Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, MN and Toronto

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, MN and in Toronto: $2,462 and $2,561 a month, rent and utilities included.

Austin, MN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,462
/mo nomad
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, MN and in Toronto

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, MN and in Toronto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,462 per month in Austin, MN vs $2,561 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Austin, MN $2,462
  • Toronto $2,561

A couple spends around $3,691 per month in Austin, MN vs $3,694 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Austin, MN $3,691
  • Toronto $3,694

A family of three spends $4,921 per month in Austin, MN vs $4,826 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Austin, MN $4,921
  • Toronto $4,826

Austin, MN is about 4% cheaper than Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Austin, MN and Toronto sit above the global median – Austin, MN by 82%, Toronto by 90%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.05 $20.05
$17.18 CA$24.29
16.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.6 $99.6
$76.0 CA$107
31.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.22 $12.22
$10.54 CA$14.89
15.94%
Cappuccino
$5.04 $5.04
$4.02 CA$5.68
25.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
$2.12 CA$3.00
39.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$1.75 CA$2.48
13.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.11 $5.11
$6.24 CA$8.83
-18.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80 $5.80
$7.09 CA$10.02
-18.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.83 $0.83
$2.44 CA$3.45
-65.98%
White Bread (500g)
$2.88 $2.88
$2.68 CA$3.78
7.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 $1.91
$2.24 CA$3.17
-14.73%
Eggs
$2.66 $2.66
$3.56 CA$5.03
-25.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.65 $9.65
$9.09 CA$12.85
6.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.48 $6.48
$11.33 CA$16.01
-42.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.15 $19.15
$14.53 CA$20.55
31.80%
Apples (1kg)
$5.19 $5.19
$3.62 CA$5.12
43.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.21 CA$1.72
2.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.59 $3.59
$3.60 CA$5.09
-0.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.74 $1.74
$4.21 CA$5.96
-58.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.79 CA$2.53
42.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$1.59 CA$2.25
40.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 $1.51
$2.27 CA$3.21
-33.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.25 CA$1.77
58.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.71 $8.71
$13.82 CA$19.53
-36.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$14.27 CA$20.18
-78.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.20 CA$3.10
-19.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 $3.02
$2.43 CA$3.44
24.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.39 CA$3.38
-17.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$111 CA$157
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.91 CA$4.12
-30.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.20 CA$1.69
5.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.06 $20.06
$21.38 CA$30.23
-6.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.21 CA$1.71
-21.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K $35.4K
$28.2K CA$39.8K
25.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K $24.5K
$20.3K CA$28.6K
20.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$187 $187
$120 CA$170
55.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.3 $52.3
$32.26 CA$45.60
61.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$79.3 $79.3
$47.93 CA$67.8
65.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.93 $35.93
$38.48 CA$54.4
-6.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.96 CA$32.46
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.30 $15.30
$12.38 CA$17.50
23.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,361 $1,361
$830 CA$1,173
64.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K $11.6K
$23.1K CA$32.6K
-49.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.5 $77.5
$50.7 CA$71.7
52.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.0 $54.0
$40.02 CA$56.6
34.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 $102
$98.0 CA$139
3.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165 $165
$121 CA$171
36.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,433 $1,433
$1,592 CA$2,251
-10.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$1,410 CA$1,994
-9.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,528 $2,528
$2,670 CA$3,775
-5.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,157 $2,157
$2,152 CA$3,042
0.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,481 $2,481
$7,945 CA$11.2K
-68.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,593 $2,593
$6,542 CA$9,249
-60.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, MN
Toronto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,727 CA$5,269
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
4.47
46.98%

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

Last update for Austin, MN: October 10, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, MN
$1.3K
Toronto
$1.4K 10.7% $137
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, MN
$318
Toronto
$201 37% $118
Eating Out
Austin, MN
$314
Toronto
$278 11.5% $36
Groceries & Markets
Austin, MN
$293
Toronto
$340 15.8% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, MN
$179
Toronto
$139 22.2% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, MN
$67
Toronto
$63 4.9% $3.3
Getting Around
Austin, MN
$16 *
Toronto
$129 698% $113

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,433 in Austin, MN versus $1,592 in Toronto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Austin, MN versus $76.0 in Toronto. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Austin, MN vs $340 in Toronto – so Austin, MN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, MN
🇨🇦 Toronto
🕒 Local time
15:20 3:20 PM
16:20 4:20 PM
1 h ahead of Austin, MN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
2,731,571
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, MN Toronto 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, MN
  • Toronto

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Austin, MN vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toronto cheaper than Austin, MN?
Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,692 per month in Austin, MN and $3,841 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, MN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Austin, MN and in Toronto?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,462 in Austin, MN and $2,561 in Toronto. That's a gap of about 4%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,361 per month in Austin, MN and $830 in Toronto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Austin, MN or in Toronto?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Austin, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,462, than in Toronto at $2,561. In Austin, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Austin, MN or Toronto more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Austin, MN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Austin, MN or Toronto?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Austin, MN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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