- Anaheim Resort Private Transfer to or from Universal Studios: $107
- Anaheim to Los Angeles Airport Departure Private Transfer: $105
- Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $245
- Arrival Private Transfer San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego by Executive SUV: $134
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport LAX to Los Angeles in Business Car: $186
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $112
Hired Cars and Shuttles in British Columbia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in British Columbia:
- White Rock to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $48
- Whistler to Vancouver Harbour Water Airport - Departure Transfer: $79
- Victoria to Vancouver - Vancouver Airport (YVR) Drop Off - Coach Bus Transfer: $89
- Victoria to Vancouver - Coach Bus Transfer: $75
- Vancouver to Victoria - Vancouver Hotel Pickup - Coach Bus Transfer: $85
- Vancouver to Victoria - Vancouver Cruise Terminal Pickup - Coach Bus Transfer: $89
- Vancouver to Victoria - Vancouver Airport (YVR) Pickup - Coach Bus Transfer: $89
- Vancouver to Squamish: Private E-Scooter Tour with Car Transfer: $98
- Vancouver to Canada Place Cruise Port Departure Private Transfer: $57
- Vancouver hotel/address to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $91
- Vancouver Harbour Water Airport to Whistler - Round-Trip Transfer: $159
- Vancouver Harbour Water Airport to Whistler - Arrival Transfer: $79
Is it cheaper to fly into California or British Columbia?
Prices for flights to both British Columbia 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 $48British Columbia -
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
- West LA Donut Adventure and Walking Food Tour: $65
- Santa Monica Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $65
- Encinitas Food Tour: $70
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $76
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $78
- Tijuana Street Food Tour for Foodies: $79
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- Private French Cooking Class in La Jolla with Andrea: $88
- San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- North Beach and Chinatown Walking Secret Food Tour: $89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in British Columbia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in British Columbia.
- Vancouver Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $65
- Hip & Hidden Chinatown + Old Town Food Tour Victoria: $68
- Kelowna: #1 Rated Walking Food Tour with 7 Tastings and Drinks: $75
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $85
- Private Historical Food Tour of Gastown : $102
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $102
- Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $102
- Granville Island Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $117
- Private Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $125
- Vancouver Evening Dinner Cruise: $136
- Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $136
- VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $141
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.California $65British Columbia -
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Golden Gate Bridge Bike or Walking App Tour: $5.00
- Avalon City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Hollywood Boulevard’s Haunting History and Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Historical San Anselmo: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.24
- 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
- Liberty Station Quest Experience in San Diego: $6.22
- Aquatic Park Mafia Job Quest Experience in San Francisco: $6.22
- Stop the Bomb Quest Experience in Pasadena: $6.22
- Gold Rush and Ghosts of Sacramento Smart Phone guided (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $6.75
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Essential Downtown SLO: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
Tours and Activities in British Columbia
Here are a few actual costs in British Columbia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Spirit Of Vancouver Bike or Ebike Tour: $102
- 1.5 hour guided SUP tour on the pristine waters of Cowichan Lake: $44
- 2 Hour Evening Adventure Kayaking Tour: $72
- 2-Hour Private Walking Tour - Vancouver's Highlights: $220
- 2-Hour Victoria Highlights Private Walking Tour: $198
- 3 Days Leavenworth & Portland X'mas Tour from Vancouver (Chn&Eng): $294
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Vancouver's Highlights: $270
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Victoria's Highlights: $300
- 4 Hour Afternoon Whale Watching Tour: $170
- 4 Hour Wildlife Tour Featuring Whale Watching: $158
- 4 Hours Guided Mountain Bike Tour : $287
- 4-Hour Sailing Adventure on The Strait of Juan de Fuca: $113
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCalifornia $21British Columbia -
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Self Guided Tour and Bar Crawl in Chinatown San Francisco: $5.00
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- Calaveras and Tuolumne Digital Wine Tasting Pass: $19
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- San Francisco Bar Crawl + Clubbing Experience: $24
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $28
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $28
- San Diego Small-Group Gaslamp History Tour Pub Crawl: $30
- Wine Tasting Audio Tour - Lodi California: $35
- 2 Hours Party Bike Pub Crawl Tour in Glendale California: $39
- Wine Tasting Around the World: $60
- Large Group Wine Tasting Tour (For 6+ Guests • We Drive Your Car): $60
Sample the Local Flavors in British Columbia
Also in British Columbia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Victoria's Distillery & Brewery Tasting Experience: $21
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $26
- Pickle Pub Crawl in Victoria's Inner Harbour: $49
- Victoria Craft Brewery Tour: $90
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $91
- Kelowna Brewery Tour: $98
- Lake Country Scenic Wine Tour With Wine Tasting Experience: $106
- 4-Hour Okanagan Valley Wine Tasting. Wineries of East Kelowna Bench.: $110
- Kelowna Wine Tour on an E-Bike with Lunch: $113
- West Kelowna Half-Day Guided Wine Tour With 4 Wineries : $120
- Lake Country Half Day Guided Wine Tour With 4 Wineries: $120
- East Kelowna Half-Day Guided Wine Tour With 4 Wineries: $120
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between California and British Columbia, we can see that California is more expensive. And not only is British Columbia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to British Columbia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in British Columbia 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 British Columbia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is California Expensive? and Is British Columbia Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, California or British Columbia?
California has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of British Columbia. When comparing the sizes of California and British Columbia, 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.