Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Christchurch?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Christchurch or Vancouver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Christchurch or Vancouver? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Christchurch or Vancouver?
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand, right beside the Canterbury Plains. Most people begin their South Island travels here. The city itself can be fascinating to explore so it is worth allowing yourself several days in town as an introduction to the region.
The River Avon flows through the city center, twisting through the old buildings. Christchurch is referred to in New Zealand as the Garden City and it is easy to see why. It's quite a nice city with trees spread throughout. The economy is centered around international tourism as well as foreign education. There is a high Asian student population here, giving the city a diverse feel.
Christchurch's climate is temperate and the city receives moderate rainfall. In January average high temperatures are around 73 degrees Fahrenheit with averages around 52 degrees Fahrenheit in July. There is a sea breeze during the summer months that keep temperatures pleasant. Temperatures can drop below freezing at night during the winter months. Snow may also fall several times a year.
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 G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland, The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChristchurch $96Vancouver $142
The average daily cost (per person) in Christchurch is $96, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $142. 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 Christchurch and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChristchurch $50Vancouver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChristchurch $100Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Christchurch and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Christchurch 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.
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: Christchurch Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Christchurch $15Vancouver $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Christchurch
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Christchurch:
- Christchurch Airport (CHC): Transfer to Christchurch hotels: $130
- Departure Private Transfers from Christchurch to Airport CHC in Luxury Van: $91
- Christchurch Airport Transfers : Christchurch to Airport CHC in Luxury Van: $91
- Christchurch City Hotels to Airport Transfer - Lowest price 1 to 9 Passengers: $78
- Christchurch Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Christchurch: $69
- Arrival Private Transfer from Airport CHC to Christchurch in Business Car: $66
- Christchurch Airport Transfers : Christchurch to Airport CHC in Business Car: $66
- Departure Private Transfers from Christchurch to Airport CHC in Business Car: $66
- Christchurch Hotels to Airport Transfer: $51
- Christchurch to Christchurch Airport(CHC)- Departure Transfer: $32
- Private Transfer from Lyttelton Port to Christchurch Airport CHC: $29
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport$6.40
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown$21
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15 min Taxi Ride$8.78
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SkyTrain DayPass$6.58
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 Christchurch or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Christchurch 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 dayChristchurch $31Vancouver $31
Typical Food Prices in Vancouver
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:
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All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch$8.87
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Christchurch $18Vancouver $36
Tours and Activities in Christchurch
Here are a few actual costs in Christchurch for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Christchurch Gondola Ride Ticket: $25
- 8 Day Southern Secrets Small Group Tour: $961
- Akaroa Day Tour From Christchurch: $114
- Akaroa Full Day Sightseeing Tour from Christchurch: $151
- Arthur's Pass and TranzAlpine Train Day Tour from Christchurch: $250
- Arthur's Pass: TranzAlpine Train and Castle Hill Day Tour: $237
- Arthurs Pass Day Tour With TranzAlpine and Jet Boat Ride : $229
- Christchurch Gondola and Tram City Tour Combo: $42
- Christchurch International Antarctic Centre Entry Tickets: $35
- Christchurch Scenic Helicopter Tour: $190
- Christchurch Tram City Tour & Punting Combo: $46
- Christchurch Zipline Tour: $120
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChristchurch $11Vancouver $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Christchurch
Also in Christchurch, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- From Full-Day Wine Tour with Lunch: $102
- All-Inclusive Waipara Region Wine Tour from Christchurch: $106
- From Guided Local Wine Tours in Waipara: $120
- Akaroa Craft Distillery HeliGin Experience: $538
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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Christchurch and Vancouver, we can see that Vancouver is more expensive. And not only is Christchurch much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Christchurch is in Pacific and Vancouver is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Christchurch would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Christchurch 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 Vancouver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vancouver than you might in Christchurch.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Christchurch Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Christchurch or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Christchurch. When comparing the sizes of Christchurch 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 Christchurch or Vancouver?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Christchurch is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Vancouver has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Christchurch or Vancouver in the Summer?
Both Vancouver and Christchurch during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Christchurch for the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In January, Christchurch is generally around the same temperature as Vancouverin July. Daily temperatures in Christchurch average around 18°C (64°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
In Vancouver, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Christchurch. In the summer, Christchurch often gets less sunshine than Vancouverin July. Christchurch gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.
Christchurch usually gets less rain in January than Vancouverin July. Christchurch gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyChristchurch 18°C (64°F)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Christchurch or Vancouver in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Christchurch and Vancouver. The autumn months attract visitors to Christchurch because of the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Christchurch is a little warmer than Vancouver in the autumn. The daily temperature in Christchurch averages around 12°C (54°F) in April, and Vancouver fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in October.
Christchurch usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during autumn. Christchurch gets 161 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 April, Christchurch usually receives less rain than Vancouverin October. Christchurch gets 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberChristchurch 12°C (54°F)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Christchurch or Vancouver in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Christchurch as well as Vancouver. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Christchurch this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Vancouver. In the winter, Christchurch is a little warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the winter temperatures in Christchurch in July average around 6°C (43°F), and Vancouver averages at about 4°C (40°F)in January.
In the winter, Christchurch often gets more sunshine than Vancouverin January. Christchurch gets 122 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Christchurch usually gets less rain in July than Vancouverin January. Christchurch gets 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryChristchurch 6°C (43°F)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Christchurch or Vancouver in the Spring?
Both Vancouver and Christchurch are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Christchurch for the beaches and the natural beauty.
In October, Christchurch is generally a little warmer than Vancouverin April. Daily temperatures in Christchurch average around 12°C (54°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Christchurch. Christchurch usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Christchurch gets 204 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 October, Christchurch usually receives less rain than Vancouverin April. Christchurch gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilChristchurch 12°C (54°F)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Christchurch
| Christchurch | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 18°C (64°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 17°C (63°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 16°C (60°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (54°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 6°C (44°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 6°C (43°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 7°C (45°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 10°C (49°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 14°C (58°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 16°C (61°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
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.