Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnaby and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnaby and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,777 in Burnaby versus $2,788 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,049 in Burnaby versus $4,110 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,321 in Burnaby versus $5,432 in Toronto.

Monthly costs are close between Burnaby and Toronto; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burnaby 108% above, Toronto 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 CA$20.80

$18.51 CA$25.96

-19.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 CA$105

$83.8 CA$118

-10.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 CA$12.97

$10.97 CA$15.38

-15.68%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.95

$3.99 CA$5.59

6.27%

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

$1.80 CA$2.52

$2.11 CA$2.96

-14.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.69 CA$2.37

-20.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 CA$8.34

$5.92 CA$8.30

0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 CA$7.96

$6.48 CA$9.08

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$2.71 CA$3.80

-7.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.85 CA$4.00

-3.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 CA$6.53

$3.56 CA$4.99

30.90%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.58

$3.54 CA$4.96

-7.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 CA$17.47

$13.26 CA$18.59

-6.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 CA$16.41

$13.05 CA$18.29

-10.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.40 CA$30.01

$16.77 CA$23.51

27.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.71

$4.11 CA$5.77

-18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.14 CA$1.60

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.25

$3.40 CA$4.76

-10.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$4.02 CA$5.64

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$2.43 CA$3.41

19.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.30

$2.94 CA$4.12

4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.47 CA$3.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.67

$1.92 CA$2.69

-0.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.77

$14.99 CA$21.01

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 CA$18.16

$14.34 CA$20.10

-9.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$2.71 CA$3.80

-8.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$3.12 CA$4.38

-18.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 CA$3.18

$2.45 CA$3.44

-7.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.6 CA$109

$113 CA$158

-31.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$3.63 CA$5.08

-24.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.34 CA$1.88

0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.16 CA$36.68

$25.55 CA$35.82

2.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.11 CA$1.55

23.42%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

0.34%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$21.8K CA$30.5K

-7.47%

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

$136 CA$191

$117 CA$164

16.72%

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

$41.79 CA$58.6

$37.60 CA$52.7

11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 CA$76.8

$53.7 CA$75.3

2.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 CA$43.75

$57.1 CA$80.1

-45.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.36 CA$7.52

$20.86 CA$29.24

-74.30%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 CA$22.62

$11.56 CA$16.20

39.53%

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

$534 CA$749

$1,125 CA$1,577

-52.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,169 CA$11.5K

$18.4K CA$25.9K

-55.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$76.9

$57.3 CA$80.4

-4.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 CA$75.5

$39.05 CA$54.8

37.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$132

$87.6 CA$123

7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 CA$133

$114 CA$159

-16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CA$2,642

$1,842 CA$2,582

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 CA$2,313

$1,531 CA$2,146

7.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,117 CA$5,772

$2,925 CA$4,101

40.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 CA$3,754

$2,502 CA$3,508

7.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,680 CA$9,366

$8,725 CA$12.2K

-23.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,538 CA$7,764

$6,867 CA$9,628

-19.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,116 CA$4,369

$3,454 CA$4,842

-9.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.16

26.74%

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

Last update for Burnaby: July 12, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,884 in Burnaby and $1,842 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 11% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $75.0 in Burnaby vs $84.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $395 per month, with Burnaby cheaper across the board.

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

Burnaby vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 11% 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: $1,884 in Burnaby versus $1,842 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Burnaby runs roughly 45% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Burnaby 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.

It comes down to priorities – Burnaby wins on affordability, Toronto on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.