A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pittsburgh vs. Jasper National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pittsburgh or Jasper National Park?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Pittsburgh or Jasper National Park, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Pittsburgh or Jasper National Park?

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is a city in western Pennsylvania at the junction of 3 rivers. Set between the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, and a mountain ridge called Mt Washington, Pittsburgh has a unique character that is evident from the moment you arrive. Juxtaposed with the rumbling freight trains and the iconic bridges are the Bladerunner-esque self-driving Uber vehicles, scanning the roads with spinning Lidar scanners. Its Gilded Age sites, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, speak to its history as an early-20th-century industrial capital. In the North Shore neighborhood are the modern Andy Warhol Museum, Heinz Field football stadium, and PNC Park baseball stadium. Experiencing periods of boom and bust since its founding, the city is in a boom now, and it's a fun place to visit, with top-notch museums, great gardens and parks, and amazing food.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best Luxury Tours to Canada, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Jasper National Park or Pittsburgh?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Pittsburgh is $181, 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 Pittsburgh and Jasper National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pittsburgh $106
    Jasper National Park $45
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pittsburgh $212
    Jasper National Park $90
Compare Hotels in Pittsburgh and Jasper National Park

Looking for a hotel in Pittsburgh 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.

Hotels in Pittsburgh


Hotels in Jasper National Park


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: Pittsburgh Hotel Prices and Jasper National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pittsburgh $22
    Jasper National Park $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pittsburgh

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

  • Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) to Pittsburgh City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $96
  • Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) to Pittsburgh hotel/address - Arrival Private Transfer: $48
  • Pittsburgh City to Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) - Departure Private Transfer: $48

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jasper National Park

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jasper National Park are as follows:


  • 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 Pittsburgh or Jasper National Park?

Prices for flights to both Jasper National Park and Pittsburgh 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
    Pittsburgh $54
    Jasper National Park $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pittsburgh

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

  • Pittsburgh's Strip District Food Tour: $70
  • Pittsburgh's Strip District Food Tour: $70

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pittsburgh $38
    Jasper National Park $7.75

Tours and Activities in Pittsburgh

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

  • Eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $6.22
  • Pittsburgh to Logstown Settler's History: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $6.32
  • Entrance Ticket to AT BLAQK House Collections: $7.00
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Pittsburgh by Crazy Dash: $10
  • Smartphone-Guided Walking Tour of Downtown Pittsburgh: $25
  • Smartphone-Guided Tour of Downtown Pittsburgh Sights & Stories: $28
  • Public Art Walking Tour: $30
  • Pittsburg 101 Tour: $30
  • Pittsburgh 101 Walking History Tour: $32
  • Black & Ghost Tour: $33
  • Downtown History and Architecture Tour: $33
  • Best of the Burgh Walking Tour: $33

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pittsburgh $33
    Jasper National Park $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Pittsburgh

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Pittsburgh:

  • Pittsburgh Bar Hunt: Party Through Pittsburgh Bar Crawl: $13
  • Wigle Whiskey Rebellion Distillery Tour: $22
  • New! Bites & Brews: Pittsburgh Brewery Walk: $50
  • Bike and Brewery Tour: $69
  • Pittsburgh Signature Guided Brewery Tour: $105


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