Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Denver?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Denver or Vancouver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Denver or Vancouver, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Denver or Vancouver?
Denver
The capital of Colorado, Denver is commonly referred to as "The Mile-High City" because it is at an elevation of 5,280 feet (1,600 meters) above sea level. It also sits where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, giving a beautiful backdrop for this metropolitan city. The city is the largest in the Rocky Mountains with a population of more than 600,000 and nearly 3 million in the metropolitan area. Denver is a cosmopolitan city with cowboy roots. It's cultural scene is thriving, and the outdoor recreation in the area is superb. Denver is a rapidly growing city but with change comes challenges. Urban sprawl is a problem and the city's infrastructure has reached its limits. Still, efforts are in place to maintain the character and personality that Denver is known for.
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 United States of America, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, 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 dayDenver $218Vancouver $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Denver is $218, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $141. 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 Denver and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDenver $87Vancouver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDenver $174Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Denver and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Denver 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: Denver Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Denver $101Vancouver $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Denver
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Denver:
- Denver Airport Transfer To/From Aspen for 6-14 Sprinter Van: $1,950
- Denver Airport (DEN) to Snowmass/Aspen - Arrival Private Transfer: $295
- Arrival Private Transfer Denver Airport DEN to Denver City by SUV: $290
- Denver Airport (DEN) to Steamboat - Arrival Private Transfer: $284
- Denver Airport (DEN): Private Transfer to Denver hotels: $252
- Private One Way Transfer From and To Denver Colorado: $200
- Denver Airport (DEN) to Breckenridge - Arrival Private Transfer: $194
- Denver Airport (DEN) to Keystone resort - Arrival Private Transfer: $175
- Round trip transfer in private minivan from-to Denver Intl. Airport to Downtown: $173
- Arrival Transfer Denver Airport DEN to Denver City by Luxury Car: $161
- Departure Private Transfer: Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Luxury SUV: $136
- Departure Private Transfer: Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Luxury Van: $136
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport$6.35
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown$21
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15 min Taxi Ride$8.71
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SkyTrain DayPass$6.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer to Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32
- Vancouver Airport-Cypress/Grouse Mountain Private Transfer: $38
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to White Rock - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- White Rock to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to Canada Place Port - Arrival Transfer: $55
- City Highlights Tour with Hotel Transfers: $61
- Vancouver to Victoria: Ferry with Bus Transfer: $73
- Vancouver to Victoria, Coach Bus Transfer: $74
- Private Transfer from Canada Place Cruise Terminal to any Hotel: $74
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to Whistler - Arrival Private Transfer: $76
- Vancouver to Victoria - Vancouver Hotel Pickup - Coach Bus Transfer: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Denver or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Denver 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 dayDenver $42Vancouver $31
Typical Food Prices in Denver
Some typical examples of dining costs in Denver are as follows:
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Sushi Dinner (for 2)$61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Denver
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Denver.
- RiNo Arts District Food Tour: $79
- Downtown Denver Food Tour: $79
- Arts District Walking Food Tour: $79
- Mystery Puzzle Food Tour in Golden, CO: $80
- The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Denver, CO: $86
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$8.80
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: $85
- 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
- Vancouver Evening Dinner Cruise: $157
- Granville Island Uncorked Walking Food Tour: $161
- Bowen Island Dinner and Zodiac Boat Tour by Vancouver Water Adventures: $163
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Denver $52Vancouver $36
Tours and Activities in Denver
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Denver are as follows:
- Shared Golden's History Wagon Ride Tour in Colorado: $65
- Small-Group Cocktail Tour in Denver: $99
- 1.5 Hour RiNo Art District Walking Tour: $28
- 2 Hour Guided Segway Tour: $69
- 2 Hour LoDo Historic Walking Tour in Denver: $28
- Beginner Rock Climbing Tour: $200
- Best of Denver Tour: $30
- Best of Denver Tour: $64
- Bike and Booze Tour of RiNo & Downtown: $76
- Breckenridge Ultimate Full Day Mountain Tour from Denver: $139
- Cheesman Park Ghost Tour: $28
- Colorado Gold Rush Mountain and Mine Half-Day Tour from Denver: $99
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: $4.28
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.74
- 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: $6.94
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.30
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tours of Stanley Park: $7.42
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDenver $5.31Vancouver $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Denver
Also in Denver, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Wine Tasting with Cheese, Charcuterie, and Dessert : $74
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: $84
- 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
- Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
- Stawamus Chief Hike and Local Brewery Tasting: $164
- Fraser Valley & White Rock Premium Public Wine Tour: $166
- Stawamus Chief Hike & Local Brewery Tasting : $167
- Full-Day Private Fraser Valley Wine Tour from Vancouver: $189
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Denver and Vancouver, we can see that Denver is more expensive. And not only is Vancouver much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Denver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Denver 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 Denver Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Denver or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Denver. When comparing the sizes of Denver 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.
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.