Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Cambridge versus $2,788 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Cambridge versus $4,110 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Cambridge versus $5,432 in Toronto.

Living in Cambridge costs roughly 12% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 84% above, Toronto 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 CA$20.85

$18.51 CA$26.05

-19.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 CA$91.7

$83.8 CA$118

-22.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 CA$14.07

$10.97 CA$15.44

-8.84%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.18

$3.99 CA$5.61

-7.77%

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

$2.21 CA$3.11

$2.11 CA$2.98

4.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$1.69 CA$2.38

-4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.21

$5.92 CA$8.33

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$9.22

$6.48 CA$9.11

1.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.71 CA$3.82

-17.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.85 CA$4.02

-21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.21

$3.56 CA$5.01

-16.01%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.50

$3.54 CA$4.98

-9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 CA$12.20

$13.26 CA$18.66

-34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.81

$13.05 CA$18.36

-8.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 CA$19.35

$16.77 CA$23.59

-18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.11 CA$5.79

-2.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.14 CA$1.60

7.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$3.40 CA$4.78

8.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.51

$4.02 CA$5.66

-2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$2.43 CA$3.42

12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.94 CA$4.13

-16.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.47 CA$3.48

-9.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.21

$1.92 CA$2.70

-18.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.40 CA$18.85

$14.99 CA$21.09

-10.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 CA$17.24

$14.34 CA$20.17

-14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.71 CA$3.81

-9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.45

$3.12 CA$4.39

1.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.45 CA$3.45

4.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 CA$93.7

$113 CA$159

-40.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 CA$3.67

$3.63 CA$5.10

-28.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.34 CA$1.89

27.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 CA$33.54

$25.55 CA$35.95

-6.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$25.3K CA$35.6K

0.50%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$21.8K CA$30.6K

-6.82%

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

$151 CA$212

$117 CA$164

29.28%

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

$39.94 CA$56.2

$37.60 CA$52.9

6.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 CA$76.1

$53.7 CA$75.6

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.81 CA$41.94

$57.1 CA$80.3

-47.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.26

$11.56 CA$16.26

-0.09%

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

$556 CA$782

$1,125 CA$1,583

-50.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K CA$14.7K

$18.4K CA$25.9K

-43.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$78.0

$57.3 CA$80.7

-3.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 CA$48.80

$39.05 CA$55.0

-11.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 CA$99.4

$87.6 CA$123

-19.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$114 CA$160

-3.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,984

$1,842 CA$2,591

-23.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,938

$1,531 CA$2,154

-10.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,684 CA$3,776

$2,925 CA$4,116

-8.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 CA$2,993

$2,502 CA$3,521

-14.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,165 CA$5,861

$8,725 CA$12.3K

-52.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,848 CA$5,414

$6,867 CA$9,663

-43.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,007 CA$4,231

$3,454 CA$4,860

-12.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

5.16

28.68%

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

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,410 in Cambridge and $1,842 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 15% 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: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $84.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $395 per month, with Cambridge 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

Cambridge vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $1,410 in Cambridge versus $1,842 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,462 in Cambridge versus $2,788 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 13% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.