Which place is cheaper, Banff or Kauai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kauai or Banff?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Kauai and Banff. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Kauai or Banff?
Kauai
Hawaii is certainly a bucket list destination, but what if you want to do it without being surrounded by tourists? You want the adventure of the land of volcanoes and less of the kids in water wings. Then Kaua'i is the island for you.
Kaua'i, or the "garden island," is full of tropical forests, little villages and even more laid back lifestyle – if you can imagine. It's a smaller island at 560 square miles with a population of only 68,000.
With more coastline miles than any other island, Kaua'i is the result of massive erosion forming awe-inspiring sights like the Waimea Canyon and Na Pali Coast. The island experiences more rainfall every year – keeping it lush and green all year.
You'll feel like you've walked into another world in Kaua'i. Because of height restrictions, this island's buildings are no taller than the coconut trees. So if you're looking for an escape from civilization, you'll want to head straight for Kaua'i.
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 Wildlife Tours to United States of America, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in 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 dayKauai $190Banff $84
The average daily cost (per person) in Kauai is $190, 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 Kauai and Banff in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKauai $113Banff $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKauai $226Banff $76
Compare Hotels in Kauai and Banff
Looking for a hotel in Kauai 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: Kauai Hotel Prices and Banff Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kauai $34Banff $5.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kauai
Also for Kauai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Departure Transfer: Kauai Hotels to Kauai International Airport: $13
- Lihue Airport: Shared Transfer to Lihue: $19
- Private Departure Transfer to Kauai Airport (LIH): $80
- Private SUV Transfer - Kauai Cruise Ship terminal : $199
- Private SUV Transfer - Lihue Airport to NorthShore Hanalei-Princeville-Kilauea: $225
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
- Banff Thermal Resorts to Calgary Airport (YYC) Departure Transfer: $139
- From Banff/Canmore: Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Shared Transfer: $81
- Sunshine Village to Calgary Airport (YYC): Departure Transfer: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Kauai or Banff?
Prices for flights to both Banff and Kauai 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 dayKauai $56Banff $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kauai
For Kauai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Allerton Garden and Estate Tour with Sunset Dinner: $106
- Ahi Uila Fire Show and Dinner: $110
- Walking Food Tour Exploring Hanalei: $119
- Local Tastes Small Group Food Tour: $121
- Best Food Tours on Kaua'i: $125
- Explore Waimea Town on a Walking Food Tour: $129
- Luau Kalamaku on Kauai with Buffet Dinner and Show: $171
- Luau Ka Hikina Admission Ticket with Dinner and Lei Greeting: $209
- Napali Coast Sunset Sail with Dinner: $226
- Napali Sunset Dinner Cruise: $226
- Luau Kalamaku on Kauai with Manor House Dinner & Show: $226
- VIP 4-Course Dinner and Luau Kalamaku Show: $237
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.
- Take a Bite out of Banff ~ Rocky Mountain Banff Food Tour: $94
- Banff Food Tour: Eat the Castle: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kauai $17Banff $12
Tours and Activities in Kauai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kauai.
- Kauai Poipu & Koloa Town Audio Driving Tour: $9.99
- Kauai Audio Driving Private Tour: $15
- Ultimate Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour of Kauai (Na Pali, Waimea), Hawaii: $17
- North Shore Kauai Audio Driving Tour: $20
- Wailua Valley & Waterfalls Audio Driving Tour: $20
- Waimea Canyon & Na Pali Driving Tour app: $20
- Kauai Adventure Bundle: 4 Epic Audio Driving Tours : $30
- Kauai Tour Bundle: Self-Drive GPS Road Trip: $30
- Island Highlights Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour: $40
- Allerton Garden Guided Group Walking Tour: $64
- Kauai Cruise Ship Shore Excursion Journey to Waimea Canyon: $92
- Cruise Ship Excursion: Kauai – Wailua River Cruise & Fern Grotto: $99
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 National Park Big Canoe Tour: $56
- Skybridge Adventure Golden BC from Canmore & Banff: $165
- 1 Hour Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Tour in Banff National Park: $66
- 2 Hour Banff Horseback Riding Adventure: $144
- 4 Days Tour to Banff & Jasper National Park with Hotels: $2,595
- 4 Days Tour to Banff & Jasper National Park without Hotels: $1,462
- BANFF EVENING eBIKE WILDLIFE TOUR: $74
- Banff : Day Tour : Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Peyto Lake: $186
- Banff Cave and Hot Springs Self-Guided Walking Tour: $9.99
- Banff Highlights & Wildlife | Award-Winning Small Group Adventure: $74
- Banff National Park Big Canoe Tour: $56
- Banff National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour: $17
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKauai $14Banff $9.34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kauai and Banff, we can see that Kauai 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 Kauai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kauai 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 Kauai Expensive? and Is Banff Expensive?.
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.