Which place is cheaper, Ontario or British Columbia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit British Columbia or Ontario?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between British Columbia and Ontario can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: British Columbia or Ontario?
British Columbia
The westernmost province in Canada, British Columbia, is four times the size of Great Britain with less than one tenth of the population. This is due to the vast mountain ranges just ready to be tackled including the Rockies, Selkirks and the Coastal Range. With vibrant cities and ambitious outdoor activities, British Columbia is ready for any traveler.
Ontario
Chances are when you think of Canada, the things that come to mind are all located in the province of Ontario. Ontario has the highest population of any province in the country, and is the heart of Canadian tourism. As the home of Toronto, Niagara Falls and Lake Superior, this area is a major tourist destination.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Coach Bus Tours in Canada, The Best Adventure Tours to Canada, The Best Eco Tours in Canada, and The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada.
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British Columbia Prices
Canada PricesOntario Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBritish Columbia $178,409Ontario $14,222
The average daily cost (per person) in British Columbia is $178,409, while the average daily cost in Ontario is $14,222. 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 British Columbia and Ontario in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBritish Columbia $96,177Ontario $7,722
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBritish Columbia $
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192Ontario $
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Compare Hotels in British Columbia and Ontario
Looking for a hotel in British Columbia or Ontario? 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.British Columbia $13,297Ontario $2,216
Hired Cars and Shuttles in British Columbia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in British Columbia:
- Private Transfer, Vancouver, BC to Vancouver Cruise Ship Terminal, VIP SUV : $300
- Private Transfer from Vancouver City to Vancouver (YVR) Airport: $297
- Vancouver Airport YVR Round-Trip Private Transfer by Luxury SUV: $293
- Vancouver Cruise Transfers/ Pre & Post Cruise City Sightseeing Tour Private: $280
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to Mount Washington - Arrival Transfer: $273
- Private Port Transfer Canada Place Cruise Terminal to Richmond BC: $243
- Vancouver Cruise Ship to/from YVR Airport.Hotel Private Transfer: $221
- Private Transfer from Vancouver Downtown to Whistler: $219
- Vancouver Airport (YVR) to White Rock - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $216
- Mount Washington to Nanaimo Airport (YCD) - Departure Transfer: $214
- Private Transfer from Richmond to Canada Place Cruise Terminal: $211
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Vancouver APT-HTL(YVR): $188
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ontario
Also for Ontario, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer:- Toronto Pearson Airport to Waterloo Black Car Service: $92
- Arrival Private Transfer: Pearson Airport YYZ to Toronto in Luxury Van: $173
- Arrival Private Transfer: Toronto Airport YYZ to Niagara Falls in Luxury SUV: $215
- Arrival Transfer: Pearson Airport YYZ to Toronto in Sedan Car: $167
- Departure Private Transfer Toronto City to Toronto Airport YYZ by SUV or Minibus: $72
- Departure Private Transfer: Toronto to Pearson Airport YYZ in Luxury Van: $147
- Fixed Price :- Private Transfers Niagara falls Hotel OR Pearson Toronto Airport : $293
- Low Cost :- Private Transfer Toronto Downtown to Niagara Falls Ont: $262
- Niagara Buffalo Airport Departure: Private Transfer to Buffalo Niagara Airport: $101
- Niagara Falls private transfers : $277
- Niagara Falls to Pearson Toronto Airport Private Transfer: $276
- Ottawa Airport YOW Private Transfer to Ottawa/University/Chelsea: $42
Is it cheaper to fly into British Columbia or Ontario?
Prices for flights to both Ontario and British Columbia 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
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Food Meals for one dayBritish Columbia $64,744Ontario $4,568
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in British Columbia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in British Columbia.
- A Slice of Victoria Pizza and Craft Beer Walking Tour: $71
- Vancouver Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $75
- Mt Pleasant Food Tour from Vancouver: $82
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $83
- Kelowna: #1 Rated Walking Food Tour with 7 Tastings and 4 Drinks: $85
- Kelowna Top 5 Food Tour with Drinks: $88
- Hip & Hidden Chinatown + Old Town Food Tour Victoria: $89
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $99
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $115
- Granville Island Market VIP Walking Food Tour : $115
- Hidden Vancouver Tour with Dinner: $118
- Indulge in a Wine & Food Tour - Cowichan Valley : $125
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ontario
For Ontario, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Great White North Toronto Food Tour: $55
- Toronto Delicious Donut Adventure and Walking Food Tour: $65
- Downtown London Walking Food Tour: $66
- Toronto Premier Dinner Cruise on Odyssey in Toronto Harbour: $66
- Toronto: St Lawrence Market Food Tour with 6 Food Tastings: $71
- Must-Do Toronto Food Tour by Toronto's First Food Tour Company: $73
- Ottawa Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $77
- Oh Canada Eh!? Dinner Musical : $78
- French Bistro Cooking Class in Toronto (Includes 3-Course Meal): $80
- Niagara Falls Evening Tour with Boat, Journey, Dinner & Fireworks: $81
- Niagara Falls Evening Tour with Boat, Dinner & Illumination Tower: $88
- European Evening Walking Food Tour in London, Ontario: $92
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.British Columbia $11,394Ontario $1,547
Tours and Activities in British Columbia
Here are a few actual costs in British Columbia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Private Tour of City of Vancouver: $147
- Cruise Ship Terminal to Vancouver Airport Private Transport: $150
- Guided Bike /E-bike Tour in Whistler From Vancouver: $218
- Half-day Hike and Bike Tour in Vancouver: $129
- Spirit Of Vancouver Bike or Ebike Tour: $100
- Vancouver 1-Day city tour: $98
- Victoria 1-Day Tour From Vancouver: $190
- Victoria BC - Coast & Castle Tour by E-Bike: $110
- Whistler Discovery and Waterfalls Small Group Tour: : $196
- 1 day Whistler Tour from Vancouver Experience (chn&eng): $88
- 1 hour City Tour & Butchart Gardens: Christmas - Entry included!: $100
- 2 Hour Evening Adventure Kayaking Tour: $79
Tours and Activities in Ontario
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ontario.
- Old Town Toronto Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based : $4.00
- Old Town Toronto History Walking Tour: $4.44
- Graffiti in Toronto Walking Tour: $4.44
- Ottawa City Highlights 3 Hour Walking Tour | Gratuity-Based : $5.00
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Huntsville & Toronto: $6.65
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Bracebridge & Toronto: $6.65
- Smartphone Audio Driving Tour between Collingwood and Toronto: $6.66
- Rockcliffe Ottawa: Exploration Game and Tour: $7.20
- Street Art Exploration Game and Self-Guided Tour in Ottawa: $7.20
- Toronto Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.74
- Ottawa Downtown Historic Smartphone Guided Walking Tour: $7.75
- Discover Toronto's Waterfront with a Smartphone Trivia Tour!: $8.12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBritish Columbia $4,353Ontario $876
Sample the Local Flavors in British Columbia
Also in British Columbia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Vancouver British Columbia Bar Crawl: $15
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Neighbourhood Walking Tour: $66
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $89
- Vancouver Behind-the-Scenes Brewery Tour: $92
- Private Wine Tour at Church and State Wines in Victoria BC Canada: $93
- North Vancouver Elite Walking Brewery Tour: $95
- Lake Country Scenic Wine Tour With Wine Tasting Experience: $103
- Half-Day West Kelowna Afternoon Wine tour: $110
- Kelowna Wine Tour by E-bike, Okanagan Valley Views and Lunch: $111
- Half-Day Victoria to Cowichan Valley Wine Tour with Tastings: $114
- Osoyoos Half Day Wine Tour (Incl. Tasting Fees & Guide Gratuity!): $118
- Unmatched Private Wine Tours for Up to 11 in Kelowna Area: $118
Sample the Local Flavors in Ontario
Also in Ontario, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Summer Sips - Private Outdoor Wine Tasting Experience: $22
- Niagara's Decadent Sparkling and Icewine Tasting: $23
- Black Glass Wine Tasting: $23
- Illuminarium Toronto in the Distillery District: $26
- 30-Minute Distillery District Segway Tour: $36
- Toronto Distillery & Old Town Walking Tour With A Guide: $42
- Toronto Distillery District Self-Guided Walking Tour: $43
- Pub Crawl Toronto: $44
- Distillery District Breakfast Tour: $54
- Niagara Wine Tour and Tastings with Included Transportation : $59
- Private Corktown and Distillery District Tour: $59
- Niagara Falls Day Tour from Toronto with Wine Tasting: $73
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between British Columbia and Ontario, we can see that British Columbia is more expensive. And not only is Ontario much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ontario would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ontario 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 British Columbia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in British Columbia than you might in Ontario.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is British Columbia Expensive? and Is Ontario Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, British Columbia or Ontario?
Ontario has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of British Columbia. When comparing the sizes of British Columbia and Ontario, 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.