A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Carmel-by-the-Sea vs. Edmonton for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Carmel-by-the-Sea or Edmonton?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Edmonton can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Carmel-by-the-Sea or Edmonton?

Carmel-by-the-Sea

A small, beach town on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel-by-the-Sea is known for its idyllic natural scenery and artistic history. Carmel's village, just one square mile in size, is unlike any other in California with its picturesque views, European style and unusual laws.

Clint Eastwood served as mayor of Carmel from 1986-88. Without a single fast food or chain restaurants, visitors can easily feel that Carmel still preserves its slow and easy lifestyle, with all private-owned restaurants, coffee shops and pubs. This town is undoubtedly charming, even with its anti-high heel laws (though they aren't strictly enforced and permits are free at the City Hall), lack of street addresses and has been named the top destination for dog-friendly towns in the country. Grab your furry friends, leave your heels at home and get ready to explore this quaint and lovely town by the sea.

If you want to avoid the heat, Carmel is the perfect place to go, with year-round mild temperatures. Even during the summer seasons, you may not feel the heat through the fog and cool coastal weather. Peak seasons for travel are during summer months in August and September, (especially popular for weddings) and even then, the highs are still in the low 70s. Winter season lows dip only down to low 50s, with the Pacific Oceans maintaining moderate temperatures.

If you're driving to the city, keep in mind that the businesses do not have numbers in their addresses. To get directions or arrange a meeting, be sure to remember the name of the business and grab a map from the Carmel Chamber of Commerce.

Some famous artists who have resided in Carmel are Upton Sinclair, Jack London and Mary Austin. Carmel is known to be particularly dog-friendly, as almost all hotels allow guests to bring their dogs.

Edmonton

The capital of Alberta, Canada, Edmonton has a population of just over one million people in its metropolitan area. It is also North America's northernmost city of this large size. It's a beautiful place to visit because of the North Saskatchewan River Valley which has over one hundred kilometers of hiking trails, wildlife spotting, and overlooks. The valley has a string of parks which are wonderful to visit. In addition to the beautiful outdoor setting and activities, Edmonton also offers the largest shopping mall in North America, West Edmonton Mall. It's also a city with a lot of culture including a lively theater scene, many different festivals, and no shortage of sporting events that you could attend.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, The Best Contiki Tours to Canada, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Edmonton or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Carmel-by-the-Sea is $0.00, while the average daily cost in Edmonton is $179. 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea and Edmonton in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Carmel-by-the-Sea -
    Edmonton $101
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Carmel-by-the-Sea $0.00
    Edmonton $202
Compare Hotels in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Edmonton

Looking for a hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea or Edmonton? 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea


Hotels in Edmonton


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: Carmel-by-the-Sea Hotel Prices and Edmonton Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Carmel-by-the-Sea $125
    Edmonton $79

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edmonton

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Edmonton:

  • Private Departure Transfer from Hotels to Edmonton Airport: $43
  • Edmonton to Edmonton Airport (YEG) - Departure Private Transfer: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Carmel-by-the-Sea or Edmonton?

Prices for flights to both Edmonton and Carmel-by-the-Sea 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
    Carmel-by-the-Sea $153
    Edmonton $16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

  • Thai Cooking Class in Monterey: $99

Typical Food Prices in Edmonton

Some typical examples of dining costs in Edmonton are as follows:


  • Snacks
    $7.26

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Carmel-by-the-Sea -
    Edmonton $91

Tours and Activities in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Carmel-by-the-Sea are as follows:

  • Fairy Tale Houses Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
  • Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between San Francisco & Monterey: $7.99
  • Carmel-by-the-Sea's Fairytale Houses: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
  • Downtown A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
  • Off the Beaten Path in A Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
  • Historic Cannery Row: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of John Steinbeck's Monterey: $7.99
  • 17 Mile Drive: A Self-Guide Audio Tour of Pebble Beach’s Historical Highlights: $9.99
  • Discover Enchanted Cottages: A Carmel-by-the-Sea Audio Tour: $11
  • Scenic 17-Mile Drive Tour - Self Drive Audio Guide from Monterey & Carmel: $15
  • Point Lobos - A Private Charming Ocean Tour: $15
  • Big Sur Self-Driving Audio Tour: Highway 1, Pacific Coast Highway: $17
  • Monterey: Ocean Paradise, Trolley and Walking Tour: $20

Tours and Activities in Edmonton

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Edmonton are as follows:

  • Discover the Early History of Strathcona with Historic Walking Tour: $4.46
  • Edmonton Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Edmonton by Crazy Dash: $10
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • 1-Hour Segway Adventure in Louise McKinney Park: $44
  • Edmonton River Valley 60-Minute Segway Adventure: $45
  • Edmonton River Valley 90-Minute Segway Adventure: $63
  • The Best of Edmonton Walking Tour: $224
  • Romantic Tour Around Edmonton For Couples: $224

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Carmel-by-the-Sea -
    Edmonton -

Sample the Local Flavors in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Carmel-by-the-Sea:

  • Wine Tasting and Walking Tour of Carmel-by-the-Sea: $149
  • Wine Tasting and Walking Tour of Carmel-by-the-Sea: $149

Sample the Local Flavors in Edmonton

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Edmonton:

  • Edmonton Brewery Tour: $105


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Edmonton, we can see that Edmonton is more expensive. And not only is Carmel-by-the-Sea much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Carmel-by-the-Sea would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 Edmonton would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edmonton than you might in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Carmel-by-the-Sea Expensive? and Is Edmonton Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Carmel-by-the-Sea or Edmonton?

Edmonton has a larger population, and is about 180 times larger than the population of Carmel-by-the-Sea. When comparing the sizes of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Edmonton, 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.