A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers California vs. Prince Edward Island for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit California or Prince Edward Island?

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 Prince Edward Island. 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 Prince Edward Island?

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.

Prince Edward Island

Known as simply "PEI" or "the island," Prince Edward Island is full of spectacularly red sandy beaches and dunes. The high levels of iron in the soil of this Canadian destination give the shores their rusty, prominent color. As the locals so cleverly out it, "there are no white dogs in PEI."

Prince Edward Island is Canada's only island province, and is also the setting to Lucy Montgomery's classic novel Anne of Green Gables.

As an island, this area isn't always easily accessible by car. To drive to Prince Edward Island, you'll have to use the iconic Confederation Bridge that crosses the Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and PEI. This short, ten-minute drive can be a fun event on its own – complete with scenic viewing stations on the New Brunswick side. There is a hefty toll to pay when returning to the mainland. There are several express shuttles or car ferries available, as well.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 2-Week Tours from Toronto, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver.


Which place is cheaper, Prince Edward Island or California?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • California Prices
    USA Prices
    Prince Edward Island Prices
    Canada Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    California $286
    Prince Edward Island $164

The average daily cost (per person) in California is $286, while the average daily cost in Prince Edward Island is $164. 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 Prince Edward Island in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    California $116
    Prince Edward Island $82
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    California $232
    Prince Edward Island $164
Compare Hotels in California and Prince Edward Island

Looking for a hotel in California or Prince Edward Island? 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 California


Hotels in Prince Edward Island


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    California $42
    Prince Edward Island $17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in California

Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Anaheim Resort Area to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Departure Private Transfer: $66
  • Anaheim Resort Private Transfer to or from John Wayne Airport.: $56
  • Anaheim Resort: Private Transfer to or from San Diego.: $219
  • Anaheim to Los Angeles Airport Departure Private Transfer: $126
  • Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $293
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $125
  • Arrival Private Transfer: San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego in Business Car: $108
  • Buena Park to John Wayne Airport (SNA) - Departure Private Transfer: $61
  • Buena Park to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $74
  • Carlsbad to San Diego Airport (SAN) - Departure Private Transfer: $63
  • Carlsbad-Legoland Private Transfer From or To Anaheim Resort.: $193
  • Catalina Island Trip with Hotel transfers & Optional tours: $158

Is it cheaper to fly into California or Prince Edward Island?

Prices for flights to both Prince Edward Island 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    California $79
    Prince Edward Island $57

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California

For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Santa Monica Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Churros, and More: $70
  • Fun Pad Thai Cooking Class With a Local Chef in San Diego: $75
  • Sushi Making Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in San Diego: $75
  • Japanese Gyoza Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in LA: $75
  • Sacramento: Chicken Curry Cooking Class With a Local Chef: $75
  • San Diego Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Pastries, & More: $79
  • Carlsbad Taco Tuesday Walking Food Tour with Margarita or Beer: $84
  • Silverlake Food Tour with Comedian Guide: $85
  • San Francisco Chinatown History Culture And Food Tour: $85
  • San Diego Holiday Sweet Treats, Donuts & Pastries Food Tour: $85
  • San Francisco: The Mission District Food Tour with 5 Local Dishes: $85
  • San Francisco: Chinatown & Litte Italy Food Tour with 5 Dishes: $85

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Prince Edward Island

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Prince Edward Island.

  • Solar harbour cruise with live music! (Optional lunch/dinner): $57
  • Charlottetown Small Group Harbour Food Tour: $71

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    California $69
    Prince Edward Island $32

Tours and Activities in California

For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Discover Yosemite National Park: A Self-Guided Tour: $1.12
  • Self-Guided Walking Tour in Los Angeles' Best-Kept Secrets: $1.12
  • Discover San Diego: Self-Guided Walking Tour: $1.12
  • Santa Monica Superhero Exploration Game and Tour: $4.84
  • Missing Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.84
  • San Francisco Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $4.85
  • Secrets of Venice Boardwalk: Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure in LA: $4.85
  • Venice Beach: Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
  • Solvang City Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
  • Private Walking Berkeley: Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
  • Golden Gate Bridge Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
  • Pasadena Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.00

Tours and Activities in Prince Edward Island

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

  • 2 Hour E-bike tour of Charlottetown: $90
  • 3 Hour E-Bike Tour of Charlottetown: $122
  • All Annie Exclusive Anne of Green Gables Tour All You Can Do: $98
  • Anne of Green Gables The Classic Island Shared Tour Experience: $82
  • Anne of Green Gables and PEI North Shore Bus Tour: $104
  • Birthplace of Canada: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Charlottetown: $12
  • Charlottetown Audio Walking Tour: $9.33
  • Charlottetown Food Walking Tour: $70
  • Charlottetown Small Group Tour With Province House: $21
  • Charlottetown Walking Tour: $20
  • Charlottetown waterfront SOLAR PartyBike food & drink experience!: $57
  • City Tour of Historic Charlottetown Prince Edward Island: $295

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    California $21
    Prince Edward Island $14

Sample the Local Flavors in California

Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • An Epic Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl: $12
  • An Epic Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
  • Awesome Bar Crawl in Lake Tahoe: $15
  • Amazing Bar Crawl in Palm Springs: $15
  • Myka Estates Wine Tasting Reservation: $15
  • Temecula Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided GPS Audio Guide: $20
  • Gaslamp Bar Crawl: $20
  • Santa Barbara Wine Tour - Self-Guided GPS Audio Tour: $25
  • San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
  • LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
  • Sonoma County Wine Tour: Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Guide: $30
  • Paso Robles Sonata(Red Blend) Flight Wine Tasting: $30

Sample the Local Flavors in Prince Edward Island

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Prince Edward Island:

  • PEI Fine Wine Tasting Tour: $105


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between California and Prince Edward Island, we can see that California is more expensive. And not only is Prince Edward Island much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Prince Edward Island would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Prince Edward Island 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 Prince Edward Island.

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


Which has a larger population, California or Prince Edward Island?

California has a larger population, and is about 260 times larger than the population of Prince Edward Island. When comparing the sizes of California and Prince Edward Island, 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.