Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix, AZ and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,530 a month against $2,970 in Phoenix, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Phoenix, AZ
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Phoenix, AZ Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index

Jump to prices

Phoenix, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,970

/mo nomad

Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,530

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,970 in Phoenix, AZ versus $2,530 in Toronto.

Phoenix, AZ $2,970
Toronto $2,530

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,233 in Phoenix, AZ versus $3,646 in Toronto.

Phoenix, AZ $4,233
Toronto $3,646

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,495 in Phoenix, AZ versus $4,761 in Toronto.

Phoenix, AZ $5,495
Toronto $4,761

Living in Phoenix, AZ is roughly 17% more expensive than in Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Phoenix, AZ 122% above, Toronto 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 $20.10

$17.67 CA$25.19

13.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.1 $84.1

$77.4 CA$110

8.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.67 $14.67

$10.47 CA$14.93

40.11%

Cappuccino

$6.01 $6.01

$4.08 CA$5.81

47.30%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$2.12 CA$3.02

48.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.76 CA$2.51

34.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$6.17 CA$8.80

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$6.89 CA$9.82

19.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.43 CA$3.46

-64.61%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.75 CA$3.92

49.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.23 CA$3.18

187.00%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$3.45 CA$4.91

24.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 $14.05

$8.93 CA$12.73

57.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.69 $13.69

$11.44 CA$16.31

19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 $14.54

$14.61 CA$20.83

-0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$3.75 CA$5.34

44.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.15 CA$1.64

70.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.55 CA$5.06

16.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$4.28 CA$6.10

39.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.85 CA$2.63

95.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.67 CA$2.38

82.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.22 CA$3.16

3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.21 CA$1.72

109.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.64 $10.64

$13.88 CA$19.78

-23.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.25 CA$20.31

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.20 CA$3.13

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.42 CA$3.45

29.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.42 CA$3.44

-19.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 $63.5

$111 CA$158

-42.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.90 CA$4.13

-6.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.26 CA$1.80

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.78 $35.78

$22.03 CA$31.40

62.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.22 CA$1.74

-2.46%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$27.6K CA$39.4K

32.67%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$19.8K CA$28.3K

32.29%

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

$233 $233

$122 CA$174

91.20%

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

$78.9 $78.9

$32.03 CA$45.66

146.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$47.92 CA$68.3

59.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 $66.0

$38.90 CA$55.5

69.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.36 $19.36

$23.24 CA$33.12

-16.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 $13.81

$12.61 CA$17.97

9.52%

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

$1,830 $1,830

$834 CA$1,189

119.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K $22.8K

$23.3K CA$33.3K

-2.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 $62.9

$52.6 CA$75.0

19.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 $43.12

$40.26 CA$57.4

7.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$96.2 CA$137

14.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$123 CA$175

9.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 $1,785

$1,598 CA$2,278

11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 $1,421

$1,435 CA$2,045

-0.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,257 $3,257

$2,657 CA$3,787

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 $2,126

$2,096 CA$2,988

1.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,706 $4,706

$8,033 CA$11.5K

-41.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,074 $3,074

$6,557 CA$9,347

-53.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,189 $4,189

$3,743 CA$5,335

11.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

4.47

48.32%

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

Last update for Phoenix, AZ: October 4, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phoenix, AZ

$1.4K 48.6%

Toronto

$1.4K 55.4% 1% $14

Groceries & Markets

Phoenix, AZ

$436 14.9%

Toronto

$340 13.1% 22% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phoenix, AZ

$388 13.3%

Toronto

$202 7.8% 48% $186

Eating Out

Phoenix, AZ

$346 11.8%

Toronto

$282 10.9% 18.6% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Phoenix, AZ

$158 5.4%

Toronto

$140 5.4% 10.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Phoenix, AZ

$94 3.2%

Toronto

$64 2.5% 31.5% $29

Getting Around

Phoenix, AZ

$81 2.8%

Toronto

$130 5% 59.9% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,785 in Phoenix, AZ and $1,598 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phoenix, AZ 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: $84.0 in Phoenix, AZ vs $77.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $340 per month, with Toronto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Phoenix, AZ

🇨🇦 Toronto

🕒 Local time

19:49 7:49 PM

22:49 10:49 PM

3 h ahead of Phoenix, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,608,139

2,731,571

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phoenix, AZ Toronto 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Phoenix, AZ
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

Phoenix, AZ vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Phoenix, AZ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,785 in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,598 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,970 per month in Phoenix, AZ versus $2,530 in Toronto – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Toronto runs roughly 74% less than in Phoenix, AZ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Toronto is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phoenix, AZ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Phoenix, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.