Which place is cheaper, Victoria or Santa Cruz?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Santa Cruz or Victoria?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Santa Cruz or Victoria? 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: Santa Cruz or Victoria?
Santa Cruz
On the central coast of California in between Monterey Bay and San Jose lies Santa Cruz, California, a laid-back coastal college town with a reputation of locals open to liberal views and accepting of alternative lifestyles. Among its residents are University of California, Santa Cruz students, a large artist colony, and professional surfers.
Victoria
The capital city of British Columbia, Canada, Victoria is positioned near the southern edge of Vancouver Island. It's a wonderfully pleasant city and has been nicknamed the Garden City because of its vast green space and public gardens. There is a population of just over 80,000 in the city proper and almost 350,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Dating back to 1843, it's also one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest. As such, it has many historic buildings and beautiful architecture. It also has the second oldest Chinatown in North America, following San Francisco's.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Adventure Tours to Canada, and The Best Eco Tours in Canada.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Cruz $126Victoria $182
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Cruz is $126, while the average daily cost in Victoria is $182. 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 Santa Cruz and Victoria in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Cruz $61Victoria $113
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Cruz $122Victoria $226
Compare Hotels in Santa Cruz and Victoria
Looking for a hotel in Santa Cruz or Victoria? 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: Santa Cruz Hotel Prices and Victoria Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Cruz $40Victoria $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Victoria
Also for Victoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Victoria to Vancouver Ferry with Bus Transfer: $73
- Victoria to Vancouver - Coach Bus Transfer: $74
- Victoria to Vancouver - Vancouver Hotel Drop Off - Coach Bus Transfer: $83
- Victoria to Vancouver - Vancouver Airport (YVR) Drop Off - Coach Bus Transfer: $87
- Vancouver: Seaplane Transfer between Vancouver & Victoria: $206
- Seaplane Transfer between Victoria and Whistler: $219
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Cruz or Victoria?
Prices for flights to both Victoria and Santa Cruz 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 daySanta Cruz $41Victoria $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Victoria
For Victoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Chocolate Lovers Food Tour: $44
- Chinatown and Old Town Food Tour with Tastings: $58
- Hip & Hidden Chinatown + Old Town Food Tour Victoria: $59
- Victoria Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $73
- Sip, Savor, Stroll Evening Food Tour: $146
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Cruz $18Victoria $45
Tours and Activities in Santa Cruz
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santa Cruz are as follows:
- Capitola Private 2-Hour Walking Tour: $30
- Capitola Watercolor Journaling Experience: $297
- Half Day Private Beach Tour in Santa Cruz: $35
- Mermaid Experience & Photoshoot: $190
- Santa Cruz 2Hour Guided E-bike Tour for Small Groups: $120
- Santa Cruz Family Friendly Guided E-bike Tour: $120
- Santa Cruz Guided E-Bike Ride & Most Fun Ebike Tour: $120
- Santa Cruz Must Sees: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $3.99
- Santa Cruz:City Scavenger Hunt Tour with Remote Guide: $25
- Self Guided UC Santa Cruz Walking Tour: Unlock Secret Stories : $20
Tours and Activities in Victoria
For Victoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Victoria self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.28
- Victoria Harbor: Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- 2.5-hour Tips-Based City Walking Tour: $6.58
- Victoria, BC: Murder Mystery Detective Experience: $11
- Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour: $13
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Experience Victoria by Foot Walking Tour: $15
- Butterfly Gardens Admission Ticket: $15
- Ghostly Walking Tour in Victoria: $16
- Cultural & Historical Victoria Walking Tour: $16
- Malahat SkyWalk General Admission Tickets: $29
- Experience Victoria City Tour: $37
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Cruz $8.57Victoria $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Cruz
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Santa Cruz:
- Sidecar Wine Tour with Guide and Wine Tasting: $199
- Private Brewery Tour: $500
- Private Custom Wine Tour with Hotel Pickup: $750
Sample the Local Flavors in Victoria
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Victoria:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Ferry Rides and Appetizers: $48
- 3-Hour Street Art & Craft Beer Tour of Victoria, Brewery Tour & Tasting included: $101
- Victoria Wine Tour with Wine Tastings and Charcuterie: $134
- Cowichan Valley Premium Wine Tour: $439
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Cruz and Victoria, we can see that Victoria is more expensive. And not only is Santa Cruz much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Cruz would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Cruz 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 Victoria would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Victoria than you might in Santa Cruz.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Cruz Expensive? and Is Victoria Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Cruz or Victoria?
Victoria has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Santa Cruz. When comparing the sizes of Santa Cruz and Victoria, 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 Santa Cruz or Victoria?
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 Santa Cruz or Victoria in the Summer?
Both Victoria and Santa Cruz during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Santa Cruz for the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Santa Cruz is generally a little warmer than Victoria. Daily temperatures in Santa Cruz average around 67°F (19°C), and Victoria fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
Santa Cruz usually gets less rain in July than Victoria. Santa Cruz gets 0.1 inches (1 mm) of rain, while Victoria receives 13 mm (0.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulySanta Cruz 67°F (19°C)Victoria 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Santa Cruz or Victoria in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Cruz and Victoria. The autumn months attract visitors to Santa Cruz because of the hiking trails and the shopping scene.
Santa Cruz is much warmer than Victoria in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Cruz averages around 63°F (17°C) in October, and Victoria fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).
In October, Santa Cruz usually receives less rain than Victoria. Santa Cruz gets 0.8 inches (21 mm) of rain, while Victoria receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSanta Cruz 63°F (17°C)Victoria 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Santa Cruz or Victoria in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Santa Cruz as well as Victoria. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Santa Cruz this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Victoria. In the winter, Santa Cruz is much warmer than Victoria. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Cruz in January average around 51°F (10°C), and Victoria averages at about 5°C (41°F).
It's quite rainy in Victoria. Santa Cruz usually gets less rain in January than Victoria. Santa Cruz gets 2.8 inches (71 mm) of rain, while Victoria receives 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySanta Cruz 51°F (10°C)Victoria 5°C (41°F)
Should I visit Santa Cruz or Victoria in the Spring?
Both Victoria and Santa Cruz are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Santa Cruz for the beaches.
In April, Santa Cruz is generally much warmer than Victoria. Daily temperatures in Santa Cruz average around 58°F (14°C), and Victoria fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).
In April, Santa Cruz usually receives less rain than Victoria. Santa Cruz gets 1 inches (26 mm) of rain, while Victoria receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilSanta Cruz 58°F (14°C)Victoria 10°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Victoria and Santa Cruz
| Santa Cruz | Victoria | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 51°F (10°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) | 5°C (41°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) |
| Feb | 54°F (12°C) | 2.2 inches (56 mm) | 7°C (44°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| Mar | 55°F (13°C) | 2.2 inches (56 mm) | 8°C (46°F) | 67 mm (2.7 in) |
| Apr | 58°F (14°C) | 1 inches (26 mm) | 10°C (49°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 62°F (16°C) | 0.3 inches (7 mm) | 12°C (54°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Jun | 65°F (19°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) | 14°C (58°F) | 24 mm (0.9 in) |
| Jul | 67°F (19°C) | 0.1 inches (1 mm) | 16°C (60°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Aug | 67°F (20°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) | 16°C (61°F) | 19 mm (0.8 in) |
| Sep | 67°F (19°C) | 0.2 inches (6 mm) | 15°C (58°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Oct | 63°F (17°C) | 0.8 inches (21 mm) | 11°C (52°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Nov | 56°F (13°C) | 2.1 inches (53 mm) | 8°C (46°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Dec | 51°F (10°C) | 2.1 inches (53 mm) | 5°C (42°F) | 153 mm (6 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.