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: $2,585 in Barrie versus $2,843 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,673 in Barrie versus $4,122 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Barrie versus $5,402 in Toronto.

Living in Barrie costs roughly 9% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 94% above, Toronto 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 CA$20.75

$18.86 CA$26.47

-21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$84.0 CA$118

-11.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 CA$14.42

$11.20 CA$15.72

-8.30%

Cappuccino

$3.42 CA$4.80

$3.93 CA$5.52

-12.98%

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

$1.80 CA$2.53

$2.15 CA$3.01

-16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.61 CA$2.26

-31.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 CA$8.84

$5.85 CA$8.22

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 CA$8.02

$6.75 CA$9.48

-15.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.69 CA$3.78

1.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.10

$2.74 CA$3.85

6.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.53

$3.54 CA$4.97

11.30%

Eggs

$3.04 CA$4.27

$3.48 CA$4.88

-12.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 CA$12.46

$13.55 CA$19.01

-34.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.49 CA$20.34

$13.13 CA$18.43

10.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.25 CA$35.44

$16.52 CA$23.19

52.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.22

$4.11 CA$5.77

-9.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.13 CA$1.58

17.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$3.39 CA$4.75

-14.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.27

$4.04 CA$5.67

28.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$2.56 CA$3.60

-32.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.34

$2.82 CA$3.97

34.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 CA$3.97

$2.47 CA$3.47

14.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.92 CA$2.69

-13.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 CA$16.51

$14.66 CA$20.58

-19.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 CA$14.25

$13.89 CA$19.50

-26.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.71 CA$3.81

-10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CA$3.25

$3.17 CA$4.45

-27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$2.46 CA$3.45

7.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 CA$94.4

$114 CA$160

-41.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$4.02

$3.60 CA$5.06

-20.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$1.36 CA$1.91

53.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.95 CA$36.43

$25.82 CA$36.24

0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.61

$1.14 CA$1.59

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$24.7K CA$34.6K

0.23%

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

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$21.2K CA$29.8K

-3.73%

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

$196 CA$275

$119 CA$167

65.27%

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

$42.36 CA$59.5

$36.98 CA$51.9

14.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 CA$107

$54.3 CA$76.2

40.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 CA$51.0

$56.0 CA$78.6

-35.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.57 CA$51.3

$20.56 CA$28.86

77.87%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 CA$18.88

$11.59 CA$16.26

16.05%

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

$1,473 CA$2,068

$1,155 CA$1,621

27.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$17.9K CA$25.1K

-34.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 CA$98.4

$58.3 CA$81.8

20.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 CA$79.2

$39.15 CA$55.0

44.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 CA$200

$87.5 CA$123

62.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$115 CA$162

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 CA$1,984

$1,785 CA$2,505

-20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CA$1,815

$1,543 CA$2,165

-16.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,166 CA$3,040

$2,918 CA$4,096

-25.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,573

$2,471 CA$3,468

-25.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 CA$7,040

$8,725 CA$12.2K

-42.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,205 CA$5,902

$6,800 CA$9,544

-38.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,045 CA$4,274

$3,476 CA$4,879

-12.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

5.16

28.49%

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

Last update for Barrie: July 25, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,413 in Barrie and $1,785 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 14% 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: $74.0 in Barrie vs $84.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $393, 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 10% in total monthly costs ($2,585 vs $2,843 including rent). Barrie is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% 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: $1,413 in Barrie versus $1,785 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 70% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,473 in Barrie versus $1,155 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,585 in Barrie versus $2,843 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barrie but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Barrie the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 10% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.