Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,686 per month in Burlington vs $2,628 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,903 per month in Burlington vs $3,848 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,120 per month in Burlington vs $5,067 in Toronto, rent included.

Burlington costs about 2% more than Toronto, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Burlington and Toronto sit above the global median – Burlington by 95%, Toronto by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.49 CA$29.63

$17.88 CA$24.66

20.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$87.9 CA$121

-16.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 CA$14.87

$10.93 CA$15.08

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$3.50 CA$4.83

$4.06 CA$5.60

-13.79%

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

$1.96 CA$2.71

$2.18 CA$3.01

-10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.17

$1.70 CA$2.34

-7.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 CA$7.84

$6.69 CA$9.22

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CA$8.51

$7.35 CA$10.13

-16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 CA$3.60

$2.78 CA$3.83

-6.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 CA$4.13

$2.89 CA$3.99

3.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.55

$2.56 CA$3.54

57.42%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.00

$3.79 CA$5.22

-4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CA$14.25

$10.17 CA$14.02

1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 CA$14.93

$11.95 CA$16.48

-9.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.05 CA$20.76

$16.12 CA$22.23

-6.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.30

$3.89 CA$5.37

-1.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.27 CA$1.76

22.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.68

$3.88 CA$5.35

-31.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.92

$4.33 CA$5.97

-17.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CA$2.65

$1.83 CA$2.52

4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.63

$1.50 CA$2.06

27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 CA$2.88

$2.28 CA$3.14

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.44 CA$1.98

7.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.79 CA$19.02

$14.20 CA$19.58

-2.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 CA$14.79

$14.24 CA$19.64

-24.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.92

$2.25 CA$3.10

26.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.10

$2.53 CA$3.49

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 CA$3.65

$2.47 CA$3.41

7.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.6 CA$137

$112 CA$154

-11.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 CA$7.14

$3.05 CA$4.20

69.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 CA$3.47

$1.24 CA$1.70

103.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.64 CA$60.2

$22.44 CA$30.94

94.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.24 CA$1.70

-8.06%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$27.5K CA$37.9K

2.69%

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

$20.4K CA$28.1K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

-3.53%

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

$144 CA$199

$128 CA$176

13.05%

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

$45.14 CA$62.2

$33.79 CA$46.59

33.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 CA$95.9

$49.25 CA$67.9

41.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 CA$72.0

$40.93 CA$56.5

27.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.24 CA$41.70

$24.62 CA$33.95

22.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.41 CA$22.63

$13.16 CA$18.15

24.70%

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

$1,194 CA$1,647

$792 CA$1,093

50.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K CA$26.7K

$24.1K CA$33.3K

-19.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 CA$99.3

$54.5 CA$75.2

32.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 CA$92.8

$43.11 CA$59.5

56.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 CA$136

$102 CA$140

-2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$123 CA$170

-16.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 CA$2,277

$1,653 CA$2,279

-0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 CA$2,010

$1,452 CA$2,002

0.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 CA$3,546

$2,694 CA$3,716

-4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,268 CA$3,127

$2,149 CA$2,964

5.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,350 CA$7,378

$8,347 CA$11.5K

-35.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,160 CA$5,737

$6,816 CA$9,399

-38.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,260 CA$4,496

$3,614 CA$4,984

-9.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

4.49

0.67%

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

Last update for Burlington: August 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,651 in Burlington versus $1,653 in Toronto. 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 Toronto, 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 $73.0 in Burlington versus $88.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $365 – making Burlington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Burlington vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,028 per month in Burlington and $3,942 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,194 per month in Burlington and $792 in Toronto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Burlington – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,686 in Burlington and $2,628 in Toronto. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Toronto – 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 Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.