A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santa Fe vs. Toronto for Attractions, Nightlife, Food, and Families

Should you visit Santa Fe or Toronto?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Santa Fe and Toronto can help you decide which place is right for you.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a cultural, historic, and charming historic town. Santa Fe is a gorgeous place to visit. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. Other reasons to visit include hiking, shopping, and museums. See Santa Fe travel costs.

Toronto

Toronto is a vibrant, cultural, and diverse city. Visitors will also find so much to do here because it's a large city with many sights and attractions. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food. See Toronto travel costs.

Santa Fe and Toronto: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santa Fe or Toronto?

You'll generally find more things to do in Toronto than Santa Fe. Toronto is bigger than Santa Fe, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Toronto is better known for its museums and attractions, nightlife, shopping, and big city activities, while Santa Fe is more popular for its skiing, music, historical sights, hiking, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere. Toronto is more touristy than Santa Fe and is known for its art and culture, diverse cuisine, and multi-cultural population. Also, Toronto is famous for the CN Tower. Santa Fe is well known for its strong arts scene, its Pueblo-style architecture, and its unique local cuisine.

How is Santa Fe different from Toronto?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Toronto and Santa Fe. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Skiing?

Santa Fe is a historic town with good options for skiing and snowboarding. However, Toronto is not a skiing destination.

Santa Fe is a great destination for skiing with plenty areas to explore. There are a few good ski resorts not far from Santa Fe. Popular options include Taos Ski Valley, Ski Santa Fe, Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, and Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort.

Toronto is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santa Fe or Toronto?

Toronto is an unbeatable place for its historical sights. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for its sights and museums.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Toronto has many famous sights for visitors. The city is filled with landmarks and museums such as the CN Tower and the Royal Ontario Museum. Ripley's Aquarium is a highlight for many visitors. It's near the CN Tower and has an underwater tunnel. The city is also filled with art galleries and cultural sights. Another must is a visit to Casa Loma and, of course, the Toronto Zoo.

Santa Fe is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Head to the Museum of New Mexico Complex, which has four museums that give a great overview of the history of the area. Also make sure you visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

Is the Food Better in Santa Fe or Toronto? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Dining out at restaurants in both Santa Fe and Toronto can be an enjoyable experience.

Santa Fe has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. There are many local restaurants that use regional ingredients and offer great flavors. There are also cafes and bistros where you can enjoy breakfast or brunch. Local dishes include sopaipillas made with Native American fry bread, slow-cooked beans, and anything made with red and green chili peppers.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Toronto makes for a great culinary experience. The food scene is as diverse as the city itself. You'll find classic Canadian favorites like peameal bacon sandwiches and beavertails, as well as almost any international cuisine you could want. Make sure you try the dim sum, roti, and street hot dogs.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Nightlife?

Toronto is an unbeatable place for its evening party scene. However, Santa Fe is not known for nightlife.

The nightlife in Toronto is well established with world renowned clubs and venues. It's a diverse nightlife scene, with upscale lounges, dive bars, live music, and high energy nightclubs. Popular areas for nightlife include King Street, the Ossington Strip, College Street, and Kensington Market.

Most people don't head to Santa Fe specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. While most of the town quiets down at night, the city has a few areas that stay active late into the night. Live music is popular and diverse. It often includes different genres such as the blues, country, salsa or bluegrass.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Music?

Santa Fe is a historic town with good options for live music. However, Toronto is not a live music destination.

You'll find some good live music in Santa Fe. The town has an eclectic music scene that includes a mix of the blues, country, Latin American music, and bluegrass.

Toronto is not a live music destination.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for its Old Town?

Santa Fe is a very popular place for its historic old town. However, Toronto does not have a historic old town.

Santa Fe is an extremely popular place to visit the historic old town area. As the 2nd oldest city in the United States, the old town historic district is filled with charm. The Pueblo-style buildings are brightly colored and there are churches throughout.

Toronto does not have a historic old town.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Hiking?

Santa Fe is a historic town with good options for its hiking trails. However, Toronto is not a hiking destination.

Plenty of visitors go hiking around Santa Fe. Because it's located right by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, there are many beautiful hikes right outside of town. Popular trails include the Picacho Peak Trail and the Nambe Lake Trail. Bandelier National also has many places to hike.

Toronto is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santa Fe or Toronto?

Toronto is an unbeatable place for its shopping areas. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for shopping.

Many people travel to Toronto specifically to go shopping. Shopping is huge here, with plenty of options available that range from large malls to vintage stores or flea markets. Eaton Center on Yonge Street is a major shopping area. Yonge Street is also home to more than 600 retail stores.

Santa Fe is an extremely popular place for shoppers. There are many unique shops and art galleries that feature local artists and craftsmen.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto More Beautiful?

Santa Fe is a historic town with good options for its scenery and beauty. However, Toronto is not a destination known for its beauty.

Santa Fe is a gorgeous place to visit. This cultural city has a unique beauty that is hard to find anywhere else.

Toronto is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Families?

Toronto is a great city for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Toronto. Kids will enjoy the city's many family-friendly museums like the Royal Ontario Museum or the Ontario Science Center. Younger kids will have fun playing at the Centreville Theme Park while all ages will love a day at Canada's Wonderland. Black Creek Pioneer Village is a highlight for many families as well.

Santa Fe is a family-friendly place to visit. There are a few kids' museums in Santa Fe including the Santa Fe Children's Museum and the Meow Wolf Art Complex. Kids also enjoy the botanical gardens at Museum Hill and Bandelier National Monument just outside of the city.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Couples?

Toronto is a great city for couples. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for romance.

Toronto is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. This city is full of energy, and couples can enjoy amazing meals, impressive shows, and romantic outings. You can picnic at a park or check out the view from CN Tower. There are also dinner cruises and live theater.

Santa Fe is a nice destination for couples. There are many romantic inns around town, each with a lot of character. The town also has a lot of atmosphere that makes for a romantic getaway.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Toronto is a great city for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Santa Fe is not known for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit Toronto. There are a number of hostels around town and there's often a good crowd of backpackers.

Santa Fe is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There's a hostel in town as well as several campgrounds.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Students?

Toronto is an unbeatable place for its student-friendly activities. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for students.

Students come from all over the world to visit Toronto. The city has a good number of universities that attract students from around the globe. This is a very livable city with a lot of diversity and plenty of entertainment options.

Santa Fe is a good historic town to visit for students. There are a few colleges and universities in town and students will appreciate the reasonable cost of living and outdoor activities nearby.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Toronto is an unbeatable place for times when you don't have a car. However, Santa Fe is not known for its public transit.

Visitors in Toronto can get around quickly with the extensive public transit system. Union Station is the hub of the city's transportation system, which includes subways, buses and streetcars.

Public transit is generally limited in Santa Fe. There is a bus system - the Santa Fe Trails Bus Service.

Is Santa Fe or Toronto a more walkable city?

Santa Fe and Toronto are superb when it comes to walkability.

Santa Fe is a very walkable destination. The historic district is walkable and it's easy to visit most of the tourist sights in this area on foot.

Toronto is very walkable. It's a pedestrian-friendly city that is great for exploring on foot. The waterfront area has a walkway and there are cycling trails around town as well.

For even more information, also check out Is Santa Fe Worth Visiting? and Is Toronto Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Toronto or Santa Fe?

How long in Santa Fe or Toronto?

Both Santa Fe and Toronto have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Toronto than in Santa Fe. Usually, 2-5 days is a good amount of time for Santa Fe, and 3-7 days is enough time in Toronto.

Families should spend more time in Toronto than Santa Fe. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Toronto, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Toronto than Santa Fe. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Toronto that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Toronto than Santa Fe if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Toronto.

One day in Santa Fe or Toronto?

In Santa Fe, you'll find shopping and museums. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This historic town offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

Toronto is a big city with plenty to do. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Santa Fe or Toronto?

In Santa Fe, you'll find museums and skiing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Visiting the old town is also a must. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Santa Fe has to offer.

Toronto is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than a weekend exploring. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Santa Fe or Toronto?

Santa Fe is a great place to explore. It is common to spend five days here. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Five days is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Santa Fe has to offer. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Toronto is a popular choice for travelers. Five days here is typical. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Toronto, five days is sufficent for most. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Santa Fe or Toronto?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santa Fe. Many people enjoy the live music and food when visiting Santa Fe. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Toronto is a great place to explore. It is common to spend one week here. One week is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Toronto has to offer. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada, and The Best Luxury Tours to Canada.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Santa Fe or Toronto?

Toronto has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Santa Fe. When comparing the sizes of Santa Fe 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.