Which place is cheaper, Jasper National Park or Moab?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Moab or Jasper National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Moab or Jasper National Park? 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: Moab or Jasper National Park?
Moab
Moab is the closest town to Arches National Park in Utah's Canyon Country. It is also a popular base for exploring Canyonlands National Park. It's a small town that serves mainly to accommodate tourists to the popular national parks and other surrounding wildlife areas. It has grown dramatically in recent years and has a population of just over 5,000. In town you will find hotels and motels, a handful of restaurants and a few shops where you can stock up on supplies. There's a small museum, the Museum of Moab, and a variety of tour operators in town. You can easily book river rafting trips, jeep expeditions, and tours of the surrounding area. For many, exploring Arches National Park on your own is a more enjoyable and independent experience.
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 Cultural Tours in United States of America, The Best Photography 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 dayMoab $388Jasper National Park $82
The average daily cost (per person) in Moab is $388, 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 Moab and Jasper National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMoab $336Jasper National Park $45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMoab $672Jasper National Park $90
Compare Hotels in Moab and Jasper National Park
Looking for a hotel in Moab 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: Moab Hotel Prices and Jasper National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Moab $17Jasper National Park $19
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: $169
- Jasper Thermal to Edmonton Airport (YEG) Departure Transfer: $169
Is it cheaper to fly into Moab or Jasper National Park?
Prices for flights to both Jasper National Park and Moab 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 dayMoab $37Jasper National Park $23
Typical Food Prices in Moab
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Moab:
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Moab Brewery$42
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Breakfast for Two$17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Moab
For Moab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Colorado River Dinner Cruise with Music and Light Show: $99
- Colorado River Sunset Boat Tour with Optional Dinner: $109
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.Moab $3.13Jasper National Park $7.75
Typical Entertainment Prices in Moab
For Moab, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Slickrock Trail Pass$5.00
Tours and Activities in Moab
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Moab.
- La Sal Mountain Loop: Scenic Self-Driving App Tour: $8.99
- La Sal Mountain Loop Scenic Drive: Half-Day Audio Driving Private Tour : $8.99
- Canyonlands National Park: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour: $8.99
- Arches National Park: Driving Tour with Audio Guide: $8.99
- La Sal Mountain: Scenic Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $12
- Canyonlands National Park Self-Driving Tour: $13
- La Sal Mountain Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $15
- Arches National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour: $17
- Self Guided Audio Tour in Arches and Canyonlands: $17
- Canyonlands National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $17
- Discover Arches, Canyonlands and La Sal Self-Guided Audio Driving Tours: $19
- Explore Arches, Canyonlands & La Sal Audio Tour Guide: $19
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: $130
- 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: $223
- Explore Jasper Tour: $122
- Explore Jasper Tour with Maligne Lake Cruise: $178
- From Jasper: Jasper National Park Wildlife Discovery Tour: $53
- Icefields Parkway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $17
- Jasper Evening Wildlife Tour: $63
- Jasper Ice Climbing Experience: $177
- Jasper National Park Tour: Maligne Valley, Medicine Lake and Spirit Island: $59
- Jasper Rock Climbing Experience: $108
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMoab $66Jasper National Park $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Moab and Jasper National Park, we can see that Moab 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 Moab would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Moab 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 Moab 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.