Which place is cheaper, Toronto or South Lake Tahoe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between South Lake Tahoe or Toronto, 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.
South Lake Tahoe is the largest town on the famous Lake Tahoe that straddles the California-Nevada border in the Sierra Mountain Range. Located just south of Reno, Nevada and about 2 hours east of Sacramento, the Lake Tahoe area is easily accessible to many visitors.
Lake Tahoe is known for skiing and other winter sports, as well as plenty of warm weather activities such as hiking, swimming, boating, mountain biking, and more.
South Lake Tahoe has plenty of accommodations, restaurants, bars, and shopping. This is a good town to base yourself if you're looking to explore the area, as it has a large number of amenities.
Located on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe is the town of Stateline. Here you can find some casinos, as gambling is legal in Nevada.
If you're looking to go skiing or snowboarding, the Heavenly Ski Resort can be found on the southern edge of the town of South Lake Tahoe. Naturally, more ski resorts are located around the lake as well.
As swimming is also popular, several beach areas are on the southern section of the lake including the Regan Memorial City Beach, Lakeside Beach, Pope Beach, Emerald Bay State Park, and the Edgewood Resort area (on the Nevada side).
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada, and The Best Luxury Tours to Canada.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in South Lake Tahoe is $118, while the average daily cost in Toronto is $203. 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 South Lake Tahoe and Toronto in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in South Lake Tahoe 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.
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Toronto are as follows:
Also for Toronto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Toronto and South Lake Tahoe 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.
For Toronto, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Toronto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for South Lake Tahoe are as follows:
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Toronto's activities, tours, and tickets:
For Toronto, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Also in South Lake Tahoe, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Toronto:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between South Lake Tahoe and Toronto, we can see that Toronto is more expensive. And not only is South Lake Tahoe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to South Lake Tahoe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is South Lake Tahoe Expensive? and Is Toronto Expensive?.
Toronto has a larger population, and is about 190 times larger than the population of South Lake Tahoe. When comparing the sizes of South Lake Tahoe 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.