The Cost of Travelling Solo in Canada

Posted On August 12, 2022

I’ve recently finished an incredible four months travelling in Canada and thought I’d share the numbers of what it looks like (and that it might not be as prohibitive as you might think – bear with me).

However, I’ll be honest – Canada is expensive.

More expensive than I thought, which is also why I wanted to share the numbers for anyone else budgeting for a solo Canadian adventure.

Like any seasoned traveller, I had set a budget for travelling in Canada, but ended up increasing it and adjusting some of my travel plans because I’d undercooked it by about 30%. To be fair, most of this was external influences, including that inflation was approaching double digits around the world and the Canadian dollar became much stronger than the Australian in a short period of time, although I did underestimate certain costs (mainly the cost of accommodation)). Fortunately I had saved a decent buffer before I left so this didn’t prevent me from having the experience I wanted, but to know is to be armed, hence this post.

The total cost of travelling in Canada for four months was CAN$14,559. The costs were comprised as follows.

By month, it looked like this.

As any traveller would appreciate, the three big expenses were accommodation, transport, and food. My first month was a bit rocky but as time progressed I got better at managing my budget and prioritising the experiences I wanted to have and the things that I could only do while in Canada. This meant that, all together, I stayed more or less within my envelope.

I wanted to share not only the cost of four months’ solo travel in Canada but also some of the things I did to reduce my expenses (at least in areas which weren’t that important to me – namely hiking, writing, and café hopping).

Note that I’ve excluded visa costs (I got a work permit, although didn’t end up working) and my flights to and from Canada. I’ve excluded personal spending (e.g. medication, clothes etc) as that depends on personal needs and preferences.

Accommodation

When travelling solo, there is no one to share the costs with, so accommodation quickly becomes the biggest expense. I found there were a few approaches to managing this:

1. Accept that it will be expensive and budget $150-200 for a room per night.
2. Stay in hostels, where we share the cost of accommodation with strangers.
3. Travel slowly to take advantage of week and month long discounts.

The number I paid attention to when booking accommodation was the cost per night. I also took into account other value considerations, such as access to a kitchen (which would help decrease the cost of food), and the location (which could affect the cost of transport – this includes distance from the airport, distance from public transport points, and distance from points of interest). If I can bus and walk somewhere, and not need a taxi or to rent a car, I will pay slightly more for the night. Similarly, if I pay $10 more for a night but I have a kitchen, it can save $30 a day in food, and it means I can eat all the yogurt and vegetables I like, something I struggle to do when travelling long-term.

I am a light sleeper, and sleep is very important to me. I also like having my own space so I can set up camp and be organised – there is something about unpacking my suitcase that lets me feel more at home. This means I will pay a premium to have my own room.

With all that in mind, here is what I paid for accommodation in Canada.

In chronological order, it looked like this.

1. Vancouver, $100/night. I stayed in the Barclay Hotel on Robson Street. I had my own room and own bathroom, the rest was pretty basic but it was all I needed. The location was brilliant and surprisingly quiet – I didn’t even need earplugs. It had easy access to shops, Stanley Park, the Waterfront, and public transport including to and from the airport, and was the perfect place to start my adventure.
2. Quebéc City, $58 / night. I stayed in a one bedroom apartment Airbnb in Quebéc old town for one month. It was a top floor apartment with a view of the river and castle on one side and the parliament building on the other, and I spent many an afternoon writing and reading in the sun on the balcony. It was honestly the best place I stayed in during my travels, and it was hard to leave.
3. Montréal, $105/night. I stayed in a twin room in a hostel in Le Plateau, sharing a bathroom and kitchen with other guests. A friend stayed with me for a few nights so I was able to split the costs while she was there. The location of Auberge du Plateau was perfect for exploring downtown Montréal as well as the hip plateau area. We walked everywhere, and took advantage of the sensational rooftop terrace to watch the sunset.
4. Halifax, $90/night. My time in Halifax was split in two parts, and I stayed in two different student accommodations as a result. As the university year was over, I took advantage of staying in fully-serviced private rooms for much less than a hotel would have cost. The first one was $110/night and had very nice facilities, a full kitchen and a good location close to the water, although it was quite noisy from other guests. The other was $50 a night and very basic, providing a bed and access to a toilet and shower. I was unlucky enough to be given the only room next to the two elevators, so I heard the rattling of both elevators every time they were used (needless to say, I did not sleep much and would not stay there again). But it was cheap, and the location was great.
5. Lunenburg, $102/night. This was a room in an Airbnb. I hadn’t stayed in a hosted Airbnb for many years and was unsure about how this would turn out, but staying in the host’s home for a week felt good after two months’ travelling. There was a huge breakfast every morning which meant I didn’t need to eat for the rest of the day (other than a sneaky chai latte at the local cafe), and they let me do a load of laundry, which I hadn’t done since Quebéc. They also took me out on their tinny one afternoon to explore the archipelago and their family history. It was a pretty unique perspective on life in Lunenburg, and Nova Scotia, which I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
6. Montréal, $20/ night. I wanted to spend more time in Montréal so found a one-month sublet through Kijiji – a girl was travelling overseas and I stayed in her room. It was the best of all worlds, having a home base, being able to unpack my suitcase again, having housemates which gave me friends to hang out with, a large sun-filled room, a kitchen, and all in a lively suburb. It also meant I could save money after all the spending and pre-payments I’d made to date. I spent most of my time in Montréal café hopping and doing day trips to nearby national parks.
7. Toronto, $60/night. Once again, I stayed in student accommodation. After my decent experience in Halifax (it’s the law of averages, right?), I decided to do the same in Toronto. Being at the University of Toronto, this one was a bit further out from downtown, but it was a pied-a-terre to explore Niagara Falls and catch up with a friend which was the main reason I was there, and was perfectly adequate.
8. Calgary, $90/night. This was the only shared room I stayed in while in Canada, and it was mainly by necessity – I arrived in Calgary during Stampede, and accommodation options were limited. I had a single bed in a quad share at Wicked Hostel, and was just grateful to have a place to sleep. It was fun to meet other travelers, most going to and from the Rockies, and people to explore Stampede with. Having said that, it only reminded me of why I like having my own room (I was lucky to sleep more than five hours a night while I was there). There was also a big breakfast, including waffles, every morning, and that was a nice touch.
9. Rocky mountains, $260/night. I included this for completeness and transparency, but the price is misleading, as it’s the average cost of a 12 day (11 nights) hiking tour I did with Fresh Adventures. We camped, and it was magic, and without a doubt the highlight of my time in Canada. The price included everything (accommodation, all meals, transport, park access, and two hiking guides) and the memories I made is something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.

This gives you some ideas of different accommodation options that are available when traveling solo on a budget in Canada. Some other accommodation options I’d considered was hiring a car, buying a second hand tent and sleeping bag and camping in some of the national parks, and I’ll do this when I return to Canada because they were the experiences I loved the most while I was there. For those who prefer glamping, there is also the option to sleep in yurts, which are permanent tents established in national parks that can sleep up to 6 people. And then of course, there are options like house-sitting, and staying in fully-serviced apartments and hotels, depending on your budget and lifestyle preferences.

Interestingly, I calculated that it costs me an average of AUD$85 a day to live in my apartment in Canberra (including mortgage, internet, bills, body corporate, rates etc). The average cost of accommodation in Canada, all up, came to AUD$90 a day, based on current exchange rates. It’s not a complete apples to apples comparison, but is a bit of a guide in terms of the target average price per night, and shows the true cost of fulltime travel might not be as high as you think, and therefore not so out of reach.

Transport

Canada is a big country, and everything is far away. Therefore, trains, planes and buses are all expensive. I had originally planned to take the train from Vancouver to Halifax (something I will do someday) but I’d had my heart set on going to Quebéc so ended up flying there early in my arrival in Canada, and spending most of my time in the east.

Here’s a summary of my transport costs for four months.

Flights

I took three flights in Canada, which is not too bad, although zigzagging from west to east and back to the west was not the greatest travel planning on my part.

The costs of my flights were as follows:

• $600 flight from Vancouver to Quebéc City, via Toronto, with Air Canada. There was no other way to do this cheaply, and I copped the cost.
• $195.7 flight from Halifax to Montréal with Flair.
• $202.41 flight from Toronto to Calgary with WestJet.

All things considered, the prices are comparable to what they’d be in Australia, given the distances and how far in advance I booked the flights (that is to say, they were all last minute). They also all went surprisingly well; all left on time, and only my WestJet flight had an issue but that was largely a result of Calgary Airport staffing (it took two hours for my suitcase to be deplaned). I did spend a lot of time waiting in security queues, but this seems par for the course when travelling in 2022.

Trains

I love travelling by train and would have done more in Canada had I been able to. In the end, I only did the following trips:

• Train from Québec to Montréal for $45. This was for convenience, as the station was close to my Airbnb, but I could just as easily have taken the bus.
• The Ocean train from Montréal to Halifax for $165. This technically saved me a night’s accommodation, although I didn’t get any sleep so I’m not sure it counts. The scenery in Northern Québec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia was out of this world, and I’m glad I got to see what I’d have missed had I flown straight to Halifax. Read more about my experience on the Ocean here.

When booking trains, it’s worth checking the Tuesday specials on VIA rail as it can save you a lot of money depending on where and when you’re going. It’s also worth noting that trains are almost always delayed as passenger trains must give way to freight trains, so try not to rely on trains if you need to reach somewhere by a certain time and have tight transfers.

Coaches

I took three coaches while in Canada.

• Epic Bus to Whistler from Vancouver for $38 return. This was a day trip to the ski field. It was really easy to organise and the drive itself along the sea to sky highway was one of the most spectacular roads I’ve ever been on (right up there with the Great Ocean Road in Aus and the Icefields Parkway in Alberta).
• Maritime bus from Halifax to Lunenburg for $70 return. There were no other options to get to Lunenburg, so I booked this one early. It was a small van, and frequented by locals, which made me feel less like a tourist. It also stops in Mahone Bay for those heading in that direction or wanting to see more of the area without hiring a car.
• Megabus from Montréal to Toronto for $90. I considered other options (flights, trains and rideshare) and the bus was the cheapest altogether. It took seven hours, as I travelled at the end of a long weekend so got caught up in traffic (in hindsight, I should have taken my chances with the train) but it was an easy ride, and I had a window seat on the top deck.

The corridor between Quebéc City, Montréal, Ottawa and Toronto is well serviced by trains and buses, so have a look at what departure and arrival location works best for you (for example, the train station in Ottawa is less central than the bus station, but could suit you depending on where your next accommodation or stopover is). It’s worth doing a price comparison such as on BusBud before you book.

Public Transport

I didn’t use a lot of public transport while in Canada as I prefer to walk everywhere but I took advantage of the following to explore further afield:

• Vancouver – ferry, bus and train
• Quebéc City – ferry and bus
• Montréal – metro and bus
• Halifax – bus and ferry (exact cash only)
• Toronto – subway and train

Depending on the province, you’ll either need to get a public transit card, or you can buy individual tickets on the spot (although for the latter you’ll often need the exact cash). I miscalculated how often I’d use the bus in Quebéc City, so now have $60 worth of bus tickets on my Opus Card (they’re valid for five years, so I guess I’ll use them eventually?).

Bikes

I hired a bike for a day in Vancouver ($25), Quebéc ($36) and Halifax ($60), and when in Montréal I signed up for bixi, which is their bikeshare network. Bixi was an excellent way to get around when I wasn’t up for walking anymore. They even have electric bikes on their network if you want to explore further or enjoy a longer day. I saw the same bike network available in Toronto although didn’t get a chance to use it.

Taxi

I only took one taxi, from Quebéc airport to my Airbnb. It was a Sunday night, and the airport has basic public transport connections at the best of times. Uber was similarly limited (from memory there was one driver available that night) so I took a taxi.

Car Rental

I didn’t end up renting a car. I found it prohibitively expensive when travelling alone in summer, and managed to find other ways to go where I wanted to go (including joining local hiking groups who would kindly give me a lift).

I wanted to join communauto, which is a local carshare present in major cities, but they rejected my application as I didn’t have a Canadian credit history (they did offer me the option of joining their value plus membership category for a much higher price; I declined). It wasn’t worth it for the few times I wanted to use a car in Halifax and Montréal, although is certainly an option for those staying longer in Canada.

Food

A discussion around travel costs wouldn’t be complete without talking about food. Overall, I found food expensive in Canada. Between the regulated milk industry, the minimum 15% tip on all services (all the guilt tipping!), and the amount of food that was imported (quite a shock coming from Australia, although on reflection it made sense), my food bill during the first month was three times what I would normally pay, and double what I had budgeted.

Here’s a breakdown of what I spent on food in Canada for each month.

As you can see, in April I ate out a lot. This was mostly in Vancouver, and while I was figuring out my budget and travel routine. In comparison, I spent the month of June in a sublet, so ate out maybe 1-2 times a week, more similar to what I’d do if I lived back home, and in July, food on the tour was part of the total price so was costed under accommodation.

Over time, I got better at prioritising food experiences that were important to me, such as a nice pastry or smoothie in a café where I could work on my novel, or a good ice-cream after a day of exploring, and the rest of the time I focused on eating vegetables and protein, same as what I’d do back at home. I realised that long-term travel wasn’t sustainable if I ate out all the time, and I felt better for it (although I was sure to enjoy eating foods that I wouldn’t be able to eat elsewhere like Montréal bagels, the divine summer berries, and Atlantic cod in Nova Scotia).

Whenever I had access to a kitchen, and/or free breakfast, I’d eat breakfast at home. I also started eating breakfast late, and dinner early, so often only ate two meals a day, which made me feel lighter and helped me save money (plus I don’t enjoy eating dinner in a restaurant by myself). I always had a stash of fruit, carrots and muesli bars to keep me sated if I was hungry in-between.

If I didn’t have a kitchen, and the sun was out, I’d often find a cheap takeaway for lunch/dinner (I ate many a fish burger when I was on the Atlantic coast) and have a picnic in a nice park or somewhere with a view. I also discovered that several supermarkets, such as the Atlantic Superstore in Halifax, sell ready-made food like fresh soup, or you could build your own plate from warm and cold options, which let me have a balanced meal while keeping costs down even when I didn’t have access to a kitchen.

Other Costs

I did buy a few other things while travelling – namely, I signed up for a month-to-month phone plan for $35 a month, I paid for a few tours and other travel activities (Montréal walking tour, Ile D’Orléans food tour, Niagara day trip, Whistler gondola etc), and I did a few social activities like taking swing and jive lessons, and continuing improv and comedy. I also bought health insurance for the year, and pro-rated this in the cost calculations.

As mentioned previously, I haven’t included any personal spending (for example, I needed to buy a winter coat, new contact lenses, and books) as it depends on individual needs and what you bring with you from home. I found a huge advantage of travelling with a single, medium-sized suitcase, was that I didn’t buy things I didn’t need (basically if I couldn’t eat it, drink it, or do it, I didn’t buy it) so these expenses were quite minimal.

For those who like more numbers, this is what it looked like in different locations:

Place	Nights	Accom	Food	Transport	Activities	Phone & Insurance	Cost/Day	Notes
Vancouver	9	$900	$272	$114	$75	$41	$156
Quebec	30	$1,740	$918	$742	$111	$138	$122	Flight to Quebec, Visit Ile-d’Orleans
Montreal	8	$840	$167	$75	$46	$37	$146	My friend covered food expenses while I covered accommodation
The Ocean	1		$12	$165		$5	$181	Overnight train Montreal Halifax
Halifax	3	$330	$65	$6		$14	$138
Lunenburg	7	$714	$180	$76	$16	$32	$145
Halifax	4	$200	$133	$10	$20	$18	$95
Montreal	30	$600	$621	$309	$229	$138	$63	Sublet; day trip Mont Tremblant; kayaking; hiking
Toronto	3	$180	$72	$128	$145	$14	$180	Niagara Falls
Calgary	4	$360	$73	$202	$117	$18	$193	Flight to Calgary, stampede
Rockies	11	$3,083	$8			$51	$286	All-inclusive adventure tour, bought an icecream. Added tip.
Total	110	$8,947	$2,520	$1,827	$759	$507	$132

And that’s it – the cost of travelling for four months in Canada, as a solo female traveler. I prioritised experiences (nature and activities), cafes (for working) and the rest of my expenses were life necessities that are probably not dissimilar to what I’d spend at home.

Happy travels!

NB: All prices in this post are in Canadian dollars.