Cost of Living Comparison Between Hearst and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Hearst and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in Hearst versus $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,303 in Hearst versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,283 in Hearst versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Living in Hearst costs roughly 12% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hearst 69% above, Toronto 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.51 CA$26.99

$17.88 CA$24.75

9.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 CA$85.4

$87.9 CA$122

-29.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 CA$16.66

$10.93 CA$15.13

10.16%

Cappuccino

$3.44 CA$4.76

$4.06 CA$5.62

-15.27%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.18 CA$3.02

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$1.70 CA$2.35

10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.09

$6.69 CA$9.25

-23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.18

$7.35 CA$10.16

-19.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.95

$2.78 CA$3.85

-23.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 CA$3.63

$2.89 CA$4.00

-9.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$2.56 CA$3.55

13.67%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.71

$3.79 CA$5.24

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 CA$13.73

$10.17 CA$14.07

-2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.76 CA$16.27

$11.95 CA$16.53

-1.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 CA$20.26

$16.12 CA$22.31

-9.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.46

$3.89 CA$5.39

1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.27 CA$1.76

-7.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.15

$3.88 CA$5.37

-4.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.36

$4.33 CA$5.99

-10.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.55

$1.83 CA$2.53

39.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CA$2.87

$1.50 CA$2.07

38.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.58

$2.28 CA$3.15

13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.31

$1.44 CA$1.99

15.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.63 CA$20.24

$14.20 CA$19.64

3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 CA$16.36

$14.24 CA$19.71

-16.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$2.25 CA$3.11

12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 CA$4.93

$2.53 CA$3.50

40.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$2.47 CA$3.42

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 CA$87.3

$112 CA$155

-43.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.01

$3.05 CA$4.22

-4.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.24 CA$1.71

13.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 CA$34.45

$22.44 CA$31.05

10.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.24 CA$1.71

-14.52%

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

$29.0K CA$40.1K

$27.5K CA$38.1K

5.30%

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

$19.9K CA$27.5K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

-5.92%

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

$141 CA$195

$128 CA$177

10.51%

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

$34.52 CA$47.77

$33.79 CA$46.75

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 CA$78.6

$49.25 CA$68.2

15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.21 CA$57.0

$40.93 CA$56.6

0.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 CA$25.85

$24.62 CA$34.07

-24.13%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.48

$13.16 CA$18.21

-15.05%

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

$876 CA$1,212

$792 CA$1,097

10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K CA$18.6K

$24.1K CA$33.4K

-44.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$73.7

$54.5 CA$75.4

-2.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.44 CA$53.2

$43.11 CA$59.7

-10.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 CA$119

$102 CA$140

-15.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$143

$123 CA$171

-15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 CA$1,803

$1,653 CA$2,287

-21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 CA$1,833

$1,452 CA$2,009

-8.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 CA$3,160

$2,694 CA$3,728

-15.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 CA$2,336

$2,149 CA$2,974

-21.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,566 CA$6,319

$8,347 CA$11.6K

-45.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,638 CA$5,034

$6,816 CA$9,431

-46.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,221 CA$4,457

$3,614 CA$5,001

-10.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.49

4.23%

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

Last update for Hearst: August 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,303 in Hearst and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto 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: $62.0 in Hearst vs $88.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $365 per month, with Hearst cheaper across the board.

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

Hearst vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hearst and Toronto differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,322 vs $2,628 including rent). Hearst is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $1,303 in Hearst versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $876 in Hearst versus $792 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,322 in Hearst versus $2,628 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hearst but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Hearst 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.

Expats usually find Hearst gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.