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 $3,038 per month in Ajax, ON vs $2,101 in Preston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,920 per month in Ajax, ON vs $3,213 in Preston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,802 per month in Ajax, ON vs $4,324 in Preston, rent included.

Ajax, ON costs about 45% more than Preston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ajax, ON and Preston sit above the global median – Ajax, ON by 127%, Preston by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.69 CA$20.41

$16.62 £12.38

-11.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 CA$104

$74.7 £55.6

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 CA$14.54

$8.54 £6.36

22.48%

Cappuccino

$3.52 CA$4.89

$4.32 £3.22

-18.52%

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

$1.96 CA$2.73

$2.08 £1.55

-5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.55 £1.15

7.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 CA$5.06

$5.37 £4.00

-32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 CA$8.15

$5.47 £4.08

7.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$1.61 £1.20

9.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 CA$4.01

$1.46 £1.09

97.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 CA$6.21

$1.73 £1.29

158.38%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.54

$3.82 £2.85

-14.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.67 CA$13.43

$10.35 £7.71

-6.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 CA$14.12

$8.25 £6.14

23.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.58

$17.47 £13.01

-6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.15

$2.79 £2.08

58.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$1.97 £1.47

-23.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.04

$3.04 £2.27

-4.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 CA$6.30

$3.80 £2.83

19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.37

$1.65 £1.23

46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$2.07 £1.54

23.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$1.02 £0.76

182.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.79 £1.33

-3.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.21 CA$19.74

$18.20 £13.55

-21.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.22 CA$19.75

$9.61 £7.15

47.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.11

$2.75 £2.05

-18.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$1.94 £1.45

19.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.65 £1.97

-3.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 CA$91.4

$118 £87.6

-44.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.65 £1.98

15.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.79 CA$3.88

$1.57 £1.17

77.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.44 CA$35.35

$16.34 £12.17

55.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.62

$1.88 £1.40

-38.30%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$38.9K £29.0K

-35.22%

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

$20.1K CA$28.0K

$40.9K £30.4K

-50.69%

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

$188 CA$262

$291 £217

-35.36%

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

$33.41 CA$46.42

$16.08 £11.97

107.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CA$83.2

$42.76 £31.85

40.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.59 CA$46.67

$42.70 £31.80

-21.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.82 CA$15.04

$16.87 £12.56

-35.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 CA$15.20

$13.14 £9.79

-16.74%

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

$905 CA$1,258

$1,292 £963

-29.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.5K

$8,783 £6,541

109.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.88 CA$69.3

$80.3 £59.8

-37.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.21 CA$51.7

$43.79 £32.62

-15.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$75.9 £56.5

14.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$156

$68.7 £51.2

63.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 CA$2,513

$1,031 £768

75.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,856 CA$2,578

$867 £645

114.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,480 CA$3,446

$2,006 £1,494

23.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 CA$3,096

$1,686 £1,256

32.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,371 £2,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,433 £1,812

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,081 CA$4,281

$3,419 £2,547

-9.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

5.57

22.62%

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

Last update for Ajax, ON: June 1, 2026

Last update for Preston: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,809 in Ajax, ON versus $1,031 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 11% higher in Preston, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Ajax, ON versus $75.0 in Preston. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Ajax, ON vs $306 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 45%, 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 $4,558 per month in Ajax, ON and $3,151 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 $3,038 in Ajax, ON and $2,101 in Preston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 79% 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 $2,101, than in Ajax, ON at $3,038. 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.