Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,625 in Guelph versus $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,832 in Guelph versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,038 in Guelph versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Monthly costs are close between Guelph and Toronto; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.54 CA$29.71

$17.88 CA$24.66

20.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$100

$87.9 CA$121

-17.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 CA$15.71

$10.93 CA$15.08

4.21%

Cappuccino

$3.43 CA$4.73

$4.06 CA$5.60

-15.52%

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

$1.46 CA$2.01

$2.18 CA$3.01

-33.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 CA$1.88

$1.70 CA$2.34

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 CA$6.76

$6.69 CA$9.22

-26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CA$8.51

$7.35 CA$10.13

-16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.09

$2.78 CA$3.83

-19.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.06

$2.89 CA$3.99

1.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.16

$2.56 CA$3.54

46.09%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.05

$3.79 CA$5.22

-22.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 CA$13.48

$10.17 CA$14.02

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.89 CA$21.91

$11.95 CA$16.48

32.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.48 CA$47.55

$16.12 CA$22.23

113.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.02

$3.89 CA$5.37

-6.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.27 CA$1.76

1.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.73

$3.88 CA$5.35

25.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.71

$4.33 CA$5.97

-4.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$1.83 CA$2.52

83.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CA$3.31

$1.50 CA$2.06

60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 CA$3.98

$2.28 CA$3.14

26.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$1.44 CA$1.98

-7.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CA$15.58

$14.20 CA$19.58

-20.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 CA$15.54

$14.24 CA$19.64

-20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 CA$4.85

$2.25 CA$3.10

56.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.31

$2.53 CA$3.49

23.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$2.47 CA$3.41

-6.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 CA$95.1

$112 CA$154

-38.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 CA$3.31

$3.05 CA$4.20

-21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 CA$2.55

$1.24 CA$1.70

49.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 CA$33.49

$22.44 CA$30.94

8.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.24 CA$1.70

-8.06%

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

$28.1K CA$38.8K

$27.5K CA$37.9K

2.22%

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

$20.6K CA$28.4K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

-2.73%

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

$126 CA$174

$128 CA$176

-1.13%

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

$44.45 CA$61.3

$33.79 CA$46.59

31.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 CA$78.1

$49.25 CA$67.9

15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 CA$79.4

$40.93 CA$56.5

40.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 CA$20.04

$24.62 CA$33.95

-40.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 CA$15.06

$13.16 CA$18.15

-17.02%

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

$816 CA$1,125

$792 CA$1,093

2.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K CA$23.9K

$24.1K CA$33.3K

-28.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 CA$88.8

$54.5 CA$75.2

18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.26 CA$51.4

$43.11 CA$59.5

-13.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$120

$102 CA$140

-13.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 CA$171

$123 CA$170

0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CA$2,054

$1,653 CA$2,279

-9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 CA$1,934

$1,452 CA$2,002

-3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,118 CA$2,921

$2,694 CA$3,716

-21.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 CA$2,743

$2,149 CA$2,964

-7.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,906 CA$6,765

$8,347 CA$11.5K

-41.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,931 CA$6,799

$6,816 CA$9,399

-27.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,269 CA$4,508

$3,614 CA$4,984

-9.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.49

11.14%

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

Last update for Guelph: September 1, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Guelph and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 11% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $73.0 in Guelph vs $88.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $446 vs $365, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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

Guelph vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 11% 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: $1,489 in Guelph versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $816 in Guelph versus $792 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Guelph – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $88.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Guelph 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.

It comes down to priorities – Guelph wins on affordability, Toronto on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.