Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,544 in Barrie versus $2,668 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,542 in Barrie versus $3,801 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,540 in Barrie versus $4,934 in Toronto.

Living in Barrie costs roughly 5% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 86% above, Toronto 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.68 CA$20.53

$18.31 CA$25.62

-19.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 CA$79.7

$80.4 CA$112

-29.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 CA$15.88

$10.61 CA$14.84

6.97%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.23

$3.99 CA$5.59

-6.27%

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

$1.94 CA$2.71

$2.16 CA$3.02

-10.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.76 CA$2.46

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 CA$7.21

$6.65 CA$9.30

-22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 CA$7.87

$7.20 CA$10.07

-21.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$2.84 CA$3.97

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.75 CA$3.85

-6.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$2.51 CA$3.50

7.17%

Eggs

$3.13 CA$4.38

$3.83 CA$5.35

-18.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.13

$10.01 CA$14.00

0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.64 CA$20.48

$11.96 CA$16.73

22.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.79 CA$31.89

$15.63 CA$21.87

45.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.64

$3.67 CA$5.14

9.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$1.27 CA$1.78

-6.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.47

$3.87 CA$5.41

-17.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.65

$4.23 CA$5.91

-4.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.86 CA$2.60

-39.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.53 CA$2.15

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.30 CA$3.22

-3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.44 CA$2.01

19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 CA$16.23

$14.12 CA$19.75

-17.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.38

$14.53 CA$20.33

-29.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$2.22 CA$3.11

12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$2.55 CA$3.57

-13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$2.47 CA$3.46

0.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 CA$90.6

$113 CA$158

-42.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$5.00

$3.10 CA$4.34

15.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.28 CA$1.78

-14.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.60

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.51

$1.23 CA$1.72

-12.20%

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

$29.0K CA$40.6K

$27.2K CA$38.1K

6.67%

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

$21.4K CA$29.9K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

5.03%

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

$236 CA$330

$122 CA$171

92.45%

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

$36.33 CA$50.8

$33.21 CA$46.46

9.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.4 CA$110

$49.37 CA$69.1

58.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 CA$57.6

$40.05 CA$56.0

2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.41 CA$49.53

$23.78 CA$33.26

48.91%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 CA$18.03

$12.70 CA$17.76

1.50%

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

$1,456 CA$2,037

$772 CA$1,080

88.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 CA$89.4

$53.4 CA$74.7

19.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.65 CA$63.9

$42.13 CA$58.9

8.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CA$211

$99.7 CA$139

51.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 CA$119

$123 CA$172

-30.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 CA$2,039

$1,597 CA$2,234

-8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 CA$1,798

$1,439 CA$2,013

-10.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 CA$2,926

$2,738 CA$3,830

-23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 CA$2,478

$2,163 CA$3,026

-18.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,084 CA$7,112

$8,246 CA$11.5K

-38.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,301 CA$6,017

$6,695 CA$9,366

-35.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,093 CA$4,326

$3,830 CA$5,358

-19.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.47

4.70%

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

Last update for Barrie: September 15, 2026

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,458 in Barrie and $1,597 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $57.0 in Barrie vs $80.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $361, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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

Barrie vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barrie and Toronto differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,544 vs $2,668 including rent). Barrie is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Toronto. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,458 in Barrie versus $1,597 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Barrie runs roughly 74% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,456 in Barrie versus $772 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barrie is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Barrie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.