Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Moines, IA: $2,171 a month against $2,610 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Toronto outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index

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Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,610

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,610 in Toronto.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
Toronto $2,610

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,727 in Toronto.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
Toronto $3,727

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $4,844 in Toronto.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
Toronto $4,844

Living in Des Moines, IA costs roughly 17% less than in Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 60% above, Toronto 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$17.59 CA$24.87

11.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$78.8 CA$111

2.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$10.73 CA$15.16

13.89%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$4.09 CA$5.78

50.61%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.10 CA$2.97

39.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.72 CA$2.43

48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$6.36 CA$8.99

-21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$7.08 CA$10.01

-16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.54 CA$3.59

-64.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.72 CA$3.85

11.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.18 CA$3.09

55.05%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$3.63 CA$5.13

10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$9.46 CA$13.37

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$11.54 CA$16.32

-14.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$14.37 CA$20.32

-4.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.70 CA$5.23

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.19 CA$1.68

26.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.46 CA$4.90

31.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$4.22 CA$5.97

-12.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.79 CA$2.52

71.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.65 CA$2.33

29.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.20 CA$3.11

8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.26 CA$1.78

73.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$13.97 CA$19.75

-43.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$14.20 CA$20.07

4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.25 CA$3.18

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.53 CA$3.58

22.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.32 CA$3.28

-25.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$112 CA$158

-47.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.06 CA$4.33

-35.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.22 CA$1.72

0.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$21.69 CA$30.66

-9.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.21 CA$1.72

-23.14%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.1K CA$37.0K

3.97%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$21.1K CA$29.9K

19.05%

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

$185 $185

$120 CA$169

54.32%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$32.21 CA$45.54

66.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$48.88 CA$69.1

43.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$39.34 CA$55.6

62.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$23.58 CA$33.34

-14.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$12.58 CA$17.79

-20.59%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$832 CA$1,176

42.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$23.6K CA$33.4K

-49.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$52.3 CA$73.9

13.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$39.44 CA$55.8

8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$99.0 CA$140

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$122 CA$172

18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$1,631 CA$2,306

-27.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$1,448 CA$2,048

-39.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$2,737 CA$3,869

-36.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$2,129 CA$3,010

-34.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$8,206 CA$11.6K

-71.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$6,838 CA$9,666

-66.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$3,520 CA$4,976

3.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

4.47

46.76%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

Toronto

$1.4K 55.5% 66% $576

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

Toronto

$343 13.1% 1.9% $6.5

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

Toronto

$283 10.9% 13.4% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

Toronto

$201 7.7% 34.9% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

Toronto

$141 5.4% 10.3% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

Toronto

$65 2.5% 23% $19

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

Toronto

$130 5% 77.8% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $1,631 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $79.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $343 per month, with Toronto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇨🇦 Toronto

🕒 Local time

07:23 7:23 AM

08:23 8:23 AM

1 h ahead of Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

2,731,571

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Des Moines, IA Toronto 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
Toronto

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

Des Moines, IA vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Des Moines, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Des Moines, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,631 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Moines, IA – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $79.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $2,610 in Toronto – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,610 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Des Moines, IA but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Des Moines, IA 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.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA and Toronto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Des Moines, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.