A Travel Price Comparison for Canada Edmonton vs. Ottawa for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Edmonton or Ottawa?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Edmonton and Ottawa can help you decide which place is right for you.

Edmonton

Edmonton is a friendly, cultural, and authentic city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and shopping. See Edmonton travel costs.

Ottawa

Ottawa is a cultural, friendly, and welcoming city. It's also known for food, shopping, and museums. See Ottawa travel costs.

Edmonton and Ottawa: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Edmonton or Ottawa?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Edmonton than Ottawa, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Edmonton is better known for its nightlife and shopping, while Ottawa is more popular for its food. Edmonton is well known for its many festivals and lively personality. Also, Edmonton is famous for the West Edmonton Mall. Ottawa is well known for its history, politics, and green space.

How is Edmonton different from Ottawa?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Ottawa and Edmonton. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Edmonton or Ottawa?

Both Edmonton and Ottawa have great landmarks and museums for visitors.

Many visitors head to Edmonton specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. You'll find a number of good museums around town such as the Royal Alberta Museum, Muttart Conservatory, the Alberta Aviation Museum, and the Art Gallery of Alberta.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Ottawa can be an interesting and educational experience. As the country's capital, there are a large number of museums to explore. There are summer national museums in town which include the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of History, the Science and Technology Museum, the Aviation and Space Museum, the Agriculture and Food Museum, the Museum of Nature, and the War Museum.

Is the Food Better in Edmonton or Ottawa? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Ottawa is very good for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Edmonton is not a good city for its restaurants.

Ottawa offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. The culinary scene highlights many Canadian classics like poutine and maple donuts (and, of course, the classic Tim Horton's), but you'll also find plenty of international options like shawarma.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Edmonton. You'll find a mix of casual cafes, international eateries, and more upscale dining options.

Is Edmonton or Ottawa Better for Nightlife?

Edmonton is a popular place for its evening party scene. However, Ottawa is lacking in good options for nightlife.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Edmonton. There's a mix of nightclubs, bars, and breweries around town. Head to Jasper Avenue for the high end clubs or check out a live show at one of the active theaters around town.

Ottawa is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. It's not the first place that comes to mind when you think about partying, but there are live music venues and a some great bars around town.

Is the Shopping Better in Edmonton or Ottawa?

Edmonton is a very popular place for its shopping areas. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Edmonton. The city is home to the West Edmonton Mall, which is the largest shopping mall in Canada, and among the largest in the world. The mall includes hundreds of shops, restaurants, a hotel, ice rink, movie theaters, an aquarium, and Galaxyland, which is one of the largest indoor amusement parks in the world. The mall is divided into themed sections that represent iconic places from around the world such as Europa Boulevard and Bourbon Street.

Ottawa is a great destination for shopping. You'll find large malls, outlets, and shopping streets that are fun to browse. Some of the favorite shopping areas include ByWard Market, Sparks Street, and CF Rideau Centre.

Is Edmonton or Ottawa Better for Families?

You'll find notable kid-friendly activities in either Edmonton or Ottawa.

Edmonton is a family-friendly place to visit. Many families live in town so if you're visiting for a few days you'll find plenty to do with kids. Most of the activities are concentrated in the downtown areas and along the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. The whole family will enjoy a visit to Telus World of Science. There's also the Edmonton Valley Zoo, the Alberta Aviation Museum, and Galaxyland, as well as many other activities.

Ottawa is a family-friendly city. As the country's capital, you'll find a number of museums that will keep a kid's attention. In particular, check out the aviation, science, and nature museums. If you have a car, you can head out to Calypso Water Park, which is fun as well.

Is Edmonton or Ottawa Better for Couples?

Both Edmonton and Ottawa are notable destinations to visit as a couple.

Edmonton is a nice destination for couples. There's a good theater scene, so you can enjoy dinner and a show. There are also quaint cafes, mellow breweries, and plenty of cultural activities like art museums.

Ottawa makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The city is filled with parks and green spaces where you can enjoy flowers or peaceful walks. Commissioners Park is particularly nice and known for its tulips during the spring season. Dow's Lake is a nice place for ice skating in the winter or kayaking in the summer. The city also offers a number of romantic restaurants and charming hotels.

Is Edmonton or Ottawa Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Ottawa is very good for backpackers. However, Edmonton is not a good city for backpackers and budget travelers.

Ottawa is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Although the city is often overlooked by tourists, there are a surprising number of hostels around town.

Edmonton is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. Most backpackers overlook this city, but there is a hostel in town where you can stay.

Is Edmonton or Ottawa Better for Students?

Ottawa is very good for students. However, Edmonton is not popular with students.

Ottawa is a good city to visit for students. It appeals to international and Canadian students alike. It's known for its livability and diverse cultural scene.

Edmonton is not popular with students.

Is Edmonton or Ottawa Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Edmonton and Ottawa offer notable public transit options.

Edmonton has a few public transit options. The city has both bus and light rail systems.

Ottawa has some public transit options. There is both a public bus and light rail system.

Is Edmonton or Ottawa a more walkable city?

Edmonton and Ottawa both are notable when exploring on foot.

Edmonton is somewhat walkable. There are parts of the city that are very walkable.

Ottawa is a somewhat walkable place. Many of the urban neighborhoods are very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Edmonton Worth Visiting? and Is Ottawa Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Ottawa or Edmonton?

How long in Edmonton or Ottawa?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Edmonton and Ottawa. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Ottawa than in Edmonton. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Edmonton, and 2-3 days is enough time in Ottawa.

Families should spend more time in Ottawa than Edmonton. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Ottawa, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Edmonton than Ottawa. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Edmonton that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Ottawa than Edmonton if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Ottawa.

One day in Edmonton or Ottawa?

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Edmonton. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

The city of Ottawa offers food and shopping. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Edmonton or Ottawa?

Edmonton is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Ottawa is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Ottawa, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Edmonton or Ottawa?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Edmonton. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Ottawa is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Edmonton or Ottawa?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the cultural destination of Edmonton. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Ottawa is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Canada, The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada, The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vancouver.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Edmonton and Ottawa, we can see that Edmonton is more expensive. And not only is Ottawa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ottawa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ottawa 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 Ottawa.

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

Which is Bigger, Edmonton or Ottawa?

Ottawa has a larger population, and is about 14% larger than the population of Edmonton. When comparing the sizes of Edmonton and Ottawa, 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.