Cost of Living Comparison Between Oshawa and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Oshawa and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,357 in Oshawa versus $2,668 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,382 in Oshawa versus $3,801 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,407 in Oshawa versus $4,934 in Toronto.

Living in Oshawa costs roughly 12% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oshawa 72% above, Toronto 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.23 CA$19.90

$18.31 CA$25.62

-22.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 CA$89.7

$80.4 CA$112

-20.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 CA$11.81

$10.61 CA$14.84

-20.45%

Cappuccino

$3.50 CA$4.90

$3.99 CA$5.59

-12.28%

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

$1.73 CA$2.42

$2.16 CA$3.02

-19.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$1.76 CA$2.46

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 CA$7.23

$6.65 CA$9.30

-22.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 CA$8.59

$7.20 CA$10.07

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$2.84 CA$3.97

2.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.04

$2.75 CA$3.85

5.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$2.51 CA$3.50

62.95%

Eggs

$3.01 CA$4.20

$3.83 CA$5.35

-21.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 CA$13.94

$10.01 CA$14.00

-0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 CA$20.02

$11.96 CA$16.73

19.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.65 CA$23.29

$15.63 CA$21.87

6.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.06

$3.67 CA$5.14

17.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.27 CA$1.78

-5.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$3.87 CA$5.41

-27.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.37

$4.23 CA$5.91

-9.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.94

$1.86 CA$2.60

89.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.66

$1.53 CA$2.15

71.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.31

$2.30 CA$3.22

2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.44 CA$2.01

18.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.24

$14.12 CA$19.75

2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.67

$14.53 CA$20.33

-13.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.96

$2.22 CA$3.11

59.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.02

$2.55 CA$3.57

40.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.60

$2.47 CA$3.46

4.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 CA$97.0

$113 CA$158

-38.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.90

$3.10 CA$4.34

12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 CA$0.97

$1.28 CA$1.78

-45.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.03 CA$25.23

$21.87 CA$30.60

-17.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.23 CA$1.72

-8.94%

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

$28.2K CA$39.5K

$27.2K CA$38.1K

3.63%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

-0.96%

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

$138 CA$193

$122 CA$171

12.54%

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

$38.91 CA$54.4

$33.21 CA$46.46

17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 CA$74.1

$49.37 CA$69.1

7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.31 CA$41.01

$40.05 CA$56.0

-26.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.67 CA$40.11

$23.78 CA$33.27

20.56%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.37

$12.70 CA$17.76

-13.46%

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

$1,202 CA$1,682

$772 CA$1,080

55.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 CA$79.0

$53.4 CA$74.8

5.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 CA$79.4

$42.13 CA$58.9

34.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$147

$99.7 CA$139

5.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 CA$185

$123 CA$172

7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 CA$1,929

$1,597 CA$2,234

-13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 CA$1,732

$1,439 CA$2,013

-13.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 CA$2,757

$2,738 CA$3,830

-28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 CA$2,549

$2,163 CA$3,027

-15.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,258 CA$7,357

$8,246 CA$11.5K

-36.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.4K CA$14.6K

$6,695 CA$9,367

55.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,044 CA$4,259

$3,830 CA$5,359

-20.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.47

1.34%

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

Last update for Oshawa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,379 in Oshawa and $1,597 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 26% 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: $64.0 in Oshawa vs $80.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $361, 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

Oshawa vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oshawa wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oshawa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 26% 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: $1,379 in Oshawa versus $1,597 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Oshawa – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $80.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,357 per month in Oshawa versus $2,668 in Toronto – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,357 in Oshawa versus $2,668 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oshawa but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Oshawa 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 Oshawa 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.