Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Downey, CA and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,561 a month against $3,035 in Downey, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in Downey, CA
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Downey, CA Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index

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Downey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,035

/mo nomad

Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,561

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,035 in Downey, CA versus $2,561 in Toronto.

Downey, CA $3,035
Toronto $2,561

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,713 in Downey, CA versus $3,694 in Toronto.

Downey, CA $4,713
Toronto $3,694

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,391 in Downey, CA versus $4,826 in Toronto.

Downey, CA $6,391
Toronto $4,826

Living in Downey, CA is roughly 19% more expensive than in Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Downey, CA 125% above, Toronto 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.83 $24.83

$17.18 CA$24.29

44.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 $80.2

$76.0 CA$107

5.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.21 $15.21

$10.54 CA$14.89

44.31%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.02 CA$5.68

40.80%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$2.12 CA$3.00

49.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.75 CA$2.48

33.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 $7.38

$6.24 CA$8.83

18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.36 $9.36

$7.09 CA$10.02

32.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.44 CA$3.45

-54.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.68 CA$3.78

52.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.24 CA$3.17

109.82%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$3.56 CA$5.03

31.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$9.09 CA$12.85

41.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.40 $13.40

$11.33 CA$16.01

18.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.53 CA$20.55

4.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$3.62 CA$5.12

29.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.21 CA$1.72

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.60 CA$5.09

14.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$4.21 CA$5.96

30.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.79 CA$2.53

107.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.59 CA$2.25

93.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.27 CA$3.21

-10.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.25 CA$1.77

78.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 $11.68

$13.82 CA$19.53

-15.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$14.27 CA$20.18

4.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.20 CA$3.10

-8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.43 CA$3.44

72.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.38

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$157

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 $6.34

$2.91 CA$4.12

117.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 CA$1.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.38 CA$30.23

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.21 CA$1.71

21.49%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$28.2K CA$39.8K

33.82%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

26.98%

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

$170 $170

$120 CA$170

41.50%

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

$66.6 $66.6

$32.26 CA$45.60

106.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$47.93 CA$67.8

50.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.92 $34.92

$38.48 CA$54.4

-9.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 CA$32.46

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 $15.11

$12.38 CA$17.50

22.05%

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

$1,188 $1,188

$830 CA$1,173

43.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K CA$32.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$50.7 CA$71.7

15.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.89 $45.89

$40.02 CA$56.6

14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 $92.0

$98.0 CA$139

-6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 CA$171

19.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 $1,946

$1,592 CA$2,251

22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 $1,693

$1,410 CA$1,994

20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,725 $3,725

$2,670 CA$3,775

39.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,383 $3,383

$2,152 CA$3,042

57.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,755 $5,755

$7,945 CA$11.2K

-27.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,766 $5,766

$6,542 CA$9,249

-11.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,178 $4,178

$3,727 CA$5,269

12.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

4.47

42.95%

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

Last update for Downey, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Downey, CA

$1.7K 55.8%

Toronto

$1.4K 55.1% 16.7% $282

Groceries & Markets

Downey, CA

$419 13.8%

Toronto

$340 13.3% 18.9% $79

Eating Out

Downey, CA

$390 12.8%

Toronto

$278 10.9% 28.6% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Downey, CA

$309 10.2%

Toronto

$201 7.8% 35.2% $109

Clothing & Footwear

Downey, CA

$153 5.1%

Toronto

$139 5.4% 9.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Downey, CA

$65 2.2%

Toronto

$63 2.5% 2.9% $1.9

Getting Around

Downey, CA

$6.3 * 0.2%

Toronto

$129 5.1% 1941% $123

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,946 in Downey, CA and $1,592 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Downey, CA pays 12% 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: $80.0 in Downey, CA vs $76.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $419 vs $340 per month, with Toronto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Downey, CA

🇨🇦 Toronto

🕒 Local time

12:24 12:24 PM

15:24 3:24 PM

3 h ahead of Downey, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

114,355

2,731,571

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 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 →

On the map

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Between locations

Downey, CA Toronto 3,490 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Downey, CA
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

Downey, CA vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Downey, CA, 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: $1,946 in Downey, CA versus $1,592 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Downey, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,035 per month in Downey, CA versus $2,561 in Toronto – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Downey, CA 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 Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Downey, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.