Which place is cheaper, Toronto or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Toronto?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria 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: Pretoria or Toronto?
Pretoria
Located in Gauteng Province, Pretoria is the administrative capital city of South Africa, making it home to many government buildings and three universities. It is actually one of three capital cities, being home to the executive branch, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Within South Africa, Pretoria is also known as the "Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of jacaranda trees lining its streets, parks, and gardens.
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 Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada, and The Best Luxury Tours to Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $50Toronto $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Toronto is $205. 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 Pretoria and Toronto in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Toronto $86
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Toronto $172
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Toronto
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria 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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Toronto $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $89
- Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Toronto
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Toronto are as follows:
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Airport Shuttle$27
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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,Canada (Downtown) to Niagara on the Lake,Canada: $178
- Transfer Toronto,Canada (Downtown) to Niagara Falls, Canada: $178
- Transfer Toronto Pearson International Airport YYZ to Niagara-on-the-Lake,Canada: $160
- Transfer Toronto Pearson International Airport YYZ to Niagara Falls, Canada: $160
- Transfer Private Vehicle from Toronto Pearson Airport to Niagara Falls (Ontario): $145
- Transfer Private Minivan from Toronto Pearson Airport to Niagara Falls (Ontario): $159
- Shuttle Transfer Between Downtown and Niagara Falls: $111
- Private Transfer to Niagara Falls: $158
- Private Transfer for 1-10 Passengers to Downtown: $176
- Niagara Falls Day Trip with Wine Tasting & Transfer: $75
- Express Train Transfer to/from Pearson Airport: $9.03
- Toronto Private Pearson Airport Transfers to Niagara Falls: $141
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Toronto?
Prices for flights to both Toronto and Pretoria 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 dayPretoria $15Toronto $66
Typical Food Prices in Toronto
For Toronto, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch at St. Lawrence Market for Two$23
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Dinner at Mill Street Brewery (for 2)$56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Toronto
For Toronto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Must Do Toronto Food Tour: $66
- Toronto Food Tour: Taste the World in Kensington Market: $66
- 3–Hour Secret Food Tour: $73
- Toronto Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $74
- Scenic Harbor Cruise with Lunch, Brunch, or Dinner: $76
- Toronto's Fusion Food Tour: $80
- Kensington Market -Toronto's Neighborhood International Food Tour: $80
- Toronto's Fusion Food Tour: $80
- Father's Day Premier Cruise with Brunch or Dinner: $90
- Mother's Day Premier Cruise with Brunch or Dinner: $93
- Toronto Premier Dinner Cruise on Odyssey in Toronto Harbour: $109
- Toronto Food Tour with Local Foodie, Personalized & Private: $152
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Toronto $31
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Hours Bicycle Tour in Soweto(Johannesburg): $91
- 4-Hours Pretoria Private History Tour : $83
- Aerial Cableway Private Tour from Johannesburg : $82
- Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre Half-Day Tour from Johannesburg: $199
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Artistic Half Day Tour of Johannesburg : $86
- Cheer on the Cheetah Run for Conservation Adventure: $194
- Cradle of Human Kind & Lion & Rhino Park Tour Full day Tour Private : $188
- Cradle of Humankind Half Day Tour with Lunch : $110
- Cradle of Humankind Private Tour and Safari: $108
- Cradle of Humankind half day tour: $102
Typical Entertainment Prices in Toronto
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Toronto's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Art Gallery of Ontario for Two$15
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CN Tower at night for Two$36
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Harbour Dinner Cruise$26
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Bata Shoe Museum (2)$7.32
Tours and Activities in Toronto
For Toronto, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1-Hour Private Guided Photography Tour in Toronto: $186
- 14-Minute Helicopter Tour Over Toronto: $200
- 2 Hour Toronto City Tour: $48
- 3-day Eastern Canada Tour from Toronto: $259
- 60-Minute Toronto Sightseeing Harbour Tour: $28
- 7-Minute Helicopter Tour over Toronto: $111
- Admission Ticket: Explore Canada in Miniature Scale: $34
- Algonquin Park Hiking: Adventure Tour from Toronto: $139
- Best of Niagara Falls Tour with Optional Boat and Helicopter Ride: $66
- Best of Toronto Small Group Tour with CN Tower and Harbour Cruise: $140
- Between Huntsville and Smartphone Audio Tour: $6.21
- Bus to Grotto - Tobermory Flowerpot Island Cruise Bruce Peninsula: $148
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Toronto $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Toronto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Toronto:
- Distillery District Outdoor Escape Game: $8.07
- Distillery District Historic Walking Tour: $17
- Corktown and Distillery District Tour: $27
- Short Distillery District Segway Tour: $36
- Toronto : Distillery & Old Town Walking Tour With A Guide: $38
- Toronto Distillery District self-guided walking tour & hunt: $38
- Pub Crawl Toronto: $38
- Pub Crawl Toronto: $39
- Distillery District Breakfast Walking Tour: $41
- Craft Brewery Tour: $88
- Canadian Wine Tasting Experience: $128
- From Niagara Wine Tours: $131
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Toronto, we can see that Toronto is more expensive. And not only is Pretoria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pretoria is in Africa 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 Pretoria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pretoria 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 Pretoria.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pretoria Expensive? and Is Toronto Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Toronto?
Toronto has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria 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.
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.