Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Duck?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Duck or Vancouver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Duck 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: Duck or Vancouver?
Duck
Duck is a resort town in Dare County, North Carolina. The town is quite small, with a year around population of just 369, but during the peak summer months the tourist crowds can climb to over 20,000. Duck is also the northernmost incorporated town in the county, and also the newest town in the Outer Banks, having been incorporated on May 1st, 2002.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, 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 dayDuck $188Vancouver $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Duck is $188, 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 Duck and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDuck $107Vancouver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDuck $214Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Duck and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Duck 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: Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Duck $66Vancouver $12
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 Duck or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Duck 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 dayDuck $45Vancouver $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$8.80
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.Duck $13Vancouver $36
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 dayDuck $45Vancouver $16
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 Duck and Vancouver, we can see that Duck 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 Duck would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Duck 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 Duck Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Duck or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 3270 times larger than the population of Duck. When comparing the sizes of Duck 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 Duck 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 Duck or Vancouver in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Duck as well as Vancouver. Most visitors come to Duck for the beaches, the hiking, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Duck is a little warmer than Vancouver in the summer. The daily temperature in Duck averages around 78°F (26°C) in July, and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Duck this time of the year. In the summer, Duck often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Vancouver. Duck gets 279 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.
Duck receives a lot of rain in the summer. Duck usually gets more rain in July than Vancouver. Duck gets 5.4 inches (137 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyDuck 78°F (26°C)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Duck or Vancouver in the Autumn?
Both Vancouver and Duck are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Duck because of the hiking trails, the shopping scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Duck is much warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Duck in October average around 62°F (16°C), and Vancouver averages at about 11°C (51°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Duck. Duck usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during autumn. Duck gets 211 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 124 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. In October, Duck usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Duck gets 3.2 inches (82 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberDuck 62°F (16°C)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Duck or Vancouver in the Winter?
Both Vancouver and Duck during the winter are popular places to visit. The shopping scene and the cuisine are the main draw to Duck this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Vancouver. It's quite cold in Duck in the winter. In January, Duck is generally around the same temperature as Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Duck average around 41°F (5°C), and Vancouver fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).
In the winter, Duck often gets more sunshine than Vancouver. Duck gets 168 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.
Vancouver gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Duck. Duck usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Duck gets 4.1 inches (105 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryDuck 41°F (5°C)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Duck or Vancouver in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Duck and Vancouver. Many travelers come to Duck for the beaches, the small town charm, and the natural beauty.
Duck is much warmer than Vancouver in the spring. The daily temperature in Duck averages around 59°F (15°C) in April, and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
In Duck, it's very sunny this time of the year. Duck usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Duck gets 253 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.
Vancouver receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Duck usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Duck gets 3 inches (75 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilDuck 59°F (15°C)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Duck
| Duck | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 41°F (5°C) | 4.1 inches (105 mm) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 42°F (6°C) | 3.6 inches (92 mm) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 50°F (10°C) | 3.9 inches (98 mm) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 59°F (15°C) | 3 inches (75 mm) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 67°F (19°C) | 4.6 inches (117 mm) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 74°F (23°C) | 4.1 inches (105 mm) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 78°F (26°C) | 5.4 inches (137 mm) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 78°F (25°C) | 5 inches (127 mm) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 72°F (22°C) | 4.7 inches (119 mm) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 62°F (16°C) | 3.2 inches (82 mm) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 53°F (12°C) | 2.9 inches (73 mm) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 45°F (7°C) | 3.4 inches (85 mm) | 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.