Cheapest Canadian conversion rates for top tourist destinations, part 1
Statistics Canada gathered data on the top 15 travel destinations for Canadians heading to foreign countries in the last 2016 census.
In this post, we’re going to look at how many loonies you'll need to spend in the top five foreign travel destinations for roughly the same items and activities.
By looking at the average price for a taxi ride, a decent meal, a local attraction, and a night at a 4-star hotel in both international and Canadian currencies, we'll be able to see where you can get the best bang for your buck, or, where you’ll likely need to prepare for an expensive vacation.
As a reminder, prices and conversion rates are subject to change on a daily basis by a few dollars or so. Using XE Currency Converter, we’ll help you budget a bit, but conversion fees, sales taxes and/or tourist taxes may very well apply.
All variables are the same for taxi rides but the prices and times are liable to change based on traffic and local terrain. For some destinations, we’ve given you an Airbnb listing that you can compare to the hotel price, just for fun. For the sunny locations, we stayed away from all-inclusive resorts seeing as there is less hard cash exchanged during all-inclusive stays.
Keep in mind these are just suggestions and examples, you can plug in your own preferences too! Check out the top 5 Canadian travel destinations, and the cost of one day below.
1. United States;$1 USD = $1.25 CAD
Canadians visit America almost 18x more than we visit anywhere else; we can drive right over! We’ve found some prices from New York City.
$42.25 USD for a 20 min*, 25km cab ride, Brooklyn to Manhattan = $52.88 CAD, no tip
$30 USD dinner at Bar Pitti (Italian), Manhattan = $37.61 CAD, no tip
$37 USD for 1 standard adult gate pass to the Empire State Building = $46.40 CAD
$96 USD for 1 night at The Manhattan at Times Square (4 stars) = $120.31 CAD
1 day total for basics in NYC:
$205.25 USD = $257.20 CAD
*travel times vary-- it's New York baby!
2. Mexico; $14.96 MXN Peso = $1 CAD
Mexico will always be popular for the amazing food, architecture and resorts, especially when Canadians want to escape the cold. Let’s check out Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the world.
$85.15 MXN for a 20 min, 25km cab ride = $5.68 CAD, no tip
$500 MXN dinner at Agua Y Sal Cebicheria (seafood) = $33.41 CAD, no tip
$60 MXN entrance to the Palacio de Bellas Artes = $4.01 CAD, free on Sundays
$3,892 MXN for 1 night at the Westin Santa Fe, Mexico City (4 stars) = $260.42 CAD
or
$1,525.16 MXN for 1 night, 2-bedroom loft, Mexico City (Airbnb) = $102 CAD
1 day total for basics in Mexico City:
$4,537.15 MXN (hotel) = $302.39 CAD
or
$2,170.31 MXN (Airbnb) = $144.57 CAD
3. United Kingdom;£1 GBP = $1.75 CAD
Popular for Big Ben and the Buckingham Palace, London is one of United Kingdom’s most expensive cities.
£18 GBP for a 15 min taxi ride = $31.50 CAD, no tip
£18 GBP meal at The Flat Iron (steakhouse) = $31.50 CAD, no tip
£24 for 1 adult ticket into The State Rooms at the Buckingham Palace = $41.96 CAD
£109 for 1 night at The Strand Palace Hotel (4 stars), London = $189.43 CAD
or
£75.95 for 1 night at a private balcony room via Airbnb = $133 CAD
1 day total for basics in London:
£169 GBP (hotel) = $293.45 CAD
or
£135.95 GBP (Airbnb) = $237.69 CAD
4. France;€ 1 = $1.54 CAD
Landmarks abound! Paris also exhibits quite a high cost of living and uses the Euro as currency. Perhaps Canadians want to test out their French?
€ 23.75 for a 20 min, 25km taxi ride = $36.84 CAD, no tip
€ 22 for the Mecredi plat-du-jour at La Fontaine De Mars (coq au vin), Paris = $34.13 CAD, no tip
€ 25 for 1 adult ticket to the top of the Eiffel Tower = $38.79 CAD
€ 57.37 for 1 night at Hotel Basss by HappyCulture™ (4 stars) = $89 CAD
1 day total for basics en Paris:
€ 128.12 = $198.62 CAD
5. Cuba; $0.80 CUC ($21.17 CUP) = $1 CAD
Popular for sandy beaches and retro cars, let’s check out budget-friendly Havana (ou lala). It’s important to note that Cuba has two currencies. The Cuban convertible peso (CUC) is worth 25 times more than the Cuban peso (CUP).
$13.19 CUC ($349.62 CUP) for a 20 min, 25km taxi ride = 16.52 CAD, no tip
$26.50 CUC ($702.25 CUP) three-course dinner at El Del Frente (Latin) = $33.23 CAD, no tip
$10 CUC ($265 CUP) for individual access to two buildings at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana = $12. 53 CAD
$116.49 CUC ($3,087.03 CUP) for 1 night at the Hotel Sercotel Paseo Habana (3.5 star)= $146 CAD
1 day total for basics in Havana:
$166 CUC ($4,399 CUP) = $208.05 CAD
Results
So there you have it, travellers. Canadians love escaping our huge (often cold) country to find something magical or warm to see around the globe. Generally, your accommodation choice will affect your daily totals by around $50 CAD per day, which is quite a difference. Maybe with all that money saved you can spring for more than one meal out and about.
Mexico is a standout in the top five Canadian travel destinations for affordability, beating the others by around $50 for the day. London, U.K. topped the list for the most expensive day. I'm sure you know how to cut costs on travel expenses to make for a fun, cheap vacation, it can be quite a fun little challenge abroad. We'll post the next five soon, and look to Germany, the Dominican Republic, China, Italy and Spain! Which ones are cheaper? Stay tuned.