A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Myrtle Beach vs. Banff for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Myrtle Beach or Banff?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Myrtle Beach and Banff can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Myrtle Beach or Banff?

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular and touristy beach destinations on the South Atlantic coast. It's a popular spring break destination for college kids and there is no shortage of hotels and entertainment options along the beach front. It's also well known as a golfing destination, and it has some wonderful seafood restaurants and shopping areas. If you're looking for a natural, relaxed beach destination, Myrtle Beach is not your best option, but if you're looking for the thrills of club hopping, wonderful food options, and souvenir shopping opportunities, then Myrtle Beach is where it's at.

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 Coach Bus Tours in United States of America, The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, and The Best Camping Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Banff or Myrtle Beach?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Myrtle Beach is $173, 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 Myrtle Beach and Banff in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Myrtle Beach $88
    Banff $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Myrtle Beach $176
    Banff $76
Compare Hotels in Myrtle Beach and Banff

Looking for a hotel in Myrtle Beach 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.

Hotels in Myrtle Beach


Hotels in Banff


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: Myrtle Beach Hotel Prices and Banff Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Myrtle Beach $24
    Banff $5.18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Myrtle Beach

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Myrtle Beach:

  • Private Departure Transfer to Myrtle Beach Airport (MYR): $36
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Myrtle Beach Airport MYR: $36
  • Myrtle Beach to Myrtle Beach Intl. Airport (MYR) - Departure Private Transfer: $53
  • Myrtle Beach Intl. Airport (MYR) to Myrtle Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $105

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Myrtle Beach or Banff?

Prices for flights to both Banff and Myrtle Beach 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
    Myrtle Beach $56
    Banff $29
Typical Food Prices in Myrtle Beach

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Myrtle Beach:


  • Dinner for Two
    $49
  • Diner Breakfast for Two
    $21

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Myrtle Beach

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Myrtle Beach.

  • Murder Mystery Dinner Show in Myrtle Beach: $50
  • Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show Ticket in Myrtle Beach: $67
  • North Dinner Cruise on a Paddle Wheel Boat: $70
  • Luau with Polynesian Dinner and Live Show: $71

Typical Food Prices in Banff

Some typical examples of dining costs in Banff are as follows:


  • Tea House Lunch for Two
    $33
  • Hostel Breakfast
    $27
  • McDonalds
    $4.63

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Banff

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Banff.

  • Banff Food Tour: Eat the Castle: $153

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Myrtle Beach $46
    Banff $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Myrtle Beach

Here are a few typical costs in Myrtle Beach for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Mini Golf for Two
    $18
  • Beach Chairs
    $15

Tours and Activities in Myrtle Beach

Here are a few actual costs in Myrtle Beach for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Murder Mystery Detective Experience Myrtle Beach, SC: $15
  • Ghosts and Pirates Haunted City Walking Tour: $26
  • Murrells Inlet: Scenic Sunset Cruise: $29
  • Myrtle Beach Ghosts Tour: $30
  • Murrells Inlet: Saltwater Marsh Shelling & Eco Tour: $32
  • Myrtle Beach Military History Trolley Tour: $40
  • Myrtle Beach Area Ghosts, Pirates and Historic Families Trolley Tour: $40
  • The Comedy Shoppe at Wonders Theatre Ticket: $40
  • Early Myrtle Beach History and The WWII Years Trolley Tour: $40
  • Myrtle Beach History, Movies and Music Trolley Tour: $40
  • Waccamaw River Nature and Wildlife Tour: $41
  • Escape Room Game Entry Ticket with Host: $41

Typical Entertainment Prices in Banff

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Banff are as follows:


  • Hot Springs
    $5.31

Tours and Activities in Banff

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Banff are as follows:

  • Banff self-guided tour App with multi-language audio guide: $2.14
  • Tunnel Mountain Trail: Nature Tour with Audio Guide: $5.11
  • Tunnel Mountain Trail: a Smartphone Audio Nature Tour : $5.19
  • Calgary & Lake Louise: Smartphone Audio Driving Tour: $6.21
  • The Sights of a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.21
  • The Sights of Canmore: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.31
  • Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Banff and Calgary: $6.31
  • The Sights of a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $6.31
  • Historic Cave & Basin Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
  • Banff National Park: Self-Guided Scenic Driving Tour: $13
  • Listen to a Tour Guide as You Drive & Walk with our Discover the Rockies Package: $15
  • Banff National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour: $17

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Myrtle Beach $16
    Banff $9.34


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Myrtle Beach and Banff, we can see that Myrtle Beach 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 Myrtle Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Myrtle Beach 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 Myrtle Beach Expensive? and Is Banff Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Myrtle Beach or Banff?

Myrtle Beach has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Banff. When comparing the sizes of Myrtle Beach and Banff, 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.