Which place is cheaper, Banff or Flagstaff?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Flagstaff or Banff?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Flagstaff and Banff can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Flagstaff or Banff?
Flagstaff
Located in northern Arizona near the San Francisco Peaks mountain range, Flagstaff is a small city surrounded by natural beauty. The city's proximity to a number of popular tourist sights, including Grand Canyon National Park, Oak Creek Canyon, the Arizona Snowbowl, Meteor Crater, and Historic Route 66, make it a common destination for tourists. It lies at an elevation of almost 7,000 feet with nearby areas climbing higher. In large part because of its altitude, the city has a cooler climate than the southern part of Arizona, which is famous for its low lying desert.
Banff
Nestled in the pristine and gorgeous mountains of the Alberta Rockies is the popular town of Banff. This town sits right in Canada's Banff National Park and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
While the surrounding nature may give the impression of a quiet, little town, Banff is typically crowded with tourists. The beauty of this area is irresistible for travelers from all over the world. This may not be the place for solitude or even an authentic, country experience, you'll still find an unforgettable vacation.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America, The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, and The Best Camping Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFlagstaff $166Banff $84
The average daily cost (per person) in Flagstaff is $166, while the average daily cost in Banff is $84. 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 Flagstaff and Banff in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFlagstaff $86Banff $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFlagstaff $172Banff $76
Compare Hotels in Flagstaff and Banff
Looking for a hotel in Flagstaff or Banff? 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: Flagstaff Hotel Prices and Banff Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Flagstaff $37Banff $5.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Banff
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Banff:
- Private Banff National Park Tour with Hotel Transfers: $876
- From 1-Way Private Transfer to Calgary Airport (YYC): $511
- From Private One-Way Transfer to Calgary: $365
- Private Airport Transfer to Banff: $289
- Private Transfer - Between YYC Calgary Airport and Banff: $234
Is it cheaper to fly into Flagstaff or Banff?
Prices for flights to both Banff and Flagstaff 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 dayFlagstaff $55Banff $29
Typical Food Prices in Banff
Some typical examples of dining costs in Banff are as follows:
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Tea House Lunch for Two$33
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Hostel Breakfast$27
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McDonalds$4.63
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Banff
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Banff.
- Banff Food Tour: Eat the Castle: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Flagstaff $28Banff $12
Tours and Activities in Flagstaff
Here are a few actual costs in Flagstaff for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Grand Canyon South Rim: Self-Guided GPS Audio Tour: $11
- Full-Day Grand Canyon South Rim Audio Driving Tour: $11
- Grand Canyon South Rim: Audio Driving Tour: $12
- Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour of Sedona: $13
- Flagstaff, AZ: Murder Mystery Detective Experience: $15
- Murder Mystery Detective Experience Flagstaff, AZ: $15
- Flagstaff Ghosts Tour By Us Ghost Adventures: $24
- Flagstaff Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $25
- Family Friendly Haunted Walking Tour: $25
- Downtown Flagstaff Haunted History Tour: $28
- Downtown Haunted History Walking Tour: $28
- Mountain Town Of Madness, Original *Adult Only* Haunted Downtown Flagstaff Tour: $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Banff
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Banff are as follows:
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Hot Springs$5.31
Tours and Activities in Banff
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Banff are as follows:
- Banff self-guided tour App with multi-language audio guide: $2.14
- Tunnel Mountain Trail: Nature Tour with Audio Guide: $5.11
- Tunnel Mountain Trail: a Smartphone Audio Nature Tour : $5.19
- Calgary & Lake Louise: Smartphone Audio Driving Tour: $6.21
- The Sights of a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.21
- The Sights of Canmore: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.31
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Banff and Calgary: $6.31
- The Sights of a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.31
- Historic Cave & Basin Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
- Banff National Park: Self-Guided Scenic Driving Tour: $13
- Listen to a Tour Guide as You Drive & Walk with our Discover the Rockies Package: $15
- Banff National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour: $17
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFlagstaff $29Banff $9.34
Sample the Local Flavors in Flagstaff
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Flagstaff:
- Spirits With The Spirits, Haunted Pub Crawl Of Downtown Flagstaff: $50
- Haunted Pub Crawl with Guide: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Flagstaff and Banff, we can see that Flagstaff is more expensive. And not only is Banff much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Banff would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Banff 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 Flagstaff would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Flagstaff than you might in Banff.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Flagstaff Expensive? and Is Banff Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Flagstaff or Banff?
Flagstaff has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Banff. When comparing the sizes of Flagstaff and Banff, 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.