Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterey, CA and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,610 a month against $3,616 in Monterey, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

173

Cost of Living Index in Monterey, CA
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Monterey, CA Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index

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Monterey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,616

/mo nomad

Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,610

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,616 per month in Monterey, CA vs $2,610 in Toronto, rent included.

Monterey, CA $3,616
Toronto $2,610

A couple spends around $5,349 per month in Monterey, CA vs $3,727 in Toronto, rent included.

Monterey, CA $5,349
Toronto $3,727

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Monterey, CA vs $4,844 in Toronto, rent included.

Monterey, CA $7,082
Toronto $4,844

Monterey, CA costs about 39% more than Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Monterey, CA and Toronto sit above the global median – Monterey, CA by 167%, Toronto by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$17.59 CA$24.87

15.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$78.8 CA$111

-0.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$10.73 CA$15.16

12.77%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$4.09 CA$5.78

27.63%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$2.10 CA$2.97

52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.72 CA$2.43

-5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 $5.45

$6.36 CA$8.99

-14.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$7.08 CA$10.01

-14.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.54 CA$3.59

-35.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.72 CA$3.85

16.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.18 CA$3.09

20.64%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$3.63 CA$5.13

25.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 $9.57

$9.46 CA$13.37

1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.38 $13.38

$11.54 CA$16.32

15.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$14.37 CA$20.32

-57.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.70 CA$5.23

-1.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.19 CA$1.68

0.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.46 CA$4.90

-6.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.22 CA$5.97

-5.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.79 CA$2.52

53.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.65 CA$2.33

18.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.20 CA$3.11

-20.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.26 CA$1.78

-0.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.59 $11.59

$13.97 CA$19.75

-17.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.31 $17.31

$14.20 CA$20.07

21.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.25 CA$3.18

21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.53 CA$3.58

-26.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.32 CA$3.28

-12.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 $52.9

$112 CA$158

-52.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.06 CA$4.33

-48.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.22 CA$1.72

-22.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.04 $35.04

$21.69 CA$30.66

61.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.21 CA$1.72

26.45%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$26.1K CA$37.0K

10.51%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$21.1K CA$29.9K

22.10%

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

$238 $238

$120 CA$169

99.03%

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

$75.1 $75.1

$32.21 CA$45.54

133.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$48.88 CA$69.1

46.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.1 $84.1

$39.34 CA$55.6

113.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.63 $10.63

$23.58 CA$33.34

-54.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.75 $12.75

$12.58 CA$17.79

1.35%

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

$555 $555

$832 CA$1,176

-33.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K $12.5K

$23.6K CA$33.4K

-46.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 $76.8

$52.3 CA$73.9

46.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.2 $90.2

$39.44 CA$55.8

128.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 $129

$99.0 CA$140

30.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$122 CA$172

10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 $2,490

$1,631 CA$2,306

52.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$1,448 CA$2,048

52.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,056 $4,056

$2,737 CA$3,869

48.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,027 $4,027

$2,129 CA$3,010

89.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,909 $7,909

$8,206 CA$11.6K

-3.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,838 $5,838

$6,838 CA$9,666

-14.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,771 $4,771

$3,520 CA$4,976

35.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

4.47

48.10%

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

Last update for Monterey, CA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Monterey, CA

$2.2K 61%

Toronto

$1.4K 55.5% 34.3% $757

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterey, CA

$385 10.6%

Toronto

$201 7.7% 47.9% $184

Groceries & Markets

Monterey, CA

$335 9.3%

Toronto

$343 13.1% 2.2% $7.4

Eating Out

Monterey, CA

$320 8.8%

Toronto

$283 10.9% 11.4% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Monterey, CA

$194 5.4%

Toronto

$141 5.4% 27.3% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Monterey, CA

$110 3%

Toronto

$65 2.5% 41.1% $45

Getting Around

Monterey, CA

$67 1.9%

Toronto

$130 5% 93.4% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,490 in Monterey, 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 36% higher in Monterey, 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 Monterey, CA versus $79.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $343 – making Monterey, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Monterey, CA

🇨🇦 Toronto

🕒 Local time

04:43 4:43 AM

07:43 7:43 AM

3 h ahead of Monterey, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,803

2,731,571

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 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

Monterey, CA Toronto 3,660 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Monterey, 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

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

Yes – Monterey, CA is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,424 per month in Monterey, CA and $3,916 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,616 in Monterey, CA and $2,610 in Toronto. That's a gap of about 39%.

Public transport costs about 111% less in Toronto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,616 in Monterey, CA and $2,610 in Toronto. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Toronto – 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 Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monterey, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.