Which place is cheaper, Ontario or Alberta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Alberta or Ontario?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Alberta or Ontario? 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: Alberta or Ontario?
Alberta
If you ever wanted to visit a place where all the beauty of nature is centrally located, you will want to make a trip to Alberta, Canada. With part of the Canadian Rockies, the prairies and the wilderness of forests, Alberta has something for everyone. As the home to Canada's oil industry, this is also the richest province in the country.
Ontario
Chances are when you think of Canada, the things that come to mind are all located in the province of Ontario. Ontario has the highest population of any province in the country, and is the heart of Canadian tourism. As the home of Toronto, Niagara Falls and Lake Superior, this area is a major tourist destination.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vancouver, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Toronto, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Vancouver.
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Alberta Prices
Canada PricesOntario Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAlberta $132Ontario $14,222
The average daily cost (per person) in Alberta is $132, while the average daily cost in Ontario is $14,222. 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 Alberta and Ontario in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAlberta $66Ontario $7,722
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAlberta $132Ontario $
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Compare Hotels in Alberta and Ontario
Looking for a hotel in Alberta or Ontario? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Alberta $19Ontario $2,216
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alberta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alberta:
- Black Car Airport Transfers in Bow Valley: $295
- Edmonton Airport (YEG) to Edmonton - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $241
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Lake Louise - Arrival Private Transfer: $208
- Calgary or Calgary Airport to Lake Louise Private Transfer: $203
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $202
- Calgary or YYC Airport to Banff | Private Transfer: $162
- Calgary YYC Airport: Hassle-free Private Transfer to Lake Louise: $161
- Calgary to Banff - Private Transfer: $150
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury Van: $141
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury SUV: $141
- Arrival Private Transfer: Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary in Luxury SUV: $141
- Departure Private Transfer: Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury Van: $141
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ontario
Also for Ontario, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer:- Toronto Pearson Airport to Waterloo Black Car Service: $92
- Arrival Private Transfer: Pearson Airport YYZ to Toronto in Luxury Van: $173
- Arrival Private Transfer: Toronto Airport YYZ to Niagara Falls in Luxury SUV: $215
- Arrival Transfer: Pearson Airport YYZ to Toronto in Sedan Car: $167
- Departure Private Transfer Toronto City to Toronto Airport YYZ by SUV or Minibus: $72
- Departure Private Transfer: Toronto to Pearson Airport YYZ in Luxury Van: $147
- Fixed Price :- Private Transfers Niagara falls Hotel OR Pearson Toronto Airport : $293
- Low Cost :- Private Transfer Toronto Downtown to Niagara Falls Ont: $262
- Niagara Buffalo Airport Departure: Private Transfer to Buffalo Niagara Airport: $101
- Niagara Falls private transfers : $277
- Niagara Falls to Pearson Toronto Airport Private Transfer: $276
- Ottawa Airport YOW Private Transfer to Ottawa/University/Chelsea: $42
Is it cheaper to fly into Alberta or Ontario?
Prices for flights to both Ontario and Alberta 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 dayAlberta $47Ontario $4,568
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alberta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alberta.
- Pasta Cooking Class at a Local Distillery in Calgary: $63
- Sushi Cooking Class at a Local Distillery in Calgary: $63
- Sips & Sweets - Canadian Evening Food Tour: $85
- A Taste of Banff Food Tour: $106
- Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $119
- Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $130
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ontario
For Ontario, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Great White North Toronto Food Tour: $55
- Toronto Delicious Donut Adventure and Walking Food Tour: $65
- Downtown London Walking Food Tour: $65
- Toronto Premier Dinner Cruise on Odyssey in Toronto Harbour: $66
- Toronto: St Lawrence Market Food Tour with 6 Food Tastings: $71
- Must-Do Toronto Food Tour by Toronto's First Food Tour Company: $73
- Ottawa Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $77
- Oh Canada Eh!? Dinner Musical : $78
- French Bistro Cooking Class in Toronto (Includes 3-Course Meal): $80
- Niagara Falls Evening Tour with Boat, Journey, Dinner & Fireworks: $81
- Niagara Falls Evening Tour with Boat, Dinner & Illumination Tower: $88
- European Evening Walking Food Tour in London, Ontario: $92
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Alberta $13Ontario $1,547
Tours and Activities in Alberta
Here are a few actual costs in Alberta for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Banff National Park Big Canoe Tour: $57
- Banff and Yoho Lakes with Takakkaw Falls Group Tour: $147
- Lake Louise Bus Tour Experience: $54
- Moraine Lake Sunrise Tour from Canmore/Banff: $99
- 1 Day of Drumheller Dinosaurs and Badlands Guided Group Tour : $132
- 1 Day of Drumheller Dinosaurs and Badlands in Private Custom Tour: $88
- 1-Hour Edmonton River Valley Segway Tour: $44
- 2 Day Banff Lake Louise Johnston Canyon Gondola Cave Basin tour: $139
- 2 Hour Banff Horseback Riding Adventure: $158
- 2-Day Lake Louise, Moraine Lake & Columbia Icefield Rockies Tour: $80
- 25-Minute Helicopter Adventure in Three Sisters Canmore: $248
- 3 Day Banff Moraine Lake Louise Johnston Columbia Icefield Tour : $241
Tours and Activities in Ontario
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ontario.
- Old Town Toronto Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based : $4.00
- Graffiti in Toronto Walking Tour: $4.44
- Old Town Toronto History Walking Tour: $4.44
- Ottawa City Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based : $5.00
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Bracebridge & Toronto: $6.59
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Collingwood and Toronto: $6.60
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Huntsville & Toronto: $6.65
- Rockcliffe Ottawa: Exploration Game and Tour: $7.20
- Street Art Exploration Game and Self-Guided Tour in Ottawa: $7.20
- Toronto Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.74
- Ottawa Downtown Historic Smartphone Guided Walking Tour: $7.75
- Discover Toronto's Waterfront with a Smartphone Trivia Tour!: $8.12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAlberta $11Ontario $876
Sample the Local Flavors in Alberta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Alberta:
- Park Distillery Tour with Craft Spirits Tasting: $11
- Park Distillery Tour with Whisky Tasting: $18
- Calgary Brewery Tour: $88
- Edmonton Brewery Tour (10 person minimum group): $103
Sample the Local Flavors in Ontario
Also in Ontario, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Summer Sips - Private Outdoor Wine Tasting Experience: $22
- Niagara's Decadent Sparkling and Icewine Tasting: $23
- Black Glass Wine Tasting: $23
- Illuminarium Toronto in the Distillery District: $26
- 30-Minute Distillery District Segway Tour: $36
- Toronto Distillery & Old Town Walking Tour With A Guide: $42
- Toronto Distillery District Self-Guided Walking Tour: $43
- Pub Crawl Toronto: $44
- Distillery District Breakfast Tour: $54
- Niagara Wine Tour and Tastings with Included Transportation : $59
- Private Corktown and Distillery District Tour: $59
- Niagara Falls Day Tour from Toronto with Wine Tasting: $73
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Alberta and Ontario, we can see that Ontario is more expensive. And not only is Alberta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Alberta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alberta 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 Ontario would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ontario than you might in Alberta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Alberta Expensive? and Is Ontario Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Alberta or Ontario?
Ontario has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Alberta. When comparing the sizes of Alberta and Ontario, 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.
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.