Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Cologne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cologne or Vancouver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cologne 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: Cologne or Vancouver?
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
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 Luxury Tours to Germany, The Best Budget Tours to Germany, 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 dayCologne €161Vancouver €132
The average daily cost (per person) in Cologne is €161, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is €132. 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 Cologne and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCologne €91Vancouver €81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCologne €182Vancouver €162
Compare Hotels in Cologne and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Cologne 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: Cologne Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cologne €19Vancouver €11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport€5.94
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown€20
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15 min Taxi Ride€8.15
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SkyTrain DayPass€6.11
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 from Vancouver YVR or Port to Vancouver by Business Car: $108
- Arrival Private Transfer: Vancouver Airport YVR to Vancouver in Luxury Car: $163
- Arrival Private Transfer: Vancouver Airport YVR to Vancouver in Luxury SUV: $134
- 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 YVR or Cruise Port by Minibus: $142
- Departure Private Transfer from Vancouver to Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port by SUV: $97
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Business Car: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Cologne or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Cologne 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 dayCologne €50Vancouver €29
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner€14
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Donner Kebab€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $484
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€8.23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Vancouver Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $78
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
- The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $94
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $100
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
- North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $100
- Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
- 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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cologne €20Vancouver €34
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 120min - Cologne City Tour: $158
- 3-Hour Cologne Street Art Bike Tour in Small Group with Guide: $44
- 3-Hour Murder Mystery Interactive City Walking Tour in Köln: $75
- 5 Hours Cologne to Aachen Train Tour in Germany: $63
- Aachen City Hall tour (public): $20
- Aachen Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide: $231
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Aachen old town tour - GERMAN (public): $13
- Amusing Stories of Cologne Walking Tour: $13
- Ancient Echoes: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Roman Cologne: $11
- Awesome Sites of Cologne – Private Family Walking Tour: $397
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: $4.83
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.19
- Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.20
- Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
- Vancouver Tips-Based Walking Tour | 3-Hour: $5.47
- Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.68
- Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.69
- Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.99
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCologne €23Vancouver €15
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
- Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64
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
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour Led by a Local: $89
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $89
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cologne and Vancouver, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Vancouver much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cologne is in Europe 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 Vancouver would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vancouver 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne than you might in Vancouver.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cologne Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cologne or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 91% larger than the population of Cologne. When comparing the sizes of Cologne 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 Cologne or Vancouver?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Cologne or Vancouver in the Summer?
Both Vancouver and Cologne during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Cologne for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Cologne is around the same temperature as Vancouver. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cologne in July average around 19°C (66°F), and Vancouver averages at about 18°C (64°F).
In Vancouver, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Cologne often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Cologne gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.
Cologne usually gets more rain in July than Vancouver. Cologne gets 80 mm (3.1 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 JulyCologne 19°C (66°F)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Vancouver in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Cologne and Vancouver. The autumn months attract visitors to Cologne because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Cologne is generally a little warmer than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Cologne average around 12°C (54°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Cologne usually receives less sunshine than Vancouver during autumn. Cologne gets 104 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 October, Cologne usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Cologne gets 54 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 OctoberCologne 12°C (54°F)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Vancouver in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Cologne as well as Vancouver. The museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Cologne this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Vancouver. It's quite cold in Cologne in the winter. Cologne is cooler than Vancouver in the winter. The daily temperature in Cologne averages around 3°C (37°F) in January, and Vancouver fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).
In the winter, Cologne often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Cologne gets 43 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Cologne usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Cologne gets 61 mm (2.4 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 JanuaryCologne 3°C (37°F)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Vancouver in the Spring?
Both Vancouver and Cologne are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Cologne for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Cologne is around the same temperature as Vancouver. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cologne in April average around 10°C (50°F), and Vancouver averages at about 9°C (49°F).
Cologne usually receives less sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Cologne gets 152 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 April, Cologne usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Cologne gets 55 mm (2.2 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 AprilCologne 10°C (50°F)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Cologne
| Cologne | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (39°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (44°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 14°C (58°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (63°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 71 mm (2.8 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.