A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Vail vs. Halifax for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Vail or Halifax?

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

Should I visit Vail or Halifax? 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: Vail or Halifax?

Vail

Vail is one of the premier ski resort areas in the United States. Located in central Colorado, Vail is not far from Denver and situated in the heart of the Rockies. Here you'll find a quaint mountain town designed around tourism, especially for the winter, although plenty of visitors come in the warmer months, too.

High-end hotels, condos, and other accommodation options are surrounded by shops and restaurants that are all somewhat expensive compared to other costs in the United States. Because of this, Vail is definitely not considered an "affordable" travel option for many. However, good deals can be found if you look around and do some research.

Halifax

The quaint and charming coastal town of Halifax, Nova Scotia has an interesting personality. While it caters to travelers from all over the world, it maintains the pace and lifestyle of a small town.

Steeped in maritime history, Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia, and one of the world's greatest natural harbors. This busy seaport serves as the economic and cultural hub of Eastern Canada.

When planning your trip keep in mind that this city has a climate like other coastal cities. Summers are nice with the occasional humidity. Winters are mild, but still full of snow and wind. The best time of year to visit is most certainly the fall.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver.


Which place is cheaper, Halifax or Vail?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Vail is $291, while the average daily cost in Halifax is $114. 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 Vail and Halifax in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Vail $174
    Halifax $65
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Vail $348
    Halifax $130
Compare Hotels in Vail and Halifax

Looking for a hotel in Vail or Halifax? 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 Vail


Hotels in Halifax


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: Vail Hotel Prices and Halifax Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Vail $19
    Halifax $17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vail

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

  • Vail/Beaver Creek/Avon to Denver Airport DEN - Departure Transfer: $219
  • Private Eagle County Regional / Vail Airport Transfer to Beaver Creek: $299
  • Private Eagle County / Vail Airport Transfer to Vail: $299
  • Private Departure Transfer to Vail Airport EGE: $128
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Vail Airport EGE: $156
  • Eagle County Regional (EGE) to Steamboat Springs-Arrival Transfer: $121
  • Eagle County Airport(EGE) to Steamboat - Arrival Private Transfer: $77
  • Eagle County Airport to Vail/Beaver Creek/Avon-Arrival Transfer: $115
  • Eagle County Airport to Steamboat Springs-Round-Trip Transfer: $121
  • Eagle County Airport to Steamboat - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $154
  • Eagle County Airport to Breckenridge Keystone: Arrival Transfer: $93
  • Eagle Airport (EGE) to Glenwood Resorts Round-Trip Transfer: $154

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halifax

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

  • Halifax Stanfield Airport (YHZ): Transfer to Halifax Port: $209
  • Halifax Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Halifax hotels: $133
  • From Peggy’s Cove Small-Group Tour with Transfers: $80
  • Halifax Airport (YHZ) to Halifax Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $68
  • Transfer to/from Stanfield International Airport: $44
  • Private Transfer from Halifax Stanfield Airport to Halifax: $36
  • Halifax Stanfield Airport (YHZ) to Halifax Port-Arrival Transfer: $34
  • Halifax Stanfield Airport(YHZ) to Halifax Port - Arrival Transfer: $34

Is it cheaper to fly into Vail or Halifax?

Prices for flights to both Halifax and Vail 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
    Vail $74
    Halifax $31

Typical Food Prices in Halifax

For Halifax, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Bluenose II Restaurant
    $45

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halifax

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

  • Peggy's Cove Small Group Night Tour with Dinner: $160

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Vail $133
    Halifax $28

Tours and Activities in Vail

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

  • Bike Tour or Mountain Bike down Vail Mountain: $120
  • Dillon Marina & Shopping Tour: $267
  • Inflatable Kayak Adventure Colorado River: Half Day Guided Tour : $109
  • Save the Mountain Escape Room Adventure: $45
  • Smartphone Driving Tour between Denver & Vail / Breckenridge: $7.99
  • Stand Up Paddle Board Colorado River Adventure: Guided Half Day : $98

Tours and Activities in Halifax

For Halifax, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Exlore Halifax with 3 Unique Smartphone Audio Walking Tours: $13
  • From City and Peggy's Cove Sunset Guided Tour: $65
  • From Small Group Lunenberg Express Tour: $120
  • Halifax Boardwalk and Seaport: Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.11
  • Halifax self-guided walking tour and scavenger hunt: $38
  • Churches, Gardens, & Graveyards Smartphone Tour: $5.11
  • City Segway Tour: $67
  • Discover the Halifax Explosion Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
  • Full Day City Sightseeing Tour: $1,675
  • Guided Harbourfront Food Walking Tour: $120
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
  • Small Group Walking Tour with Citadel & Museum: $102

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Vail $9.79
    Halifax $15


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vail and Halifax, we can see that Vail is more expensive. And not only is Halifax much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Halifax would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halifax 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 Vail would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vail than you might in Halifax.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vail Expensive? and Is Halifax Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Vail or Halifax?

Halifax has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Vail. When comparing the sizes of Vail and Halifax, 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.