Which place is cheaper, Jasper National Park or Kauai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kauai or Jasper National Park?
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 Jasper National Park. 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 Jasper National Park?
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.
Jasper National Park
An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jasper National Park, located in Canada's Alberta Province, is one of a few national and provincial parks that showcase the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
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 Luxury Tours to Canada, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKauai $190Jasper National Park $82
The average daily cost (per person) in Kauai is $190, while the average daily cost in Jasper National Park is $82. 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 Jasper National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKauai $113Jasper National Park $45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKauai $226Jasper National Park $90
Compare Hotels in Kauai and Jasper National Park
Looking for a hotel in Kauai or Jasper National Park? 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 Jasper National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kauai $34Jasper National Park $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kauai
Also for Kauai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 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 South Shore Kauai Resorts Koloa Poipu: $179
- Shared Departure Transfer: Kauai Hotels to Kauai International Airport: $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jasper National Park
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jasper National Park are as follows:
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Park Pass$14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jasper National Park
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Jasper National Park:
- Jasper Thermal Resorts to Calgary Airport YYC Departure Transfer: $170
- Jasper Thermal to Edmonton Airport (YEG) Departure Transfer: $170
Is it cheaper to fly into Kauai or Jasper National Park?
Prices for flights to both Jasper National Park 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 $56Jasper National Park $23
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
- Local Tastes Small Group Food Tour: $121
- 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
- Leila Na Pali Sunset Dinner Sail: $242
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jasper National Park
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Jasper National Park.
- Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $107
- Peak Nic - A hike and an outdoor cooking lesson: $119
- 4-Hours E-Bike Food Tour : $201
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kauai $17Jasper National Park $7.75
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
- Waimea Canyon & Na Pali Driving Tour app: $20
- North Shore Kauai Audio Driving Tour: $20
- Wailua Valley & Waterfalls Audio Driving Tour: $20
- Kauai Tour Bundle: Self-Drive GPS Road Trip: $30
- Island Highlights Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour: $40
- Allerton Garden Guided Group Walking Tour: $64
- Cruise Ship Excursion: Kauai – Wailua River Cruise & Fern Grotto: $99
- Princeville Botanical Gardens Tour and Chocolate Tasting Ticket: $99
- Catamaran Sunset Cruise: $104
Tours and Activities in Jasper National Park
Here are a few actual costs in Jasper National Park for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 5.5-Hour Jasper Wildlife and Waterfalls Tour with Maligne Lake Cruise from Jasper: $131
- Canadian Rockies Tour by Chauffeured Sidecar from Jasper: $118
- Class 3 Sunwapta River Rafting Adventure in Jasper: $94
- Columbia Icefield Tour with Glacier Skywalk from Jasper: $222
- Explore Jasper Tour: $122
- Explore Jasper Tour with Maligne Lake Cruise: $179
- From Jasper: Jasper National Park Wildlife Discovery Tour: $53
- Icefields Parkway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $17
- Jasper Evening Wildlife Tour: $64
- Jasper Ice Climbing Experience: $176
- Jasper National Park Tour: Maligne Valley, Medicine Lake and Spirit Island: $64
- Jasper Rock Climbing Experience: $108
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKauai $14Jasper National Park $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kauai and Jasper National Park, we can see that Kauai is more expensive. And not only is Jasper National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Jasper National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jasper National Park 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 Jasper National Park.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kauai Expensive? and Is Jasper National Park 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.