Which place is cheaper, British Columbia 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 British Columbia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Hawaii or British Columbia? 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 British Columbia?
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.
British Columbia
The westernmost province in Canada, British Columbia, is four times the size of Great Britain with less than one tenth of the population. This is due to the vast mountain ranges just ready to be tackled including the Rockies, Selkirks and the Coastal Range. With vibrant cities and ambitious outdoor activities, British Columbia is ready for any traveler.
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 Coach Bus Tours in Canada, and The Best Adventure Tours to Canada.
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Hawaii Prices
USA PricesBritish Columbia Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHawaii $393British Columbia $155
The average daily cost (per person) in Hawaii is $393, while the average daily cost in British Columbia is $155. 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 British Columbia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHawaii $214British Columbia $77
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHawaii $428British Columbia $154
Compare Hotels in Hawaii and British Columbia
Looking for a hotel in Hawaii or British Columbia? 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 $37British Columbia $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hawaii
Also for Hawaii, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival - Private Transfer Honolulu Airport to Waikiki Hotel: $53
- Arrival Transfer: Airport Shuttle Honolulu and Waikiki or Cruise Terminal: $18
- Departure - Private Transfer Waikiki Hotel to Airport: $50
- Departure Transfer from Hotels to Kona International Airport: $15
- Departure Transfer: Airport Shuttle From Ko'olina To Honolulu Airport: $53
- Explore Waikiki: Self Guided tour from Ko Olina with transfers: $42
- Honolulu / Waikiki to Honolulu Airport (HNL) - Departure Private Transfer: $24
- Honolulu / Waikiki to Honolulu Airport (HNL) - Departure Transfer: $50
- Honolulu Airport & Cruise Port Private Luxury SUV Transfer: $160
- 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 Passenger Van(up to 14ppl): $140
Hired Cars and Shuttles in British Columbia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in British Columbia:
- Whitewater Rafting from Vancouver with Lunch and Transfers: $286
- White Rock to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $103
- Whistler to Vancouver Scenic Seaplane Transfer: One Way: $261
- Victoria to Vancouver - Coach Bus Transfer: $65
- Vancouver: YVR Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $28
- Vancouver: Airport Transfer to Downtown Vancouver: $108
- Vancouver to Whistler Scenic Seaplane Transfer: One Way: $254
- Vancouver to Canada Place Cruise Port Departure Private Transfer: $82
- Vancouver International Airport and Cruise Port Private Transfer: $249
- Vancouver Airport YVR Round-Trip Private Transfer by Luxury SUV: $279
- Vancouver Airport YVR Private Transfer to Downtown: $54
- Vancouver Airport YVR Private Transfer to Cruise Ship or Hotel: $202
Is it cheaper to fly into Hawaii or British Columbia?
Prices for flights to both British Columbia 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 $128British Columbia $51
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
- Honolulu: Pacific Star Sunset Dinner Cruise and Show: $139
- 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
- Maui: Coast of Ka'anapali Beach Sunset Dinner Sail: $168
- Maui: Afternoon Whale Watching Tour with Dinner: $168
- Kona Walking Food Tour: $169
- Friday Fireworks Dinner Sail from the Hilton Hawaiian Village: $170
- Craft Cocktail and Dinner Experience: $175
- Maui Premium Sunset Dinner Cruise from Ka’anapali Beach: $180
- Kauai: Luau Ka Hikina Admission with Dinner and Lei Greeting: $183
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in British Columbia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in British Columbia.
- Victoria: Old Town & Chinatown Local Food Tour with 7 Tastings: $68
- Delicious Donuts & Holiday Cheer: Victoria's Sweetest Food Tour: $70
- Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Food Tour: $82
- Kelowna: #1 Rated Walking Food Tour with 7 Tastings and 4 Drinks: $83
- Vancouver Gastown's Elite Walking Food Tour Experience: $92
- Hip & Hidden Chinatown + Old Town Food Tour Victoria: $93
- Vancouver Chinatown Elite Food Tour Hidden Gems & Local Tastings: $96
- A Wok Around Granville Island Public Market Food Tour: $108
- Vancouver: Gastown Food Tour with 6 Authentic Local Food Tastings: $113
- Vancouver Foodie Tour: Granville Island Market Food Tour: $118
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $119
- Indulge in a Wine & Food Tour - Cowichan Valley: $121
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hawaii $38British Columbia $42
Tours and Activities in Hawaii
For Hawaii, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Honolulu Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $4.57
- Legends of Waikiki Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour of Honolulu: $6.99
- Explore the USS Arizona Today Virtual Reality Experience: $7.00
- Official Pearl Harbor Chief's Self-Guided Multimedia Tour: $10
- Official Diamond Head Self-Guided Narrated Hiking Tour: $11
- Historic Walking Tour in Kihei Maui with Local Guide: $12
- Maui Beach Parks Self-Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour in Honolulu: $15
- Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour of Waikiki: $15
- Kona Manta Ray Snorkel Tour: Guaranteed or come again free: $15
- Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $16
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $17
Tours and Activities in British Columbia
Here are a few actual costs in British Columbia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hour Private Snowmobile Tour in Whistler: $236
- 2 Hour Signature Victoria Pedicab Tour for 2-3 Guests: $113
- 2 Hour Wilderness Adventure Snowmobile Tour in Whistler: $207
- 2 Hours Private Tour of Stanley Park Vancouver: $128
- 2 Hours eBike Whistler Multi-generational Tour with Local Guide: $107
- 24 Hour Hop On Hop Off Double Decker Victoria City Tour: $52
- 2hr City Highlights Private Tour in Victoria BC: $146
- 3.5 hour Sailing Adventure in Nanoose Bay: $144
- 4 Hours Guided Mountain Bike Tour: $257
- 4 Hours Private tour of City of Vancouver.: $287
- 4 Tours Audio Adventure between Whistler & Lake Louise: $22
- 4-Hour Sailing Adventure on The Strait of Juan de Fuca: $129
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHawaii $19British Columbia $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
- Winery Oeno Island Style Wine Tasting: $39
- Ola Distillery Tour and Spirit Tasting in Hawaii: $50
- Hawaiian Style Paint Party at Koʻolau Distillery, Paint & Sip: $55
- Twilight Wine Tasting by Sea and Sunset Cruise in Honolulu: $119
- Oahu: Kō Hana Rum Deep Dive Distillery Tour with Tasting: $150
Sample the Local Flavors in British Columbia
Also in British Columbia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Amazing Bar Crawl in Vancouver BC: $15
- Pickle Pub Crawl: Victoria Harbour Ferry Pub Crawl: $47
- Whistler Distillery Tour & Tasting Experience: $80
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $86
- North Vancouver Elite Walking Brewery Tour: $93
- Signature Lake Country Wine Tour: $100
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour Led by a Local: $104
- 4-Hour Okanagan Valley Wine Tasting. Wineries of East Kelowna Bench.: $105
- Naramata Half Day Wine Tour (Incl. Tasting Fees & Guide Grat!): $114
- Sunset Sip Wine Tour: $114
- West Kelowna Half-Day Guided Wine Tour With 4 Wineries: $114
- East Kelowna Half-Day Guided Wine Tour With 4 Wineries: $114
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hawaii and British Columbia, we can see that Hawaii is more expensive. And not only is British Columbia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to British Columbia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in British Columbia 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 British Columbia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hawaii Expensive? and Is British Columbia Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Hawaii or British Columbia?
British Columbia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Hawaii. When comparing the sizes of Hawaii and British Columbia, 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.