A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kailua-Kona vs. Ottawa for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kailua-Kona or Ottawa?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kailua-Kona or Ottawa, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Kailua-Kona or Ottawa?

Kailua-Kona

Kailua-Kona, often simply called Kona, is a vibrant seaside town located on the west coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Known for its sunny weather, beautiful beaches, and laid-back atmosphere, Kona offers travelers an appealing mix of natural beauty and Hawaiian culture. The town is famous for its historic waterfront, local coffee farms, and as the gateway to many of the island’s unique adventures. Despite its popularity, Kailua-Kona remains more relaxed and less crowded than some of Hawaii’s other tourist hubs. Beach lovers, water sports enthusiasts, history buffs, and foodies will all find plenty to enjoy here. With a mix of affordable accommodations, local eateries, and free or inexpensive attractions, it’s a great destination for budget travelers. The nearby volcanic landscapes, snorkeling spots, and lively marketplaces make it an excellent base for exploring the west side of the Big Island.

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, located on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. A city of many ethnic populations, Ottawa is uniquely bilingual with English as the first language of the population's majority and French as a close second.  It is best known as the nation's capital, which is centered on Parliament Hill, an architectural landmark as well as the seat of government.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in United States of America, The Best Walking Tours in United States of America, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada, and The Best Coach Bus Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Ottawa or Kailua-Kona?

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

  • Kailua-Kona Prices
    USA Prices
    Ottawa Prices
    Canada Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Kailua-Kona $274
    Ottawa $134

The average daily cost (per person) in Kailua-Kona is $274, while the average daily cost in Ottawa is $134. 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 Kailua-Kona and Ottawa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kailua-Kona $141
    Ottawa $18
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kailua-Kona $282
    Ottawa $36
Compare Hotels in Kailua-Kona and Ottawa

Looking for a hotel in Kailua-Kona or Ottawa? 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 Kailua-Kona


Hotels in Ottawa


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: Kailua-Kona Hotel Prices and Ottawa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kailua-Kona $45
    Ottawa $7.21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kailua-Kona

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kailua-Kona are as follows:


  • Rental Car for One Day
    $35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ottawa

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

  • Private Arrival Transfer from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Airport YOW: $40
  • Ottawa Airport YOW Private Transfer to Ottawa/University/Chelsea: $42
  • Ottawa Parc Omega Private Tour with Hotel Transfer: $216

Is it cheaper to fly into Kailua-Kona or Ottawa?

Prices for flights to both Ottawa and Kailua-Kona 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
    Kailua-Kona $100
    Ottawa $29
Typical Food Prices in Kailua-Kona

Some typical examples of dining costs in Kailua-Kona are as follows:


  • Buffet Breakfast for Two
    $53

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ottawa

For Ottawa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Ottawa Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $76
  • Oh Canada Eh!? Dinner Musical : $77
  • Taste of the ByWard Market Food Tour: $104
  • Evening Taste of the ByWard Market Food Tour: $104
  • Guided ByWard Market Food Tour: $106
  • A Taste of Canada Food Tour: $108
  • Taste of Canada Food Tour with Guide: $112

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kailua-Kona $40
    Ottawa $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kailua-Kona

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


  • Diving with Manta Rays for Two
    $162
  • Body Board Rental (1 Day)
    $12
  • 1 Day Kayak Rental
    $47
  • 2 Tank Morning Scuba Dive
    $115

Tours and Activities in Kailua-Kona

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kailua-Kona are as follows:

  • From Kona: Volcano & Waterfall Tour, Small Group: $295

Tours and Activities in Ottawa

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

  • Ottawa City Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based : $5.00
  • Rockcliffe Exploration Game and Tour: $7.16
  • Street Art Exploration Game and Self-Guided Tour in Ottawa: $7.16
  • Ottawa Downtown Historic Smartphone Guided Walking Tour: $7.75
  • Ottawa Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Detective Adventure: $8.35
  • A Self Guided Audio Tour of Ottawa's Hidden History: $8.99
  • Ottawa Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $9.55
  • Ottawa Valleyview Little Animal Farm Tour: $10
  • Ottawa's Original Historical Highlights Public Walking Tour: $18
  • Ottawa : Historic Tour of the Ottawa Jail Hostel: $18
  • Aqua Taxi Hop-on and Hop-Off Tour: $18
  • Ottawa Senators Ice Hockey Game Ticket: $22

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kailua-Kona $15
    Ottawa $18

Sample the Local Flavors in Ottawa

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

  • Chelsea: Guided tour of the Square Distillery: $25


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kailua-Kona Expensive? and Is Ottawa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kailua-Kona or Ottawa?

Ottawa has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Kailua-Kona. When comparing the sizes of Kailua-Kona and Ottawa, 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.


When is the best time to visit Kailua-Kona or Ottawa?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Kailua-Kona or Ottawa in the Summer?

Both Ottawa and Kailua-Kona during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, most visitors come to Ottawa for the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In July, Kailua-Kona is generally a little warmer than Ottawa. Daily temperatures in Kailua-Kona average around 78°F (25°C), and Ottawa fluctuates around 21°C (71°F).

In Ottawa, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Kailua-Kona often gets less sunshine than Ottawa. Kailua-Kona gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ottawa receives 268 hours of full sun.

Kailua-Kona usually gets less rain in July than Ottawa. Kailua-Kona gets 2.3 inches (58 mm) of rain, while Ottawa receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Kailua-Kona 78°F (25°C) 
    Ottawa 21°C (71°F)

Should I visit Kailua-Kona or Ottawa in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Kailua-Kona and Ottawa. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Ottawa because of the shopping scene.

Kailua-Kona is much warmer than Ottawa in the autumn. The daily temperature in Kailua-Kona averages around 78°F (26°C) in October, and Ottawa fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).

Kailua-Kona usually receives more sunshine than Ottawa during autumn. Kailua-Kona gets 138 hours of sunny skies, while Ottawa receives 116 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Kailua-Kona usually receives less rain than Ottawa. Kailua-Kona gets 1.6 inches (41 mm) of rain, while Ottawa receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Kailua-Kona 78°F (26°C) 
    Ottawa 9°C (48°F)

Should I visit Kailua-Kona or Ottawa in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Kailua-Kona as well as Ottawa. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Ottawa this time of year.

It's quite cold in Ottawa in the winter. In the winter, Kailua-Kona is much warmer than Ottawa. Typically, the winter temperatures in Kailua-Kona in January average around 74°F (23°C), and Ottawa averages at about -10°C (14°F).

In the winter, Kailua-Kona often gets more sunshine than Ottawa. Kailua-Kona gets 158 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ottawa receives 93 hours of full sun.

Kailua-Kona receives a lot of rain in the winter. Kailua-Kona usually gets more rain in January than Ottawa. Kailua-Kona gets 3.9 inches (100 mm) of rain, while Ottawa receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Kailua-Kona 74°F (23°C) 
    Ottawa -10°C (14°F)

Should I visit Kailua-Kona or Ottawa in the Spring?

Both Ottawa and Kailua-Kona are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.

In April, Kailua-Kona is generally much warmer than Ottawa. Daily temperatures in Kailua-Kona average around 74°F (24°C), and Ottawa fluctuates around 6°C (44°F).

Kailua-Kona usually receives less sunshine than Ottawa during spring. Kailua-Kona gets 134 hours of sunny skies, while Ottawa receives 180 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Kailua-Kona usually receives more rain than Ottawa. Kailua-Kona gets 3 inches (76 mm) of rain, while Ottawa receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Kailua-Kona 74°F (24°C) 
    Ottawa 6°C (44°F)

Typical Weather for Ottawa and Kailua-Kona

Kailua-Kona Ottawa
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 74°F (23°C) 3.9 inches (100 mm) -10°C (14°F) 51 mm (2 in)
Feb 73°F (23°C) 3.2 inches (82 mm) -9°C (16°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Mar 74°F (23°C) 4.4 inches (111 mm) -2°C (28°F) 57 mm (2.2 in)
Apr 74°F (24°C) 3 inches (76 mm) 6°C (44°F) 65 mm (2.6 in)
May 76°F (24°C) 1.6 inches (40 mm) 13°C (56°F) 77 mm (3 in)
Jun 77°F (25°C) 1.8 inches (47 mm) 19°C (65°F) 84 mm (3.3 in)
Jul 78°F (25°C) 2.3 inches (58 mm) 21°C (71°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)
Aug 78°F (26°C) 1.9 inches (49 mm) 20°C (68°F) 88 mm (3.5 in)
Sep 79°F (26°C) 1.1 inches (29 mm) 15°C (59°F) 84 mm (3.3 in)
Oct 78°F (26°C) 1.6 inches (41 mm) 9°C (48°F) 75 mm (3 in)
Nov 76°F (25°C) 3.3 inches (85 mm) 2°C (36°F) 81 mm (3.2 in)
Dec 74°F (24°C) 3.4 inches (87 mm) -7°C (20°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)