Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Riga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Riga or Vancouver?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Riga or Vancouver? 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: Riga or Vancouver?
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Western Canada. It is also the largest city in British Columbia, and is dramatically positioned between the coast and mountains. It's a very international city, with a high level of energy and countless activites that you can enjoy while you're in town. In addition to offering all of the activities and entertainment of a modern city, it is also in jumping off distance to any number of outdoor activities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRiga €104Vancouver €132
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €104, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is €132. 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 Riga and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRiga €53Vancouver €81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRiga €106Vancouver €162
Compare Hotels in Riga and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Riga or Vancouver? 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: Riga Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Riga €15Vancouver €11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- Riga - Tallin: Transfer and Tour through beautiful landmarks: $490
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn with Sightseeing: $462
- From Private Transfer to Vilnius with Sightseeing: $429
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn: $344
- Transfer from Riga International Airport to Downtown: $269
- From Transfer to Tallinn with Turaida Museum Reserve: $231
- From Vilnius: One-Way Private Transfer to Riga: $183
- From Cesis and Sigulda Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $151
- Riga Private Mercedes Benz Airport Transfer: $139
- Riga Gun Experience: Roundtrip Transfer and 4 Firearms: $132
- Riga Private Mercedes Benz Airport Transfer: $108
- Private transfer Riga - Hill of Crosses - Riga: $104
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport€5.94
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown€20
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15 min Taxi Ride€8.15
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SkyTrain DayPass€6.11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer from Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32
- Private Departure Transfer to Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32
- Vancouver Airport-Cypress/Grouse Mountain Private Transfer: $38
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to White Rock - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Private Transfer from Vancouver Airport (YVR) to White Rock City: $46
- White Rock to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to Canada Place Port - Arrival Transfer: $55
- Vancouver to Canada Place Cruise Port Departure Private Transfer: $55
- Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
- City Highlights Tour with Hotel Transfers: $61
- Transfer Private Vehicle Vancouver Airport (YVR)-Vancouver Downtown: $67
- Vancouver to Victoria: Ferry with Bus Transfer: $73
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Riga 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 dayRiga €33Vancouver €29
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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Fast Food Lunch€5.77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $42
- Unique Food Tour: $52
- Medieval Guided Tour & Three-Course Dinner Experience: $97
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $114
- Private Cooking Master Class In The Latvian Family : $131
- Taste Market Tour & Cooking Masterclass: $139
- Cooking Experience with Chef: Learn & Dine: $140
- Latvian Food: Cooking Masterclass with a Chef: $153
Typical Food Prices in Vancouver
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:
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All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch€8.23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Vancouver Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $78
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
- The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $94
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $100
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
- North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $100
- Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
- Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $134
- VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $138
- Authentic Asian Eats Walking Food Tour: $142
- 3-Hour Bowen Island Boat Cruise with Dinner: $153
- Evening Cruise with Dinner Buffet: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Riga €21Vancouver €34
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- The best of Bauska walking tour: $75
- 1 Day Riga Sightseeing Red Bus Grand Tour: $27
- 2 Day Gastronomy Tour In Latgale : $241
- 2.5-Hour Riga Cruiser Bike Tour: $41
- 5 Hour Shared Tour to Hill of Crosses from Riga: $82
- ATV Quad Off Road or City Tour in Riga: $142
- Art Nouveau Walking Tour in Riga: $65
- Baltic Treasures Tour: Hill of Crosses, Rundale & Bauska: $153
- Beer Bike Experience : $36
- Best of Riga Walking Tour: $182
- Best of Riga Walking Tour - Highlights and Hidden Gems: $66
- City:canal:tour: $22
Tours and Activities in Vancouver
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.
- Vancouver self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.31
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.75
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.83
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.19
- Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.20
- Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
- Vancouver Tips-Based Walking Tour | 3-Hour: $5.47
- Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.68
- Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.69
- Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.99
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRiga €20Vancouver €15
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $25
- Pub Crawl in Riga: $33
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $37
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $38
- Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $54
- Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $55
- Latvian Wine Tasting & Monk Show: $75
- Old Town Sightseeing & Latvian Wine Tasting with Show: $97
- Riga Wine Tasting Session: $103
- Riga Pub Crawl & Party Bus Tour: $526
- Yacht Tour with Medieval Banquet and Wine Tasting: $3,341
Sample the Local Flavors in Vancouver
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl ROUTE B: $18
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $22
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl: $26
- 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $88
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour Led by a Local: $89
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $89
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $134
- Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $134
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $138
- From Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Local Tastings: $139
- Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Vancouver, we can see that Vancouver is more expensive. And not only is Riga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Riga is in Europe and Vancouver is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Riga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Riga 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 Vancouver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vancouver than you might in Riga.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Riga Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Riga or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Riga. When comparing the sizes of Riga and Vancouver, 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.
When is the best time to visit Riga or Vancouver?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Riga or Vancouver in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Riga as well as Vancouver. Most visitors come to Riga for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Riga is generally around the same temperature as Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Riga average around 17°C (63°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
Riga usually gets more rain in July than Vancouver. Riga gets 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyRiga 17°C (63°F)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Riga or Vancouver in the Autumn?
Both Vancouver and Riga are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Riga because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Riga is cooler than Vancouver in the autumn. The daily temperature in Riga averages around 7°C (45°F) in October, and Vancouver fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. In October, Riga usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Riga gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberRiga 7°C (45°F)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Riga or Vancouver in the Winter?
Both Vancouver and Riga during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Riga this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Vancouver. It's quite cold in Riga in the winter. In the winter, Riga is much colder than Vancouver. Typically, the winter temperatures in Riga in January average around -5°C (23°F), and Vancouver averages at about 4°C (40°F).
Vancouver gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Riga usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Riga gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryRiga -5°C (23°F)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Riga or Vancouver in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Riga and Vancouver. Many travelers come to Riga for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, Riga is generally much colder than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Riga average around 5°C (42°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
Vancouver receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Riga usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Riga gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilRiga 5°C (42°F)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Riga
| Riga | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -5°C (23°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | -4°C (24°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | -0°C (31°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 5°C (42°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 12°C (53°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (60°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (63°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (62°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 7°C (45°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 2°C (36°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | -2°C (28°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
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.