A Travel Price Comparison for Canada Edmonton vs. Halifax for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Edmonton or Halifax?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Edmonton and Halifax can help you decide which place is right for you.

Edmonton

Edmonton is a cultural, authentic, and friendly city. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, shopping, and museums. See Edmonton travel costs.

Halifax

Halifax is a cultural, historical, and friendly city. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping. See Halifax travel costs.

Edmonton and Halifax: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Edmonton or Halifax?

Both Halifax and Edmonton have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Edmonton is more popular for its museums and attractions and shopping, while Halifax is known for its food. Halifax is more touristy than Edmonton and is popular for its maritime past. Edmonton is popular for its many festivals and lively personality.

How is Edmonton different from Halifax?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Halifax and Edmonton. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Edmonton or Halifax?

Edmonton is a very popular place for its museums and history. Also, Halifax is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Edmonton can be an interesting and educational experience. You'll find a number of good museums around town such as the Royal Alberta Museum, Muttart Conservatory, the Alberta Aviation Museum, and the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Halifax offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. You should head to Pier 21, where you'll find the Canadian Museum of Immigration. The Discovery Center is a great spot for kids, as is the Natural History Museum. Finally, check out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.

Is the Food Better in Edmonton or Halifax? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Halifax is very good for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Edmonton is not a good city for its restaurants.

Halifax offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. You'll find lobster rolls and other seafood around town, but also make sure you try the Halifax donair, which is a shaved beef sandwich wrap that can be found a many pizza restaurants.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Edmonton. You'll find a mix of casual cafes, international eateries, and more upscale dining options.

Is Edmonton or Halifax Better for Nightlife?

Both Edmonton and Halifax are good when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Edmonton. There's a mix of nightclubs, bars, and breweries around town. Head to Jasper Avenue for the high end clubs or check out a live show at one of the active theaters around town.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Halifax. There's a laid back atmosphere to the nightlife scene. There are casual bars and pubs where you can meet the locals and a few nightclubs where there's a relaxed but fun atmosphere.

Is the Shopping Better in Edmonton or Halifax?

Edmonton is a very popular place for shopping. Also, Halifax is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its shopping opportunities.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Edmonton. The city is home to the West Edmonton Mall, which is the largest shopping mall in Canada, and among the largest in the world. The mall includes hundreds of shops, restaurants, a hotel, ice rink, movie theaters, an aquarium, and Galaxyland, which is one of the largest indoor amusement parks in the world. The mall is divided into themed sections that represent iconic places from around the world such as Europa Boulevard and Bourbon Street.

Halifax offers some nice shopping areas. You'll find a mix of boutiques, artisan shops, large malls, and shopping centers.

Is Edmonton or Halifax Better for Families?

You'll find good kid-friendly activities in either Edmonton or Halifax.

Edmonton is a family-friendly place to visit. Many families live in town so if you're visiting for a few days you'll find plenty to do with kids. Most of the activities are concentrated in the downtown areas and along the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. The whole family will enjoy a visit to Telus World of Science. There's also the Edmonton Valley Zoo, the Alberta Aviation Museum, and Galaxyland, as well as many other activities.

Halifax is a family-friendly city. There are a handful of kid-friendly museums like the Museum of Natural History. Kids will also appreciate a visit to the Discovery Center or stretching their legs at Point Pleasant Park. History lovers should go see the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.

Is Edmonton or Halifax Better for Couples?

Both Edmonton and Halifax are good destinations to visit as a couple.

Edmonton is a nice destination for couples. There's a good theater scene, so you can enjoy dinner and a show. There are also quaint cafes, mellow breweries, and plenty of cultural activities like art museums.

Halifax makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples can wander down the waterfront or take a stroll through Point Pleasant Park. The city also has number of romantic restaurants and hotels.

Is Edmonton or Halifax Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Halifax is very good for backpackers. However, Edmonton is not a good city for backpackers and budget travelers.

Halifax is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There's actually a decent number of hostels around town for backpackers and budget travelers.

Edmonton is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. Most backpackers overlook this city, but there is a hostel in town where you can stay.

Is Edmonton or Halifax Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Edmonton and Halifax offer good public transit options.

Edmonton has a few public transit options. The city has both bus and light rail systems.

Halifax has some public transit options. There are buses around town as well as a ferry to Dartmouth.

Is Edmonton or Halifax a more walkable city?

Edmonton and Halifax both are good when exploring on foot.

Edmonton is somewhat walkable. There are parts of the city that are very walkable.

Halifax is a somewhat walkable place. It's a compact town that's relatively easy to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Edmonton Worth Visiting? and Is Halifax Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Halifax or Edmonton?

How long in Edmonton or Halifax?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Edmonton and Halifax. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Halifax than in Edmonton. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Edmonton, and 2-3 days is enough time in Halifax.

Couples should spend more time in Edmonton than Halifax. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Edmonton that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Halifax than Edmonton if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Halifax.

One day in Edmonton or Halifax?

In Edmonton, you'll find museums and nightlife. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

The city of Halifax offers food and shopping. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Edmonton or Halifax?

In Edmonton, you'll find nightlife and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Edmonton has to offer.

Halifax is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Halifax, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Edmonton or Halifax?

Edmonton is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Halifax is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Edmonton or Halifax?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Edmonton. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Edmonton. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Halifax is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Canada, The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada, The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vancouver.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Edmonton and Halifax, we can see that Edmonton 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 Edmonton would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edmonton 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 Edmonton Expensive? and Is Halifax Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Edmonton or Halifax?

Edmonton has a larger population, and is about 98% larger than the population of Halifax. When comparing the sizes of Edmonton 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.