A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Gainesville vs. Edmonton for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Gainesville or Edmonton?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Gainesville or Edmonton, 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: Gainesville or Edmonton?

Gainesville

Home to the University of Florida as well as Santa Fe College, the town of Gainesville has all of the shopping, entertainment, and restaurants that you could want in a college town - plus easy access to a number of outdoor adventures from canoeing, diving, and kayaking to birding, fishing, hiking, and biking. Some of the top features include the Butterfly Rainforest, the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, and Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park.

Edmonton

The capital of Alberta, Canada, Edmonton has a population of just over one million people in its metropolitan area. It is also North America's northernmost city of this large size. It's a beautiful place to visit because of the North Saskatchewan River Valley which has over one hundred kilometers of hiking trails, wildlife spotting, and overlooks. The valley has a string of parks which are wonderful to visit. In addition to the beautiful outdoor setting and activities, Edmonton also offers the largest shopping mall in North America, West Edmonton Mall. It's also a city with a lot of culture including a lively theater scene, many different festivals, and no shortage of sporting events that you could attend.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Contiki Tours to Canada, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Edmonton or Gainesville?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Gainesville is $221, while the average daily cost in Edmonton is $179. 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 Gainesville and Edmonton in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Gainesville $119
    Edmonton $101
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Gainesville $238
    Edmonton $202
Compare Hotels in Gainesville and Edmonton

Looking for a hotel in Gainesville or Edmonton? 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.

Hotels in Gainesville


Hotels in Edmonton


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: Gainesville Hotel Prices and Edmonton Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Gainesville $40
    Edmonton $79

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edmonton

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Edmonton:

  • Private Departure Transfer from Hotels to Edmonton Airport: $43
  • Edmonton to Edmonton Airport (YEG) - Departure Private Transfer: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Gainesville or Edmonton?

Prices for flights to both Edmonton and Gainesville 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Gainesville $70
    Edmonton $16
Typical Food Prices in Gainesville

Some typical examples of dining costs in Gainesville are as follows:


  • Diner Breakfast for Two
    $17
  • Lunch at Chop Stix (for 2)
    $24

Typical Food Prices in Edmonton

Some typical examples of dining costs in Edmonton are as follows:


  • Snacks
    $7.26

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Gainesville $44
    Edmonton $91
Typical Entertainment Prices in Gainesville

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Gainesville are as follows:


  • Manatee Tour for Two
    $98
  • Tour Guide Tip
    $5.00

Tours and Activities in Gainesville

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Gainesville are as follows:

  • Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Gainesville by Operation City Quest: $10
  • Butterfly Rainforest at Florida Museum of Natural History Ticket: $15
  • Private Snorkeling Tour in Florida Springs: $250

Tours and Activities in Edmonton

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Edmonton are as follows:

  • Discover the Early History of Strathcona with Historic Walking Tour: $4.46
  • Edmonton Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Edmonton by Crazy Dash: $10
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • 1-Hour Segway Adventure in Louise McKinney Park: $44
  • Edmonton River Valley 60-Minute Segway Adventure: $45
  • Edmonton River Valley 90-Minute Segway Adventure: $63
  • The Best of Edmonton Walking Tour: $224
  • Romantic Tour Around Edmonton For Couples: $224

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Gainesville $49
    Edmonton -

Sample the Local Flavors in Edmonton

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Edmonton:

  • Edmonton Brewery Tour: $105


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gainesville and Edmonton, we can see that Gainesville is more expensive. And not only is Edmonton much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Edmonton would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Edmonton 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 Gainesville would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Gainesville than you might in Edmonton.

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


Which is Bigger, Gainesville or Edmonton?

Edmonton has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Gainesville. When comparing the sizes of Gainesville and Edmonton, 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.