Which place is cheaper, Nova Scotia or California?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit California or Nova Scotia?
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 California and Nova Scotia. 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: California or Nova Scotia?
California
California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is known for a variety of attractions such as Hollywood, warm beaches, the San Francisco bay area, Redwood trees, national parks, and stunning mountain vistas. With a variety of locations and activities to offer, California has become one of the premier travel destinations in the world.
Nova Scotia
As one of the original four provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia became part of Canada in 1867. With a population of over 900,000 people, 44% of them live in the capital city of Nova Scotia. This region is truly diverse with people of countless ethnic backgrounds calling Nova Scotia home, but the biggest influences come from the early Scottish settlers. It's undoubtedly there even if it's been mixed with the native Mi'kmaq culture and those of other immigrant groups.
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 3-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vancouver.
-
California Prices
USA PricesNova Scotia Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCalifornia $284Nova Scotia $130
The average daily cost (per person) in California is $284, while the average daily cost in Nova Scotia is $130. 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 California and Nova Scotia in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCalifornia $116Nova Scotia $60
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCalifornia $232Nova Scotia $120
Compare Hotels in California and Nova Scotia
Looking for a hotel in California or Nova Scotia? 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
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.California $42Nova Scotia $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Long Beach to Los Angeles port- Departure Private Transfer: $142
- Los Angeles Private Transfer To or From Orange County North.: $73
- Private One Way Transfer to San Francisco Airport: $147
- Private Transfer from SFO to San Francisco: $125
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to Carlsbad, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- Airport Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco by Luxury SUV: $138
- Airport Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO by Luxury SUV: $138
- Anaheim Resort Private Transfer to or from John Wayne Airport.: $56
- Anaheim to Los Angeles Airport Departure Private Transfer: $132
- Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $270
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $131
- Buena Park to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $78
Is it cheaper to fly into California or Nova Scotia?
Prices for flights to both Nova Scotia and California 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 dayCalifornia $79Nova Scotia $52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California
For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Monica Delicious Donut Adventure and Walking Food Tour: $70
- 2 Hour Ravioli Cooking Class With Local Chef in San Diego : $75
- Pirates Dinner Adventure Buena Park: $76
- Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting: $84
- San Francisco North Beach & Chinatown Food Tour with 5 Tastings: $85
- North Park San Diego Walking Food Tour: $85
- Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour: $89
- The Immigrant & Historic Businesses of Silver Lake Food Tour: $89
- Little Italy Food and Drink Walking Tour: Pizza, Pasta & Piazzas: $90
- San Francisco Food Tour: Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market: $95
- San Diego Gaslamp Food Tour with 6 Modern Californian Tastings: $95
- Encinitas Food Tour: $96
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.California $69Nova Scotia $28
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Walking Tour in Los Angeles' Best-Kept Secrets: $3.59
- San Francisco Uncovered Self-Guided Adventure: $3.59
- Self-Guided Golden Gate Bridge Bike or Walking App Tour: $5.00
- Self-Guided San Diego Walking or Bicycle Tour App: $5.00
- Missing Gem Quest Experience in Morgan Hill: $5.95
- Santa Monica Superhero Exploration Game and Tour: $5.96
- Avalon City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- Hollywood Boulevard’s Haunting History and Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Pasadena Puzzle Adventure: Stop the Bomb!: $7.20
- Los Angeles Downtown Scavenger Hunt Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $7.20
- LA Little Tokyo to Olvera St Smartphone (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $7.50
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCalifornia $21Nova Scotia $16
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Long Beach Boss Bar Crawl: $12
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Scavenger Adventure and Lake Tahoe Bar Crawl: $15
- Palm Springs Bar Crawl: $15
- Santa Monica Bar Crawl: $15
- Vintner's Private Wine Tasting Experience: $20
- San Francisco Pub Crawl + Clubbing Experience: $27
- Paso Robles Aria (Syrah Dominant) Flight Wine Tasting : $30
- Paso Robles Sonata(Red Blend) Flight Wine Tasting : $30
- Hillcrest: LGBTQ+ Pub Crawl with Local Drag Queen: $35
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $36
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between California and Nova Scotia, we can see that California is more expensive. And not only is Nova Scotia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Nova Scotia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nova Scotia 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 California would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in California than you might in Nova Scotia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is California Expensive? and Is Nova Scotia Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, California or Nova Scotia?
California has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Nova Scotia. When comparing the sizes of California and Nova Scotia, 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.