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 $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,491 in Cambridge versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,520 in Cambridge versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Living in Cambridge costs roughly 6% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 79% above, Toronto 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 CA$25.07

$17.88 CA$24.66

1.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 CA$90.8

$87.9 CA$121

-25.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 CA$13.99

$10.93 CA$15.08

-7.23%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.84

$4.06 CA$5.60

-13.55%

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

$2.08 CA$2.86

$2.18 CA$3.01

-4.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.85

$1.70 CA$2.34

-21.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 CA$7.65

$6.69 CA$9.22

-17.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.90

$7.35 CA$10.13

-12.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.91

$2.78 CA$3.83

-24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.89 CA$3.99

-23.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.88

$2.56 CA$3.54

9.77%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.69

$3.79 CA$5.22

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 CA$14.68

$10.17 CA$14.02

4.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.33

$11.95 CA$16.48

-0.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 CA$19.57

$16.12 CA$22.23

-11.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$1.27 CA$1.76

-7.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.95

$3.88 CA$5.35

11.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.56

$4.33 CA$5.97

-6.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.58

$1.83 CA$2.52

42.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.69

$1.50 CA$2.06

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 CA$3.11

$2.28 CA$3.14

-0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.44 CA$1.98

0.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.64 CA$18.81

$14.20 CA$19.58

-3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 CA$17.12

$14.24 CA$19.64

-12.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.40

$2.25 CA$3.10

9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 CA$5.75

$2.53 CA$3.49

64.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.47

$2.47 CA$3.41

2.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 CA$90.6

$112 CA$154

-41.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 CA$3.40

$3.05 CA$4.20

-19.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$1.24 CA$1.70

46.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.15 CA$31.93

$22.44 CA$30.94

3.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$1.24 CA$1.70

-8.87%

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

$26.8K CA$37.0K

$27.5K CA$37.9K

-2.50%

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

$19.7K CA$27.2K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

-6.70%

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

$148 CA$204

$128 CA$176

15.89%

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

$39.84 CA$54.9

$33.79 CA$46.59

17.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.93 CA$68.9

$49.25 CA$67.9

1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 CA$39.45

$40.93 CA$56.5

-30.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$33.95

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 CA$14.52

$13.16 CA$18.15

-19.98%

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

$544 CA$750

$792 CA$1,093

-31.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$22.9K

$24.1K CA$33.3K

-31.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$79.0

$54.5 CA$75.2

5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 CA$48.57

$43.11 CA$59.5

-18.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 CA$102

$102 CA$140

-26.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$149

$123 CA$170

-12.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,899

$1,653 CA$2,279

-16.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 CA$1,836

$1,452 CA$2,002

-8.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 CA$3,562

$2,694 CA$3,716

-4.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 CA$2,863

$2,149 CA$2,964

-3.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,291 CA$5,918

$8,347 CA$11.5K

-48.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,884 CA$5,356

$6,816 CA$9,399

-43.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,005 CA$4,145

$3,614 CA$4,984

-16.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

4.49

13.36%

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

Last update for Cambridge: August 30, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,377 in Cambridge and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 20% 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: $66.0 in Cambridge vs $88.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $365 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $1,377 in Cambridge versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% 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 $66.0 versus $88.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,462 in Cambridge versus $2,628 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.