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

Should you visit Yellowstone National Park or Kamloops?

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

Should I visit Yellowstone National Park or Kamloops? 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: Yellowstone National Park or Kamloops?

Yellowstone National Park

The world's first national park, Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872. The area is famous for its many geysers, hot springs, and thermal areas. It also has a wide diversity of wildlife and stunning beauty, making it one of the most impressive places you can visit in the United States. The national park takes up an area of about 3,472 square miles and is mostly located within the state of Wyoming. It also touches the states of Idaho and Montana.

Kamloops

In British Columbia, Canada, Kamloops is perhaps most famous for the large number of tournaments it hosts, everything from the Strauss Canada Cup of Curling, to the World Fly Fishing Championships. It also hosts Skate Canada, Tim Horton's Olympic Qualifying Bike Race, and the World Junior Hockey Championships among others. The city is in the south central part of the province and it sits near the confluence of the two branches of the Thompson River near Kamloops Lake. The city has a population of about 85,000 and it's the largest community in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Kamloops or Yellowstone National Park?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Yellowstone National Park is $147, while the average daily cost in Kamloops is $81. 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 Yellowstone National Park and Kamloops in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Yellowstone National Park $74
    Kamloops $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Yellowstone National Park $148
    Kamloops $88
Compare Hotels in Yellowstone National Park and Kamloops

Looking for a hotel in Yellowstone National Park or Kamloops? 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 Yellowstone National Park


Hotels in Kamloops


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: Yellowstone National Park Hotel Prices and Kamloops Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Yellowstone National Park $37
    Kamloops $20

Is it cheaper to fly into Yellowstone National Park or Kamloops?

Prices for flights to both Kamloops and Yellowstone National Park 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
    Yellowstone National Park $46
    Kamloops $24

Typical Food Prices in Kamloops

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


  • Pastries
    $5.81
  • Lunch for Two
    $25
  • Coffee and Gelato
    $12

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Yellowstone National Park $34
    Kamloops $13

Tours and Activities in Yellowstone National Park

Here are a few actual costs in Yellowstone National Park for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • West Thumb Geysers Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
  • 5-Day Winter Yellowstone Wildlife Tour: $3,349
  • 6-Mile Geyser Hiking Tour in Yellowstone with Lunch: $182
  • E-Bike Tours in Yellowstone National Park: $200
  • Early Morning Guided Kayak Tour: $125
  • Full-Day Guided Yellowstone Day Tour: $269
  • Grand Prismatic Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Lake Yellowstone Half Day Kayak Tours Past Geothermal Features : $135
  • Lamar Valley Safari Hiking Tour with Lunch: $182
  • Self-Guided Grand Teton National Park Driving Tour: $8.99
  • Small-Group Sunset Kayaking Tour on Lake Yellowstone : $150
  • Yellowstone 3-day Tour Round-trip From Salt Lake City: $1,088

Tours and Activities in Kamloops

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

  • Vancouver and Smartphone Audio Driving Tour: $6.21
  • Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Kamloops and Vancouver: $6.35
  • Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Kamloops & Revelstoke: $6.35
  • Skip the Line: Kamloops BC Wildlife Park Admission Ticket: $14
  • Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Kamloops by Zombie Scavengers: $21

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Yellowstone National Park $19
    Kamloops $6.77


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

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


Related Articles for Yellowstone National Park
Related Articles for Kamloops