A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Grand Cayman vs. Banff for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Grand Cayman or Banff?

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 Grand Cayman and Banff. 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: Grand Cayman or Banff?

Grand Cayman

When people think of the Cayman Islands, they typically think of offshore bank accounts and sunny, cruise ship ports. Grand Cayman has more to offer travelers than a playground for the wealthy or a short stopover for cruise passengers. This tropical island is the largest of the three Cayman Islands, it is a shopper's heaven, a center for global finance and an ideal vacation spot.

Banff

Nestled in the pristine and gorgeous mountains of the Alberta Rockies is the popular town of Banff. This town sits right in Canada's Banff National Park and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

While the surrounding nature may give the impression of a quiet, little town, Banff is typically crowded with tourists. The beauty of this area is irresistible for travelers from all over the world. This may not be the place for solitude or even an authentic, country experience, you'll still find an unforgettable vacation.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, and The Best Camping Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Banff or Grand Cayman?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $242, while the average daily cost in Banff is $105. 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 Grand Cayman and Banff in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Grand Cayman $149
    Banff $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Grand Cayman $298
    Banff $76
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and Banff

Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman or Banff? 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 Grand Cayman


Hotels in Banff


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: Grand Cayman Hotel Prices and Banff Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Grand Cayman $31
    Banff $5.18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman

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

  • Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $103
  • Private Transfer from Airport to morritts: $180

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Banff

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Banff:

  • Canmore/Banff to Calgary Airport (YYC) Private Transfer: $172
  • Calgary Airport to Banff - Private Transfer: $839
  • Banff to Calgary YYC Airport (Private Transfer with Tesla): $286
  • All-Inclusive Private Banff Tour with Hotel Transfer: $796

Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or Banff?

Prices for flights to both Banff and Grand Cayman 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
    Grand Cayman $67
    Banff $49

Typical Food Prices in Banff

Some typical examples of dining costs in Banff are as follows:


  • Tea House Lunch for Two
    $33
  • Hostel Breakfast
    $27
  • McDonalds
    $4.63

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Banff

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Banff.

  • Sips & Sweets - Canadian Evening Food Tour: $85
  • A Taste of Banff Food Tour: $106
  • Winter Tour with Dinner & Nightrise at Banff Gondola: $166

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Grand Cayman $41
    Banff $12

Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman

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

  • CaymanVisitor Hide & Seek GeoTour Self-Drive Tour: $13
  • Diamonds and Cocktails a Shopping Experience in Grand Cayman: $25
  • 2 Stop Reef Snorkel and Glass Bottom Boat Adventure: $35
  • Grand Cayman Hop On Hop Off Island Adventure: $40
  • Stingray City and Snorkeling Tour Starfish Point Adventure: $53
  • Stingray City, Snorkeling, & StarFish Adventure: $55
  • Stingray City and Starfish Experience with Coral Reef Snorkeling: $55
  • Stingray City Catamaran Sunset Tour: $59
  • West Bay Sightseeing Tour Plus Seven Mile Beach Visit: $65
  • 3 Stop Boat Tour Stingray City Coral Gardens and Starfish Point: $65
  • Stingray City Sandbar Experience: $65
  • StingrayCity ,Coral Garden & Starfish Tour. : $69

Typical Entertainment Prices in Banff

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Banff are as follows:


  • Hot Springs
    $5.31

Tours and Activities in Banff

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Banff are as follows:

  • 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
  • 2 Day Banff Lake Louise Johnston Canyon Gondola Cave Basin tour: $139
  • 2 Hour Banff Horseback Riding Adventure: $158
  • 2-Day Private Tour: Banff Lake Louise Columbia Icefield Tour: $1,218
  • 25-Minute Helicopter Adventure in Three Sisters Canmore: $248
  • 4WD Tour from Calgary to Bow Lake Banff: $183
  • Athabasca Falls/Abraham,Sunwapta Falls,Icefield & Peyto Lake Tour: $117
  • Banff - Lake Louise Moraine Lake and Icefields Parkway Tour: $151
  • Banff 2-day: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Johnston Canyon tour: $78

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Grand Cayman $13
    Banff $9.33
Typical Alcohol Prices in Grand Cayman

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:


  • Beer
    $4.95

Sample the Local Flavors in Grand Cayman

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Grand Cayman:

  • Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery Tour Pass Ticket Only: $24
  • Cayman Art and Wine Tour: $150

Sample the Local Flavors in Banff

Also in Banff, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Park Distillery Tour with Craft Spirits Tasting: $11
  • Park Distillery Tour with Whisky Tasting: $18


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Grand Cayman and Banff, we can see that Grand Cayman is more expensive. And not only is Banff much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand Cayman is in Caribbean Islands and Banff is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Banff would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Banff 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 Grand Cayman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grand Cayman than you might in Banff.

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


Which is Bigger, Grand Cayman or Banff?

Grand Cayman has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Banff. When comparing the sizes of Grand Cayman and Banff, 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.