Cost of Living Comparison Between Dartmouth and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Dartmouth and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,118 per month in Dartmouth vs $2,788 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,187 per month in Dartmouth vs $4,110 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,257 per month in Dartmouth vs $5,432 in Toronto, rent included.

Dartmouth is about 24% cheaper than Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dartmouth and Toronto sit above the global median – Dartmouth by 59%, Toronto by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.52 CA$20.35

$18.51 CA$25.96

-21.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 CA$85.6

$83.8 CA$118

-27.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 CA$12.15

$10.97 CA$15.38

-20.97%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.14

$3.99 CA$5.59

-8.02%

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

$1.66 CA$2.33

$2.11 CA$2.96

-21.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$1.69 CA$2.37

-24.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 CA$8.45

$5.92 CA$8.30

1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.21

$6.48 CA$9.08

-9.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 CA$2.71

$2.71 CA$3.80

-28.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.64

$2.85 CA$4.00

-9.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$5.00

$3.56 CA$4.99

0.28%

Eggs

$3.34 CA$4.69

$3.54 CA$4.96

-5.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 CA$14.04

$13.26 CA$18.59

-24.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 CA$15.75

$13.05 CA$18.29

-13.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.59 CA$21.85

$16.77 CA$23.51

-7.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$4.11 CA$5.77

-13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$1.14 CA$1.60

43.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.16

$3.40 CA$4.76

8.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.55

$4.02 CA$5.64

34.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.43 CA$3.41

-13.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$2.94 CA$4.12

-24.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.89

$2.47 CA$3.47

12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.61

$1.92 CA$2.69

-3.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.73

$14.99 CA$21.01

-1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 CA$19.52

$14.34 CA$20.10

-2.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$2.71 CA$3.80

19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 CA$4.73

$3.12 CA$4.38

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$2.45 CA$3.44

-19.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 CA$86.9

$113 CA$158

-45.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CA$10.75

$3.63 CA$5.08

111.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.34 CA$1.88

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 CA$41.67

$25.55 CA$35.82

16.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.11 CA$1.55

9.01%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

-2.10%

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

$21.4K CA$30.0K

$21.8K CA$30.5K

-1.55%

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

$72.6 CA$102

$117 CA$164

-37.79%

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

$37.43 CA$52.5

$37.60 CA$52.7

-0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 CA$117

$53.7 CA$75.3

55.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.95 CA$51.8

$57.1 CA$80.1

-35.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 CA$15.40

$11.56 CA$16.20

-5.02%

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

$163 CA$229

$1,125 CA$1,577

-85.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$18.4K CA$25.9K

-36.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.19 CA$57.8

$57.3 CA$80.4

-28.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 CA$49.38

$39.05 CA$54.8

-9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 CA$98.1

$87.6 CA$123

-20.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 CA$109

$114 CA$159

-31.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,800

$1,842 CA$2,582

-30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 CA$1,543

$1,531 CA$2,146

-28.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 CA$2,912

$2,925 CA$4,101

-29.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 CA$2,631

$2,502 CA$3,508

-25.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,577 CA$3,613

$3,454 CA$4,842

-25.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.16

8.91%

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

Last update for Dartmouth: July 14, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Dartmouth versus $1,842 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 34% higher in Toronto, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Dartmouth versus $84.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $395 – making Dartmouth 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

Dartmouth vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,118 in Dartmouth, $2,788 in Toronto – roughly 32% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,177 per month in Dartmouth and $4,181 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,118 in Dartmouth and $2,788 in Toronto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% less in Dartmouth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dartmouth, where all-in costs run around $2,118, than in Toronto at $2,788. In Dartmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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