Vancouver from Australia: what a trip really costs
What a day costs in Vancouver, when to go, the visa for Australians and the sights not to miss. Every figure comes from Trip720's checked data, with its source. Updated 26 Oct 2026.
Plan my Vancouver tripDay to day in Vancouver, per person
| Style | Food | With transport |
|---|---|---|
| Street food and markets | A$52 | A$66 |
| A balanced mix | A$94 | A$109 |
| Mostly restaurants | A$134 | A$149 |
- Local transport: about A$14 a day. Taxi: A$4 to start, then A$2.18 a km.
- Cooking for yourself: about A$24 a day for food.
- Tipping: about 15% where service is good.
Your stay, flights and activities come on top: the planner prices them for your dates. Sources: livingcost.org, www2.gov.bc.ca, ptboard.bc.ca; in AUD at today's rate.
When to go
6°F
7°M
9°A
12°M
16°J
18°J
22°A
22°S
18°O
13°N
9°D
6°
The most pleasant months are May to September. July is the driest month (26 mm of rain) and November the wettest (206 mm).
Bars: rain each month; green: the most pleasant months. Numbers: average daytime high. Source: NASA POWER climatology.
Best time to visit Canada, place by placeCompare: United States or Canada · Canada or New Zealand
Visa for Australians
electronic travel authorisation
Fee: CA$7 a person.
Allow at least 7 days before you fly.
Official source: smartraveller.gov.au, checked 2026-10-26. Rules change: your plan checks your own passport when you build it.
Not to miss in Vancouver
Granville Island Public Marketmarket · a couple of hoursTake the tiny Aquabus ferry across False Creek; eat lunch at the market stalls
Canada Place and Coal Harbour waterfrontlandmark · a couple of hoursCruise-ship terminal with the white sails; seaplanes take off beside the walkway
Museum of Anthropology at UBCmuseum · a couple of hoursGreat Hall of totem poles and Bill Reid's The Raven and the First Men
Stanley Park and the Seawallpark · half a dayTotem poles at Brockton Point, Prospect Point lookout and Third Beach for sunset
Capilano Suspension Bridge Parkbridge · half a dayTreetops walkways and the Cliffwalk included; free shuttle from Canada Place. Lynn Canyon is the free alternative
Grouse Mountainmountain · half a daySkyride gondola up for city views, grizzly refuge and lumberjack show; the Grouse Grind is the fit person's way up
Gastown and the Steam Clockneighbourhood · a couple of hoursCobbled streets, brick warehouses and some of the city's best restaurants and bars
Vancouver Aquariumaquarium · a couple of hoursInside Stanley Park; sea otters, jellyfish and Pacific Northwest tanks
Kitsilano Beachbeach · half a dayMountain-backed city beach with a huge heated saltwater pool in summer
Queen Elizabeth Park and VanDusen Botanical Gardengarden · a couple of hoursThe city's highest point, with the quarry gardens and Bloedel Conservatory dome
From our research of travel guides; ticket prices from Tiqets when we found them. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences.
Questions travellers ask
How much does a day in Vancouver cost?
Food and getting around come to about A$66 a person a day eating street food, A$109 with a balanced mix and A$149 eating mostly in restaurants, before your stay and activities.
When is the best time to visit Vancouver?
The most pleasant months are May to September. July is the driest month (26 mm of rain) and November the wettest (206 mm); daytime highs run from 6 to 22 °C over the year.
Do Australians need a visa for Canada?
electronic travel authorisation, CA$7. Checked on smartraveller.gov.au on 2026-10-26; rules change, so check again before you book.
What should I not miss in Vancouver?
Granville Island Public Market, Canada Place and Coal Harbour waterfront, Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Stanley Park and the Seawall, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
Your whole Vancouver trip, priced from your door
Trip720 adds the flights from Australia, the stays, transfers, food, activities and the visa for your dates and budget, home to home.
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