A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hamilton vs. Toronto for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hamilton or Toronto?

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

Should I visit Hamilton or Toronto? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Hamilton or Toronto?

Toronto

The capital of Ontario and the most populated city in Canada, Toronto is a very popular travel destination for any number of reasons. It's positioned along the coast of Lake Ontario and has a population of more than 2.6 million with 6.2 million in the Greater Toronto Area. It's a very international and diverse city, with a very rich cultural history. More than half of the city's population was not born in Canada, and there are more than eighty different ethnic neighborhoods sprinkled throughout the city. The city is a center for music, theater, film, and television. It has countless museums, festivals, and sights that attract more than 25 million tourists every year.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada, and The Best Luxury Tours to Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Toronto or Hamilton?

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 Hamilton is $0.00, while the average daily cost in Toronto is $245. 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 Hamilton and Toronto in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hamilton -
    Toronto $86
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hamilton $0.00
    Toronto $172
Compare Hotels in Hamilton and Toronto

Looking for a hotel in Hamilton or Toronto? 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 Hamilton


Hotels in Toronto


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: Toronto Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hamilton -
    Toronto $32

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Toronto

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Toronto are as follows:


  • Airport Shuttle
    $26
  • Train: 2 Day Passes
    $16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Toronto

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

  • Transfer Toronto Hotels to Toronto Pearson Airport YYZ: $40
  • Stopover city tour with transfers.: $249
  • Private Transfer to Niagara Falls: $173
  • Private Transfer to Kingston City or Queen's Unive…: $801
  • Private Transfer Pearson Int. Apt to Waterloo: $261
  • Private Pearson Airport Transfers to Niagara Falls: $134
  • Pearson Airport to Richmond Hill Private Transfer: $150
  • Pearson Airport to Oakville Private Transfer: $211
  • Pearson Airport to Blue Mountain Resort Transfer: $654
  • Pearson Airport To Toronto Hotel & Air B&B Transfer: $40
  • Express Train Transfer to/from Pearson Airport: $8.70
  • Airport Transfers: $92

Is it cheaper to fly into Hamilton or Toronto?

Prices for flights to both Toronto and Hamilton 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
    Hamilton -
    Toronto $108

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hamilton

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

  • Bermuda: Flavour & Flair Food Tour: $134
  • Bermuda: Sites and Bites Food Tour: $134

Typical Food Prices in Toronto

For Toronto, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch at St. Lawrence Market for Two
    $23
  • Dinner at Mill Street Brewery (for 2)
    $55

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Toronto

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

  • Premium Harbor Cruise with Lunch, Brunch, or Dinner: $51
  • Great White North Food Tour + Distillery District & Old Town: $53
  • Pasta Making Cooking Class With Local Chef: $60
  • Fun Sushi Making Cooking Class at a Trendy Venue in Toronto: $60
  • Toronto Premier Dinner Cruise on Odyssey in Toronto Harbour: $64
  • Toronto : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $68
  • Toronto Best Private St Lawrence Market Food Tour: $70
  • Niagara Falls Night Tour, Boat, Journey, Dinner & Tower: $72
  • Authentic Food Tour with Local & International Flavors: $75
  • 2 Hour Express Toronto Food Tour: Flavors of Kensington Market: $75
  • Kensington Market 'Taste the World' Food Tour: $77
  • Great Canadian Food Tour- St. Lawrence Market + The Distillery: $78

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hamilton -
    Toronto $31

Tours and Activities in Hamilton

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

  • Bermuda: After Hours Tasting Experience: $169
  • Bermuda: Culture & Cuisine Tour: $134
  • Bermuda: Hamilton Rising Son Catamaran Adventure: $113
  • Private Van Sightseeing Tour Bermuda Cruise Shore Guide: $580

Typical Entertainment Prices in Toronto

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Toronto's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Art Gallery of Ontario for Two
    $15
  • CN Tower at night for Two
    $35
  • Harbour Dinner Cruise
    $26
  • Bata Shoe Museum (2)
    $7.13

Tours and Activities in Toronto

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

  • 1-Hour Toronto Harbour Tour with Live Narration: $29
  • 20 km Helicopter Tour over Toronto: $152
  • 3hr Discover Sailing Adventure: $196
  • 50 Minute Harbour Tour with Skyline Views: $26
  • 60-Minute Toronto Sightseeing Harbour Tour: $28
  • Adventures in Abstract Paint Pouring: $29
  • Algonquin Park: Adventure Tour from Toronto: $159
  • Algonquin Provincial Park Day Tour from Toronto: $157
  • Bata Shoe Museum Admission Ticket: $11
  • Best of Toronto City Tour with Boat Cruise & CN Tower Entry: $182
  • Best of Toronto Small Group Tour with CN Tower and Boat Cruise: $109
  • Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $49

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hamilton -
    Toronto $22

Sample the Local Flavors in Toronto

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Toronto:

  • Toronto Distillery District: Whisky Exploration Game and Tour: $7.39
  • Astounding Bar Crawl: Take On Toronto: $15
  • Distillery District Historic Walking Tour: $20
  • Toronto Distillery District Walking Tour: $21
  • Distillery & Old Town Private Walking Tour: $27
  • Toronto Distillery & Old Town Walking Tour With A Guide: $28
  • Guided Tasting Activity at Sake Brewery: $29
  • Short Distillery District Segway Tour: $34
  • Pub Crawl Toronto: $43
  • Distillery District Breakfast Walking Tour: $52
  • Private Corktown and Distillery District Tour: $58
  • Distillery District Beer and Cheese Tasting Tour: $67


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

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


Which is Bigger, Hamilton or Toronto?

Toronto has a larger population, and is about 5110 times larger than the population of Hamilton. When comparing the sizes of Hamilton and Toronto, 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.