Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,286 per month in Kingston vs $2,768 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,230 per month in Kingston vs $4,066 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,173 per month in Kingston vs $5,364 in Toronto, rent included.

Kingston is about 17% cheaper than Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kingston and Toronto sit above the global median – Kingston by 70%, Toronto by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 CA$22.91

$18.40 CA$25.20

-9.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$102

$81.3 CA$111

-8.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 CA$15.46

$10.92 CA$14.97

3.30%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.06

$3.83 CA$5.25

-3.66%

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

$1.90 CA$2.60

$2.19 CA$3.01

-13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.64 CA$2.25

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$5.87 CA$8.05

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.83

$6.74 CA$9.24

-4.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$2.69 CA$3.68

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.47

$2.78 CA$3.81

-8.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.71

$3.51 CA$4.81

18.80%

Eggs

$2.91 CA$3.99

$3.47 CA$4.76

-16.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.63

$13.25 CA$18.15

-19.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.64

$12.92 CA$17.70

-11.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.63

$16.38 CA$22.44

-30.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.87

$4.03 CA$5.52

-11.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.80

$1.17 CA$1.61

12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$3.35 CA$4.59

19.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CA$6.66

$4.01 CA$5.50

21.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$2.44 CA$3.34

45.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$2.84 CA$3.90

-15.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.39 CA$3.27

24.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.22

$1.98 CA$2.71

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.00

$14.82 CA$20.31

-6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.06

$14.37 CA$19.68

-13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.13

$2.77 CA$3.79

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$3.30 CA$4.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.46

$2.45 CA$3.35

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.0 CA$79.5

$113 CA$155

-48.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.61 CA$4.95

-9.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$1.42 CA$1.94

10.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.56 CA$44.60

$25.90 CA$35.48

25.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$1.10 CA$1.50

-1.82%

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

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$25.5K CA$35.0K

-3.64%

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

$21.4K CA$29.3K

$21.0K CA$28.7K

1.90%

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

$130 CA$178

$119 CA$163

9.40%

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

$44.36 CA$60.8

$37.69 CA$51.6

17.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 CA$108

$54.6 CA$74.7

44.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.36 CA$44.33

$57.3 CA$78.5

-43.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$20.68 CA$28.33

-55.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.32

$11.62 CA$15.92

-3.79%

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

$446 CA$611

$1,118 CA$1,531

-60.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.0K

$18.3K CA$25.0K

-36.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 CA$63.2

$57.3 CA$78.6

-19.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 CA$49.25

$39.80 CA$54.5

-9.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$130

$88.4 CA$121

7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 CA$126

$116 CA$159

-20.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,766

$1,836 CA$2,516

-29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,630

$1,550 CA$2,124

-23.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 CA$2,918

$2,991 CA$4,097

-28.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CA$2,301

$2,492 CA$3,415

-32.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,450 CA$4,726

$8,566 CA$11.7K

-59.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,513 CA$3,443

$6,905 CA$9,460

-63.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 CA$4,228

$3,697 CA$5,064

-16.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.16

29.65%

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

Last update for Kingston: April 12, 2026

Last update for Toronto: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Kingston versus $1,836 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 20% higher in Toronto, 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 $74 in Kingston versus $81 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $392 – making Kingston the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kingston vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,286 in Kingston, $2,768 in Toronto – roughly 21% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,429 per month in Kingston and $4,153 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kingston, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,286 in Kingston and $2,768 in Toronto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% less in Kingston. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kingston, where all-in costs run around $2,286, than in Toronto at $2,768. In Kingston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kingston – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Kingston. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.