Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Saint Louis?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Saint Louis or Vancouver?
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 Saint Louis and Vancouver. 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: Saint Louis or Vancouver?
Saint Louis
Nicknamed the "Gateway to the West" and perhaps best known for its iconic Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri, has grown from a last stop for pioneers journeying west to a thriving metropolis notable for its diverse culture, impressive architecture, and unique neighborhoods. It sits on the Mississippi River and has plenty to offer in dining, shopping, sight-seeing, and entertainment.
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 Walking Tours in United States of America, The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America, The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySaint Louis $184Vancouver $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Louis is $184, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $141. 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 Saint Louis and Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSaint Louis $101Vancouver $87
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSaint Louis $202Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Saint Louis and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Saint Louis 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: Saint Louis Hotel Prices and Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Saint Louis $26Vancouver $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Louis
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Louis:
- St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) to St. Louis City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $131
- Departure Transfer St. Louis to St. Louis Airport by Car or SUV: $115
- Arrival transfer St. Louis Airport STL to St. Louis by Car or SUV: $115
- Private Transfer from Port Louis Airport (MRU) to Port Louis Port: $76
- St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) to St. Louis City - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- St. Louis City to St. Louis Lambert Airport (STL) - Departure Private Transfer: $65
- Private Transfer in Saint Louis, MO (STL): $65
- Private Transfers for Departure from Queens to JFK Airport: $29
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
-
SkyTrain from Airport$6.35
-
Taxi from Airport to Downtown$21
-
15 min Taxi Ride$8.71
-
SkyTrain DayPass$6.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port to Vancouver by SUV: $120
- Arrival Private Transfer: Vancouver Airport YVR to Vancouver in Luxury Car: $163
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $93
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $93
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $186
- Canada Place Cruise Port: Transfer to Vancouver hotels: $425
- Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury Car: $163
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Luxury SUV: $133
- Maximize Your Cruise Adventure: Vancouver Tour & Transfer: $292
- Mount Washington to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Transfer: $93
- Private Departure Transfer to Vancouver Airport (YVR): $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Louis or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver and Saint Louis 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 daySaint Louis $54Vancouver $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Louis
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Louis.
- The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - St. Louis, MO: $86
Typical Food Prices in Vancouver
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:
-
All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch$8.80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
- The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $85
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
- Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
- North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $108
- 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
- Vancouver Evening Dinner Cruise: $157
- Granville Island Uncorked Walking Food Tour: $161
- Bowen Island Dinner and Zodiac Boat Tour by Vancouver Water Adventures: $163
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Saint Louis $46Vancouver $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Saint Louis
Here are a few typical costs in Saint Louis for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Gateway Arch parking$6.00
Tours and Activities in Saint Louis
Here are a few actual costs in Saint Louis for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Best of St. Louis Small Group Tour w/St Louis Arch & River Cruise: $174
- Exploring St. Louis with the Family Walking Tour: $211
- Interstate 55: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $5.20
- Landmarks Downtown-East Walking Tour: $15
- Landmarks Downtown-West Walking Tour: $15
- Lemp Haunted Neighborhood Walking Tour: $25
- Private Gastronomy Barbecue Tour in St. Louis: $125
- Romantic Tour in The City of Love: $175
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure in St. Louis by Zombie Scavengers: $20
- St Louis Cardinals Baseball Game Ticket at Busch Stadium: $8.66
- St. Louis Arch and River Cruise Small Group Walking Tour: $144
- St. Louis Christmas Spectacular Tour: $244
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: $4.28
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.74
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.82
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.19
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.19
- Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
- Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.68
- Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.68
- Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.94
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.30
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tours of Stanley Park: $7.42
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySaint Louis $19Vancouver $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Louis
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Louis:
- The Haunted Lemp Brewery Bottle Works Tour: $25
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: $84
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
- Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $134
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $138
- Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
- Stawamus Chief Hike and Local Brewery Tasting: $164
- Fraser Valley & White Rock Premium Public Wine Tour: $166
- Stawamus Chief Hike & Local Brewery Tasting : $167
- Full-Day Private Fraser Valley Wine Tour from Vancouver: $189
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Louis and Vancouver, we can see that Saint Louis is more expensive. And not only is Vancouver much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Vancouver would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vancouver 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 Saint Louis would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Louis than you might in Vancouver.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint Louis Expensive? and Is Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Saint Louis or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Saint Louis. When comparing the sizes of Saint Louis 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 Saint Louis 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 Saint Louis or Vancouver in the Summer?
Both Vancouver and Saint Louis during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Saint Louis because of the family-friendly experiences.
Saint Louis is much warmer than Vancouver in the summer. The daily temperature in Saint Louis averages around 81°F (27°C) in July, and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
In Vancouver, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Saint Louis. In the summer, Saint Louis often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Vancouver. Saint Louis gets 309 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.
Saint Louis usually gets more rain in July than Vancouver. Saint Louis gets 3.8 inches (96 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulySaint Louis 81°F (27°C)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Saint Louis or Vancouver in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint Louis and Vancouver. The shopping scene are the main draw to Saint Louis this time of year.
In the autumn, Saint Louis is a little warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Saint Louis in October average around 60°F (16°C), and Vancouver averages at about 11°C (51°F).
In Saint Louis, it's very sunny this time of the year. Saint Louis usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during autumn. Saint Louis gets 203 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 124 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Vancouver receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Saint Louis usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Saint Louis gets 2.7 inches (68 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSaint Louis 60°F (16°C)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Saint Louis or Vancouver in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Saint Louis as well as Vancouver. Many travelers come to Saint Louis for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Vancouver can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Saint Louis. In January, Saint Louis is generally much colder than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Saint Louis average around 31°F (-1°C), and Vancouver fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).
In the winter, Saint Louis often gets more sunshine than Vancouver. Saint Louis gets 160 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Saint Louis usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Saint Louis gets 2 inches (52 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySaint Louis 31°F (-1°C)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Saint Louis or Vancouver in the Spring?
Both Vancouver and Saint Louis are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Saint Louis is much warmer than Vancouver in the spring. The daily temperature in Saint Louis averages around 58°F (15°C) in April, and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Saint Louis. Saint Louis usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Saint Louis gets 229 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. It's quite rainy in Saint Louis. In April, Saint Louis usually receives around the same amount of rain as Vancouver. Saint Louis gets 4.4 inches (111 mm) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilSaint Louis 58°F (15°C)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Saint Louis
| Saint Louis | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 31°F (-1°C) | 2 inches (52 mm) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 35°F (2°C) | 2.1 inches (53 mm) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 47°F (8°C) | 3.6 inches (91 mm) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 58°F (15°C) | 4.4 inches (111 mm) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 4.1 inches (103 mm) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 77°F (25°C) | 3.8 inches (97 mm) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 81°F (27°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 79°F (26°C) | 2.9 inches (73 mm) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 72°F (22°C) | 3.1 inches (80 mm) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 60°F (16°C) | 2.7 inches (68 mm) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 48°F (9°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 35°F (2°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) | 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.