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: $2,599 in Oshawa versus $2,843 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,728 in Oshawa versus $4,122 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,858 in Oshawa versus $5,402 in Toronto.

Living in Oshawa costs roughly 9% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oshawa 95% above, Toronto 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 CA$25.59

$18.86 CA$26.47

-3.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$105

$84.0 CA$118

-11.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 CA$14.41

$11.20 CA$15.72

-8.39%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.35

$3.93 CA$5.52

-2.80%

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

$1.97 CA$2.77

$2.15 CA$3.01

-8.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.39

$5.85 CA$8.22

-9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 CA$8.53

$6.75 CA$9.48

-9.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CA$3.76

$2.69 CA$3.78

-0.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.74 CA$3.85

-0.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.26

$3.54 CA$4.97

5.93%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.99

$3.48 CA$4.88

2.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 CA$16.95

$13.55 CA$19.01

-10.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.67

$13.13 CA$18.43

-15.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$22.48

$16.52 CA$23.19

-3.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.85

$4.11 CA$5.77

-16.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.13 CA$1.58

7.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.52

$3.39 CA$4.75

15.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$7.00

$4.04 CA$5.67

23.51%

Potato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.68

$2.56 CA$3.60

85.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.82 CA$3.97

18.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$2.47 CA$3.47

17.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.92 CA$2.69

-30.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.76

$14.66 CA$20.58

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 CA$17.65

$13.89 CA$19.50

-9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$2.71 CA$3.81

16.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$3.17 CA$4.45

-5.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.80

$2.46 CA$3.45

9.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.5 CA$123

$114 CA$160

-23.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$3.60 CA$5.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.94

$1.36 CA$1.91

53.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.74 CA$30.51

$25.82 CA$36.24

-15.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.14 CA$1.59

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

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$24.7K CA$34.6K

-0.11%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$21.2K CA$29.8K

-3.63%

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

$233 CA$327

$119 CA$167

96.44%

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

$58.8 CA$82.5

$36.98 CA$51.9

58.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 CA$105

$54.3 CA$76.2

37.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 CA$58.4

$56.0 CA$78.6

-25.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.70 CA$51.5

$20.56 CA$28.86

78.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.38

$11.59 CA$16.26

6.82%

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

$1,305 CA$1,832

$1,155 CA$1,621

13.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.8K

$17.9K CA$25.1K

-33.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$85.0

$58.3 CA$81.8

3.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 CA$83.0

$39.15 CA$55.0

51.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 CA$165

$87.5 CA$123

34.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CA$221

$115 CA$162

36.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,786

$1,785 CA$2,505

-28.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 CA$1,667

$1,543 CA$2,165

-23.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 CA$2,829

$2,918 CA$4,096

-30.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 CA$2,652

$2,471 CA$3,468

-23.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,145 CA$7,222

$8,725 CA$12.2K

-41.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.4K CA$14.6K

$6,800 CA$9,544

52.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 CA$4,207

$3,476 CA$4,879

-13.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.16

20.35%

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

Last update for Oshawa: July 25, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Oshawa and $1,785 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 16% 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: $74.0 in Oshawa vs $84.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $393 per month, with Oshawa 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

Oshawa vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oshawa wins on cost – living expenses run 9% 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 16% 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: $1,272 in Oshawa versus $1,785 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 $74.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,599 per month in Oshawa versus $2,843 in Toronto – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,599 in Oshawa versus $2,843 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 9% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.