Sure it’s an expensive city, but it’s possible to travel for a weekend in Toronto on a budget. The capital of Ontario is not only the most populous city of Canada, but it’s one of the most diverse cities in the world. With over 200 distinct ethnic groups and over 160 languages spoken, it represents a crossroads of the world. This translates to an abundance of diverse foods. With neighborhoods like Greektown, Chinatown, Little Jamaica, Little Italy and more, it will be tough to make a decision when it comes to grub. There’s a lot of fun things to do in Toronto and many of them are free or cheap. Don’t forget about Niagara Falls! North America’s most powerful waterfall is a stone’s throw away and cannot be missed. Read on for the costs traveling a weekend in Toronto on a budget.
Getting In and Out of Toronto
Toronto Pearson International Airport is the busiest airport in Canada, and most likely your first stop in Toronto. The cheapest way to get from the airport into the city center is by taking the Southbound 900 Airport Express Bus to Kipling Station. From Kipling, you can transfer to the subway and you’ll be on your way to your desired destination. Here’s a link to the metro system of Toronto to further guide you. The ride will cost you $3.25 Canadian or about $2.50 in USD.
Where to Stay in Toronto
When it comes to where to stay in Toronto on a budget, a hostel is your best bet. Hostelworld.com is a great place to start your search. The Bros recommend Planet Traveler Hostel. One night in a 6 bed dorm will cost you around $35 USD. Perks include one of the better free breakfasts you can get, free fitness classes on the roof with a spectacular view of the city, free walking tours, pub crawls and a laundry list of other fun activities. It’s also located in a great part of the city, with access to some of the better neighborhoods of Toronto. A stay at Planet Traveler Hostel will put you in position to experience so many fun things to do in Toronto.
Friday
First things first. Check into the hostel, drop off your backpack, and hit the streets of Toronto. If you’re a smart traveler, you packed some snacks and food to bring with you and already had a decent breakfast. Head to Kensington Market and grab a cup of coffee and a bagel to give you the energy you need to start your weekend in Toronto. Kensington Market has a mix of thrift stores, cafes and cool shops. The neighborhood gives off a Bohemian vibe, and is the most photographed part of Toronto for good reason, it’s a chill spot to hang out.
Take a stroll downtown on Spadina Ave and you’ll second guess whether you’re in Toronto, China, Thailand or Vietnam. Toronto is home to one of the largest Chinatown’s in North America. Delicious, cheap food is easy to find here so maybe take a few notes for spots to hit during your weekend in Toronto on a budget. Keep heading downtown until you find yourself looking straight up at the famous CN Tower. Chill out, get some photos, people watch a bit. After marveling at the tallest free-standing structure on land in the Western Hemisphere, it’s time to see what other things there are to do in Toronto.
A 20 minute walk will lead you to Nathan Phillips Square, Canada’s largest city square. The square is the host to concerts, weekly farmers markets, rallies, demonstrations, art displays and winter holiday events. The “Toronto” sign next to the reflecting pool is a popular spot for a photo, and the pool is transformed to an ice rink during the winter. Recently, Nathan Phillips Square was packed with over 2 million rabid Toronto Raptors fans to celebrate their 2019 NBA Championship.
All that walking means you’ve earned yourself a good meal for dinner. Toronto has almost any option you can think of. The Bros recommend The Jerk Spot in Kensington Market for some bomb Jamaican food. If you like spicy, get ready to have your head blown off. Afterwards, hang with some hostelmates or catch a flick on Netflix and get some rest for tomorrow.
$ 2.50 – Bus & Metro into the city
$ 7.00 – Coffee and light snack/lunch
$18.00 – Jamaican food dinner
$35.00 – Night in hostel
Saturday
Today’s plan is to get out of the city and experience one of nature’s best shows. If you opted to stay at Planet Traveler, take full advantage of the free breakfast. The hostel offers up breakfast until 1:00 PM with fruit, bagels, waffles, coffee, tea and more. Take an extra banana, a bagel and make some popcorn for lunch and throw it in your bag for the road. The massive Niagara Falls are an hour and a half away by bus, and are absolutely worth the day trip from Toronto.
Megabus offers a wide range of bus departures and returns. The bus stop is at the Toronto Coach Terminal, and tickets will run you about $35 USD. You’ll be dropped off at the Niagara Falls Bus Terminal. For the backpacker trying to keep down costs traveling in Toronto, walking the 45 minutes along the US-Canada border of the Niagara River is not only the best lead up to the falls, but it’s good for your budget as well.
The first view of these powerful crushing falls will take your breath away. It’s definitely one of the best waterfalls we’ve seen in our travels, and it’s amazing how accessible it is. The Canadian side is the way to go, as you get the best views of all the falls, especially the world class Horseshoe Falls. Be sure to bring a jacket. Is it raining, or is it the mist? No one knows for sure but the falls are so strong that the mist flies up over 200 feet from the base where the water comes crashing down. You can stand right at the edge of the falls for free. Skip the Maid of the Mist tour. Post up in Queen Victoria Park with a view of the falls and your packed lunch. Another budget travel win in Toronto.
When you get back into the city treat yourself to some food in Chinatown. The Bros recommend Pho Pasteur Restaurant for some authentic Vietnamese dishes at an affordable price. There’s a ton of amazing budget friendly restaurants in the area, so do your homework and get after it! On the way back to the hostel, pop in the supermarket for some beers and share sometravel stories with new friends on the hostel rooftop from around the globe.
$ 8.00 – Supermarket sandwich and snacks
$35.00 – Bus to Niagara Falls and back to Toronto
$10.50 – Dinner of Vietnam food
$10.00 – Beer from the grocery store
$35.00 – Night in hostel
Sunday
Smell that? Smells like free breakfast again. A weekend in Toronto on a budget ain’t easy, so every chance to cut costs while traveling helps. If you have a later flight, the hostel will let you store your bags even after you check out. Take advantage of this and take a walk around the University of Toronto campus, or check out one of the city’s breweries. Amsterdam Brewhouse and Steam Whistle Brewing are two spots along the shore of Lake Ontario that serve good food as well. Bar snacks and a few pints ought to get you in the right state of mind for your flight home. Get back to the hostel, grab the backpack and say your goodbyes. Catch the subway to Kipling Station and transfer to the 900 Airport Express Bus back to Toronto Pearson Airport to wrap up your successful weekend in Toronto on a budget.
$40.00 – Beers and food at brewery
$ 2.50 – Metro/Bus to Toronto Pearson Airport in the morning
Costs Traveling in Toronto
The Bros are sharing our costs traveling in Toronto because we think this honesty can inspire people to travel to new destinations they otherwise thought were out of reach. By sharing our stories and by showing exactly how much some of these experiences actually cost, we hope we can help someone out there take the steps to transform their travel goals into reality. See below to check out exactly how much it cost during a weekend in Toronto on a budget. Note that we left out the flight costs, as these will vary depending on where you are flying from.
$62.50 – Friday
$98.50 – Saturday
$42.50 – Sunday
WEEKEND TOTAL
$203.50
Backpacking around the world?! Check out our Backpacker Budget posts for Amsterdam, Bratislava, Brussels, Budapest, Munich, Prague & Italy!
WANT TO TRAVEL TORONTO ON A BACKPACKER BUDGET?
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