Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Cambridge: $2,398 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Cambridge
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Cambridge Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index

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Cambridge

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,398

/mo nomad

Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,561

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cambridge 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 Cambridge and in Toronto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,398 in Cambridge versus $2,561 in Toronto.

Cambridge $2,398
Toronto $2,561

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,402 in Cambridge versus $3,694 in Toronto.

Cambridge $3,402
Toronto $3,694

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,406 in Cambridge versus $4,826 in Toronto.

Cambridge $4,406
Toronto $4,826

Living in Cambridge costs roughly 6% less than in Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 78% above, Toronto 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 CA$24.45

$17.18 CA$24.29

0.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 CA$78.9

$76.0 CA$107

-26.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 CA$14.07

$10.54 CA$14.89

-5.50%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.96

$4.02 CA$5.68

-12.69%

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

$1.98 CA$2.79

$2.12 CA$3.00

-6.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 CA$1.86

$1.75 CA$2.48

-24.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 CA$7.22

$6.24 CA$8.83

-18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 CA$8.82

$7.09 CA$10.02

-11.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.91

$2.44 CA$3.45

-15.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 CA$3.36

$2.68 CA$3.78

-11.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.36

$2.24 CA$3.17

37.95%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.53

$3.56 CA$5.03

-10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 CA$15.33

$9.09 CA$12.85

19.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 CA$16.02

$11.33 CA$16.01

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 CA$20.22

$14.53 CA$20.55

-1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.58

$3.62 CA$5.12

9.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.67

$1.21 CA$1.72

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.66

$3.60 CA$5.09

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.20

$4.21 CA$5.96

-12.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.69

$1.79 CA$2.53

45.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.59 CA$2.25

24.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CA$2.88

$2.27 CA$3.21

-10.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CA$2.00

$1.25 CA$1.77

12.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.82 CA$18.13

$13.82 CA$19.53

-7.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 CA$17.25

$14.27 CA$20.18

-14.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.63

$2.20 CA$3.10

16.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.44

$2.43 CA$3.44

58.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.44

$2.39 CA$3.38

2.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 CA$90.3

$111 CA$157

-42.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 CA$3.42

$2.91 CA$4.12

-16.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 CA$2.52

$1.20 CA$1.69

48.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.60 CA$31.95

$21.38 CA$30.23

5.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.21 CA$1.71

-4.13%

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

$25.8K CA$36.5K

$28.2K CA$39.8K

-8.27%

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

$18.5K CA$26.2K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

-8.53%

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

$149 CA$211

$120 CA$170

23.77%

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

$42.05 CA$59.5

$32.26 CA$45.60

30.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.52 CA$70.0

$47.93 CA$67.8

3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.59 CA$40.42

$38.48 CA$54.4

-25.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 CA$32.46

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 CA$14.53

$12.38 CA$17.50

-16.96%

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

$528 CA$746

$830 CA$1,173

-36.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$22.8K

$23.1K CA$32.6K

-30.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$76.7

$50.7 CA$71.7

6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.82 CA$42.16

$40.02 CA$56.6

-25.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 CA$105

$98.0 CA$139

-24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$146

$121 CA$171

-14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 CA$1,845

$1,592 CA$2,251

-18.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,837

$1,410 CA$1,994

-7.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,509 CA$3,547

$2,670 CA$3,775

-6.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 CA$2,812

$2,152 CA$3,042

-7.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,236 CA$5,989

$7,945 CA$11.2K

-46.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,850 CA$5,443

$6,542 CA$9,249

-41.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,938 CA$4,153

$3,727 CA$5,269

-21.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

4.47

13.87%

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

Last update for Cambridge: October 12, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cambridge

$1.3K 54.2%

Toronto

$1.4K 55.1% 8.5% $111

Groceries & Markets

Cambridge

$345 14.4%

Toronto

$340 13.3% 1.4% $4.9

Eating Out

Cambridge

$262 10.9%

Toronto

$278 10.9% 6.4% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cambridge

$241 10%

Toronto

$201 7.8% 16.6% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Cambridge

$118 4.9%

Toronto

$139 5.4% 18.3% $22

Getting Around

Cambridge

$85 3.5%

Toronto

$129 5.1% 52.3% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Cambridge

$49 2.1%

Toronto

$63 2.5% 28.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,305 in Cambridge and $1,592 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 27% 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: $56.0 in Cambridge vs $76.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $340, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Cambridge

🇨🇦 Toronto

🕒 Local time

16:59 4:59 PM

Same time as Cambridge

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

138,479

2,731,571

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Cambridge Toronto 82 km

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Cambridge
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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

Cambridge vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% 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: $1,305 in Cambridge versus $1,592 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $76.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,398 in Cambridge versus $2,561 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge 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 Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.