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

Should you visit Toronto or Machu Picchu?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Toronto and Machu Picchu 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: Toronto or Machu Picchu?

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.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a site of ancient Inca ruins located about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Cuzco, Peru, in the Cordillera de Vilcabamba of the Andes Mountains. It is perched above the Urubamba River valley in a narrow saddle between two sharp peaks, Machu Picchu ("Old Peak") and Huayna Picchu ("New Peak"), at an elevation of 7,710 feet (2,350 metres). One of the few major pre-Columbian ruins found nearly intact, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. Thus, Machu Picchu is not only an impressive remnant of the Inca civilization, it is also one of the world's most important archaeological sites. A stop at Machu Picchu is an essential part of any traveler's itinerary in Peru, as it is one of the seven wonders of the world.

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


Which place is cheaper, Machu Picchu or Toronto?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Toronto Prices
    Canada Prices
    Machu Picchu Prices
    Peru Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Toronto $249
    Machu Picchu $122

The average daily cost (per person) in Toronto is $249, while the average daily cost in Machu Picchu is $122. 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 Toronto and Machu Picchu in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Toronto $86
    Machu Picchu $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Toronto $172
    Machu Picchu $88
Compare Hotels in Toronto and Machu Picchu

Looking for a hotel in Toronto or Machu Picchu? 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 Toronto


Hotels in Machu Picchu


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 and Machu Picchu Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Toronto $32
    Machu Picchu $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:

  • Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) Transfer to Downtown Montreal: $1,618
  • Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) Transfer to Kingston: $856
  • Private Transfer to Kingston City or Queen's Unive…: $816
  • Niagara Falls: Private Transfer to/from Toronto Airport: $700
  • Pearson Airport to Blue Mountain Resort Transfer: $666
  • Low cost Transfer: Toronto Downtown to Niagara Falls (Lake): $657
  • Guided layover and stopover tour with transfers.: $500
  • Pvt. Transfer St. Catharines Airport to Pearson Int Airport: $476
  • Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) Transfer to Niagara Falls: $442
  • Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) Transfer to Port Hope: $439
  • Private Transfer to and from Kitchener Waterloo Region - Toronto Pearson Airport: $294
  • Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) Transfer to Hamilton: $281

Is it cheaper to fly into Toronto or Machu Picchu?

Prices for flights to both Machu Picchu and Toronto 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
    Toronto $112
    Machu Picchu $35
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)
    $56

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: $46
  • Great White North Food Tour: $54
  • Great White North Toronto Food Tour: $55
  • Pasta Making Cooking Class at a Local Distillery: $61
  • Toronto Delicious Donut Adventure and Walking Food Tour: $65
  • Toronto Premier Dinner Cruise on Odyssey in Toronto Harbour: $66
  • St Lawrence Market Food Tour with 6 Food Tastings: $71
  • Kensington Market 'Taste the World' Food Tour: $72
  • Must-Do Toronto Food Tour by Toronto's First Food Tour Company: $73
  • St Lawrence Market Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $78
  • French Bistro Cooking Class in Toronto (Includes 3-Course Meal): $80
  • Niagara Falls Evening Tour with Boat, Journey, Dinner & Fireworks: $81

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Toronto $31
    Machu Picchu $78
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
    $36
  • Harbour Dinner Cruise
    $26
  • Bata Shoe Museum (2)
    $7.26

Tours and Activities in Toronto

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

  • Casual Tour of Toronto by Land, Sky and Sea: $111
  • 1 Day City Sightseeing Tour at Toronto City: $69
  • 1-Hour Private Guided Photography Tour in Toronto: $296
  • 1-Hour Toronto Harbour Tour with Live Narration: $25
  • 14-Minute Helicopter Tour Over Toronto: $240
  • 3hr Shared Sailing Adventure: $177
  • 60-Minute Toronto Sightseeing Harbour Tour: $28
  • 7-Minute Helicopter Tour over Toronto: $135
  • Action Film and Television Locations Half Day Tour in Toronto: $150
  • Admission Ticket: Explore Canada in Miniature Scale: $33
  • Algonquin Park Hiking: Adventure Tour from Toronto: $151
  • Algonquin Park and Ragged Falls Hike and Canoe Adventure: $104

Typical Entertainment Prices in Machu Picchu

For Machu Picchu, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Gardens of Mandor
    $2.87

Tours and Activities in Machu Picchu

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Machu Picchu.

  • Machu Picchu Morning Combo: Entrance Ticket, Bus and Guide: $196
  • Machu Picchu Small-Group Combo: Entrance Ticket, Bus & Guide: $196
  • Private Tour Guide Service: $98
  • Private & Flexible 3-Hour Guided Tour of Machu Picchu: $60

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Toronto $22
    Machu Picchu $7.28

Sample the Local Flavors in Toronto

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Toronto:

  • Distillery District Historic Walking Tour: $20
  • Nickel 9 Distillery Tour and Tasting: $25
  • Illuminarium Toronto in the Distillery District: $26
  • Distillery & Old Town Private Walking Tour: $28
  • Short Distillery District Segway Tour: $35
  • 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
  • Pub Crawl Toronto: $44
  • Distillery District Breakfast Walking Tour: $53
  • Distillery District Breakfast Tour: $54


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Toronto and Machu Picchu, we can see that Toronto is more expensive. And not only is Machu Picchu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Toronto is in North America and Machu Picchu is in South 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 Machu Picchu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Machu Picchu 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 Machu Picchu.

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