Which place is cheaper, Alberta or Hawaii?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Hawaii or Alberta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Hawaii or Alberta? 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: Hawaii or Alberta?
Hawaii
Located towards the center of the Pacific Ocean and the northeast corner of Polynesia, Hawai'i is the 50th state of the United States of America. It is a major tourist destination for travelers from around the world and as such, its economy is very dependent on the tourist dollar. Historically, the state had strong whaling, sugar and pineapple industries, but today tourism and the military make up a significant part of the economy. The state includes many islands that spread over 1,500 miles, but there are eight main islands which have a diversity of natural beauty and interesting landscapes. The islands offer visitors many impressive features from the beautiful beaches to the lush interior. There is a lot of hiking, snorkeling and scuba diving available throughout the islands. The capital of the state is Honolulu, which is also the largest city. Both Hawaiian and English are spoken throughout.
Alberta
If you ever wanted to visit a place where all the beauty of nature is centrally located, you will want to make a trip to Alberta, Canada. With part of the Canadian Rockies, the prairies and the wilderness of forests, Alberta has something for everyone. As the home to Canada's oil industry, this is also the richest province in the country.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in United States of America, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vancouver.
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Hawaii Prices
USA PricesAlberta Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHawaii $393Alberta $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Hawaii is $393, while the average daily cost in Alberta is $132. 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 Hawaii and Alberta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHawaii $214Alberta $66
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHawaii $428Alberta $132
Compare Hotels in Hawaii and Alberta
Looking for a hotel in Hawaii or Alberta? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hawaii $37Alberta $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hawaii
Also for Hawaii, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal: $18
- Departure - Private Transfer Waikiki Hotel to Airport: $50
- Explore Waikiki: Self Guided tour from Ko Olina with transfers: $42
- Honolulu / Waikiki to Honolulu Airport (HNL) - Departure Private Transfer: $25
- Honolulu / Waikiki to Honolulu Airport (HNL) - Departure Transfer: $52
- Honolulu Airport & Ko Olina Hotels Private Transfer by Minivan (up to 5 people): $100
- Honolulu Airport & Ko Olina Hotels Private Transfer by Passenger Van(14 ppl): $170
- Honolulu Airport & Waikiki Hotels Private Transfer by Luxury SUV(up to 5 people): $130
- Honolulu Airport & Waikiki Hotels Private Transfer by Minivan (up to 5 people): $80
- Honolulu Airport & Waikiki Hotels Private Transfer by Passenger Van(up to 14ppl): $140
- Honolulu Airport (HNL) to Honolulu / Waikiki - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $50
- Honolulu Airport (HNL) to Honolulu/ Waikiki - Round-Trip Transfer: $104
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alberta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alberta:
- Round Trip transfer between Calgary Airport and Banff.: $95
- Private transfer from Banff and surrounding area: $257
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport to Fairmont Banff Spring Hotel: $159
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary by Luxury SUV: $130
- Private Transfer from Edmonton to Edmonton Airport (YEG): $119
- Private Transfer from Edmonton Airport (YEG) to Edmonton Hotels: $119
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury Van: $133
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Business Car: $112
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Banff: $257
- Private Transfer from Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary in Luxury SUV: $133
- Private Transfer from Banff to Calgary or Calgary Airport: $88
- Private Airport Transfer YYC to Banff Canmore or Lake Louise: $220
Is it cheaper to fly into Hawaii or Alberta?
Prices for flights to both Alberta and Hawaii 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 dayHawaii $128Alberta $47
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Downtown Honolulu Food Tour with 5 Local Favorites Tastings: $107
- Explore Waimea Town on a Walking Food Tour: $129
- Walking Food Tour of Hanalei, Kauaʻi: $129
- Honolulu: Pacific Star Sunset Dinner Cruise and Show: $139
- Maui Farm to Taco: A Farm to Table Cooking Class: $149
- Maui Ma'alaea Sunset Prime Rib or Fresh Island Fish Dinner Cruise: $150
- Honolulu: Off The Beaten Path Food Tour: $150
- Honolulu's Walking Food Tour: $159
- Afternoon Whale Watching Tour in Maui with Dinner: $167
- Maui: Coast of Ka'anapali Beach Sunset Dinner Sail: $168
- Big Island: Farm to Table Cooking Class at Kulaniapia Falls: $169
- Corner Store Kauai Cooking Class: $174
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alberta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alberta.
- Refined Indian Cooking Class in Edmonton (Includes 4-Course Meal): $85
- Banff's Sips & Sweets Evening Food Tour: $85
- Banff's Canadian Rocky Mountain Food Tour: $107
- Explore Canmore Food Tour and More: $110
- Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $119
- Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $130
- Edmonton's #1 Food Bike Tour: The Best Local Food Tour on E-Bikes: $147
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hawaii $38Alberta $13
Tours and Activities in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Discover Honolulu & The Hawaiian Islands: A Self‑Guided Adventure: $1.16
- Honolulu Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $4.72
- Walk The Deck of The USS Arizona Virtual Reality Experience: $6.99
- Legends of Waikiki Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour of Honolulu: $6.99
- Explore the USS Arizona Today Virtual Reality Experience: $6.99
- Official Diamond Head Self-Guided Narrated Hiking Tour: $8.99
- Downtown Honolulu Self Guided Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
- Baumkuchen Farm Tour including $ 5 discount for products: $10
- Hala Tree Coffee Farm Tour: $10
- Honolulu Historic District a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $11
- Official Pearl Harbor Commander's Self-Guided Multimedia Tour: $12
- Murder Mystery Detective Experience in Honolulu HI: $15
Tours and Activities in Alberta
Here are a few actual costs in Alberta for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Tour Drumheller Royal Tyrrell Museum from Calgary: $114
- 1 Day Tour in Banff Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: $111
- 1-Hour Edmonton River Valley Segway Tour: $44
- 12 Iconic Stops: Banff & Yoho Premium Small Group Guided Tour: $154
- 2 Hour Banff Horseback Riding Adventure: $161
- 3 Day Banff Moraine Lake Louise Johnston Columbia Icefield Tour: $220
- 4 hour Moraine Lake Tour from Banff and Canmore: $99
- 4WD Tour from Calgary to Bow Lake Banff: $183
- 5 Lakes Tour Louise and Moraine Emerald Peyto Takakkaw Falls: $114
- A Spectacular Audio Tour : Calgary Adventure: $15
- Abraham Lake Ice Bubble Hunt Full Day Tour: $80
- BANFF: Moraine Lake & Lake Louise | 6 HOURS SIGHTSEEING: $49
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHawaii $19Alberta $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Hawaii
Also in Hawaii, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Koʻolau Distillery Whiskey Tour in Kailua, Hawai'i: $25
- Oahu: Kō Hana Agricole Rum Distillery Tour and Tasting: $35
- Oahu: Dole Plantation and Ko Hana Distillery with Rum Tasting: $104
- Oahu: Kō Hana Rum Deep Dive Distillery Tour with Tasting: $150
- North Shore, Kailua Distillery Brewery V.I.P circle island tour: $241
Sample the Local Flavors in Alberta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Alberta:
- Park Distillery Tour with Whisky Tasting: $18
- Calgary Brewery Tour: $96
- Edmonton Brewery Tour (10 person minimum group): $103
- Calgary to Banff Brewery Tour and Lunch: $147
- Cask Blending Class at Burwood Distillery: $147
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hawaii and Alberta, we can see that Hawaii is more expensive. And not only is Alberta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Alberta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alberta 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 Hawaii would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hawaii than you might in Alberta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hawaii Expensive? and Is Alberta Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Hawaii or Alberta?
Alberta has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Hawaii. When comparing the sizes of Hawaii and Alberta, 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.