Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajax, ON and Preston Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajax, ON and Preston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,535 per month in Ajax, ON vs $2,180 in Preston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,633 per month in Ajax, ON vs $3,189 in Preston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,732 per month in Ajax, ON vs $4,199 in Preston, rent included.

Ajax, ON costs about 16% more than Preston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ajax, ON and Preston sit above the global median – Ajax, ON by 84%, Preston by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.87 CA$24.79

$16.88 £12.47

5.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 CA$74.1

$70.6 £52.2

-24.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.27

$9.02 £6.67

22.06%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.22

$4.31 £3.18

-12.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.49

$2.24 £1.65

-19.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.20

$1.39 £1.03

14.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$5.39 £3.98

-33.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.06

$5.34 £3.95

8.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$1.48 £1.09

33.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 CA$3.98

$1.50 £1.11

91.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.69

$1.64 £1.21

106.10%

Eggs

$3.13 CA$4.34

$3.55 £2.63

-11.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 CA$13.05

$5.50 £4.07

71.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 CA$16.47

$9.69 £7.16

22.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 CA$24.20

$13.31 £9.84

31.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$2.72 £2.01

55.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.78 £1.31

-5.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.05

$2.51 £1.85

73.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.67

$3.99 £2.95

-15.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$1.97 £1.46

57.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.75

$2.33 £1.72

-15.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 CA$4.15

$1.19 £0.88

152.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.72

$1.74 £1.28

12.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 CA$19.72

$21.55 £15.93

-34.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.26

$9.60 £7.09

37.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$2.96

$3.13 £2.32

-31.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$3.45 £2.55

-24.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.39

$4.01 £2.96

-38.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.1 CA$124

$102 £75.0

-12.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.86

$2.73 £2.01

28.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 £1.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.50 CA$35.37

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.86 £1.37

-40.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.1K CA$39.0K

$38.6K £28.5K

-27.00%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.3K CA$26.8K

$42.2K £31.2K

-54.12%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$130 CA$181

$440 £325

-70.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.51 CA$38.16

$15.75 £11.64

74.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 CA$82.1

$45.25 £33.44

30.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.70 CA$46.73

$39.98 £29.55

-15.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.67 CA$14.80

$16.73 £12.37

-36.22%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 CA$14.24

$17.86 £13.20

-42.50%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$918 CA$1,273

$1,584 £1,171

-42.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K CA$24.3K

$8,768 £6,481

99.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 CA$73.2

$77.2 £57.1

-31.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.03 CA$52.7

$26.89 £19.87

41.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$121

$68.4 £50.5

27.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 CA$135

$67.0 £49.48

44.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 CA$2,190

$1,021 £754

54.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 CA$1,929

$820 £606

69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,315 CA$3,211

$1,892 £1,399

22.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,237 CA$3,103

$1,462 £1,081

53.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,327 £2,459

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,377 £1,757

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,053 CA$4,234

$3,000 £2,217

1.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.93

-2.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ajax, ON: September 7, 2026

Last update for Preston: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Ajax, ON versus $1,021 in Preston. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Ajax, ON, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Ajax, ON versus $71.0 in Preston. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Ajax, ON vs $288 in Preston – so Preston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ajax, ON vs Preston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajax, ON is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,802 per month in Ajax, ON and $3,269 in Preston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Preston, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,535 in Ajax, ON and $2,180 in Preston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% less in Preston. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Preston, where all-in costs run around $2,180, than in Ajax, ON at $2,535. In Preston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajax, ON it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Preston – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Preston. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajax, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.