Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fullerton, CA and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,610 a month against $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Fullerton, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,507
/mo nomad
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,610
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,507 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $2,610 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Fullerton, CA $3,507
  • Toronto $2,610

A couple spends around $5,392 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $3,727 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Fullerton, CA $5,392
  • Toronto $3,727

A family of three spends $7,276 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $4,844 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Fullerton, CA $7,276
  • Toronto $4,844

Fullerton, CA costs about 34% more than Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fullerton, CA and Toronto sit above the global median – Fullerton, CA by 159%, Toronto by 93%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.09 $25.09
$17.59 CA$24.87
42.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.9 $78.9
$78.8 CA$111
0.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.35 $11.35
$10.73 CA$15.16
5.78%
Cappuccino
$5.72 $5.72
$4.09 CA$5.78
39.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$2.10 CA$2.97
33.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.72 CA$2.43
19.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.88 $7.88
$6.36 CA$8.99
23.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.81 $9.81
$7.08 CA$10.01
38.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$2.54 CA$3.59
-44.49%
White Bread (500g)
$5.10 $5.10
$2.72 CA$3.85
87.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.18 CA$3.09
99.08%
Eggs
$5.06 $5.06
$3.63 CA$5.13
39.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.26 $12.26
$9.46 CA$13.37
29.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.63 $8.63
$11.54 CA$16.32
-25.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.69 $15.69
$14.37 CA$20.32
9.19%
Apples (1kg)
$4.70 $4.70
$3.70 CA$5.23
27.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.19 CA$1.68
44.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.02 $4.02
$3.46 CA$4.90
16.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$4.22 CA$5.97
51.66%
Potato (1kg)
$3.57 $3.57
$1.79 CA$2.52
99.44%
Onion (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$1.65 CA$2.33
100.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 $2.11
$2.20 CA$3.11
-4.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.26 CA$1.78
102.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.66 $11.66
$13.97 CA$19.75
-16.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.13 $15.13
$14.20 CA$20.07
6.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 $1.74
$2.25 CA$3.18
-22.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 $3.25
$2.53 CA$3.58
28.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 $2.30
$2.32 CA$3.28
-0.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.6 $64.6
$112 CA$158
-42.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.44 $4.44
$3.06 CA$4.33
45.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 $1.89
$1.22 CA$1.72
54.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.21 $36.21
$21.69 CA$30.66
66.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 $1.48
$1.21 CA$1.72
22.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$26.1K CA$37.0K
4.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$21.1K CA$29.9K
24.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$213 $213
$120 CA$169
77.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$84.5 $84.5
$32.21 CA$45.54
162.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.2 $73.2
$48.88 CA$69.1
49.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.78 $40.78
$39.34 CA$55.6
3.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.58 CA$33.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.13 $12.13
$12.58 CA$17.79
-3.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,391 $1,391
$832 CA$1,176
67.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$43.3K $43.3K
$23.6K CA$33.4K
83.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.0 $75.0
$52.3 CA$73.9
43.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.26 $40.26
$39.44 CA$55.8
2.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.4 $88.4
$99.0 CA$140
-10.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$122 CA$172
-1.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 $2,588
$1,631 CA$2,306
58.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,043 $2,043
$1,448 CA$2,048
41.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 $4,005
$2,737 CA$3,869
46.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,069 $4,069
$2,129 CA$3,010
91.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,472 $5,472
$8,206 CA$11.6K
-33.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,838 CA$9,666
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fullerton, CA
Toronto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,578 $4,578
$3,520 CA$4,976
30.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.31
4.47
41.16%

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

Last update for Fullerton, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fullerton, CA
$2K
Toronto
$1.4K 29.1% $595
Groceries & Markets
Fullerton, CA
$413
Toronto
$343 17% $70
Eating Out
Fullerton, CA
$382
Toronto
$283 25.9% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fullerton, CA
$371
Toronto
$201 45.8% $170
Clothing & Footwear
Fullerton, CA
$146
Toronto
$141 3.4% $4.9
Getting Around
Fullerton, CA
$88
Toronto
$130 48.5% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Fullerton, CA
$65
Toronto
$65 0.8% $0.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,588 in Fullerton, CA versus $1,631 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 30% higher in Fullerton, CA, 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 $79.0 in Fullerton, CA versus $79.0 in Toronto. Groceries tell a different story – $413 in Fullerton, CA vs $343 in Toronto – so Toronto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Fullerton, CA
🇨🇦 Toronto
🕒 Local time
17:06 5:06 PM
20:06 8:06 PM
3 h ahead of Fullerton, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
135,161
2,731,571
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fullerton, CA Toronto 3,480 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Fullerton, 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
Fullerton, CA vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Fullerton, CA and in Toronto compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, $2,610 in Toronto – roughly 34% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Fullerton, CA compared to Toronto?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,260 per month in Fullerton, CA and $3,916 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Fullerton, CA and Toronto?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Toronto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Fullerton, CA and Toronto?
Kindergarten costs $1,391 per month in Fullerton, CA and $832 in Toronto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Fullerton, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is feasible on a $2,500 budget?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,507 in Fullerton, CA and $2,610 in Toronto. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Fullerton, CA and Toronto?
It depends on your priorities. Fullerton, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,610 in Toronto to $3,507 in Fullerton, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Fullerton, CA or Toronto safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Fullerton, CA and Toronto?
If budget matters most, go with Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fullerton, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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