A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Joshua Tree National Park vs. Vancouver for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Joshua Tree National Park or Vancouver?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Joshua Tree National Park and Vancouver 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: Joshua Tree National Park or Vancouver?

Joshua Tree National Park

California's high desert has a unique landscape and has become synonymous with Joshua Tree, located in southeastern California. Joshua Tree National Park gained its namesake from its spiky, evergreen, and unusually shaped trees native to the Mojave Desert area, which only grow in arid soils on plains, slopes and mesas. Legend has it that Mormons in the 19th century came across the trees and thought they resembled Joshua from the Bible, with outstretched arms, beckoning them to the promised land. Well, they do kind of look like people.

Vancouver

Vancouver is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Western Canada. It is also the largest city in British Columbia, and is dramatically positioned between the coast and mountains. It's a very international city, with a high level of energy and countless activites that you can enjoy while you're in town. In addition to offering all of the activities and entertainment of a modern city, it is also in jumping off distance to any number of outdoor activities.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in United States of America, The Best Photography Tours in United States of America, The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Joshua Tree National Park?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Joshua Tree National Park is $152, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $141. 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 Joshua Tree National Park and Vancouver in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Joshua Tree National Park $87
    Vancouver $87
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Joshua Tree National Park $174
    Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Joshua Tree National Park and Vancouver

Looking for a hotel in Joshua Tree National Park or Vancouver? 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 Joshua Tree National Park


Hotels in Vancouver


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: Vancouver Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Joshua Tree National Park $47
    Vancouver $12

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:


  • SkyTrain from Airport
    $6.35
  • Taxi from Airport to Downtown
    $21
  • 15 min Taxi Ride
    $8.71
  • SkyTrain DayPass
    $6.53

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver

Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Yvr Airport to Whistler and Whistler to Yvr Airport transfers: $111
  • White Rock to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
  • Seaplane Transfer between Vancouver & Nanaimo: $206
  • Private Transfer from YVR Airport To Whistler: $511
  • City Highlights Tour with Hotel Transfers: $61
  • Vancouver, BC: Scenic Seaplane Transfer to Seattle, WA: $283
  • Vancouver to Victoria: Ferry with Bus Transfer: $73
  • Vancouver to Victoria, Coach Bus Transfer: $74
  • Vancouver to Victoria - Vancouver Hotel Pickup - Coach Bus Transfer: $83
  • Vancouver to Victoria - Vancouver Cruise Terminal Pickup - Coach Bus Transfer: $87
  • Vancouver hotels to Canada Place Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $93
  • Vancouver Cruise ship Transfer to Airport/City Hotel: $135

Is it cheaper to fly into Joshua Tree National Park or Vancouver?

Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Joshua Tree National Park 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
    Joshua Tree National Park $35
    Vancouver $31

Typical Food Prices in Vancouver

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:


  • All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch
    $8.80

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver

For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
  • The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $85
  • Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
  • Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
  • North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $108
  • Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $134
  • VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $138
  • Authentic Asian Eats Walking Food Tour: $142
  • 3-Hour Bowen Island Boat Cruise with Dinner: $153
  • Vancouver Evening Dinner Cruise: $157
  • Granville Island Uncorked Walking Food Tour: $161
  • Bowen Island Dinner and Zodiac Boat Tour by Vancouver Water Adventures: $163

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Joshua Tree National Park $27
    Vancouver $36

Tours and Activities in Vancouver

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.

  • Guided Bike /E-bike Tour in Whistler From Vancouver: $219
  • Sunshine Coast Escape (Around Vancouver) Small Group Tour: $145
  • $99 Vancouver 2 Hours City Tour Private: $102
  • 2 Days Leavenworth Christmastown Tour from Vancouver (Chn&Eng): $192
  • 2-in-1 Vancouver city Tour: $234
  • 3-Day Vancouver City Tour Package With Whistler & Victoria: $2,411
  • 3hr Private Sightseeing Tour Vancouver (from Vancouver City): $456
  • 3hr Private Sightseeing Tour-Vancouver City (fr YVR/Cruise): $583
  • 4-Hour Private Tour of Vancouver's Gardens: $334
  • 5 Days in Vancouver Multiactivity Adventure Tour: $2,411
  • 5hr Private Sightseeing Tour-Vancouver (from Vancouver City): $709
  • 5hr Private Sightseeing Tour-Vancouver City (fr YVR/Cruise): $836

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Joshua Tree National Park $4.93
    Vancouver $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Vancouver

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:

  • Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl ROUTE B: $18
  • Gastown Pub Crawl: $22
  • Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl: $26
  • 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $84
  • Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
  • Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $134
  • From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $138
  • Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
  • Stawamus Chief Hike and Local Brewery Tasting: $164
  • Fraser Valley & White Rock Premium Public Wine Tour: $166
  • Stawamus Chief Hike & Local Brewery Tasting : $167
  • Full-Day Private Fraser Valley Wine Tour from Vancouver: $189


When comparing the travel costs between Joshua Tree National Park and Vancouver, we can see that Joshua Tree National Park is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Joshua Tree National Park Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.