Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,734 per month in Pickering, ON vs $2,811 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,804 per month in Pickering, ON vs $4,130 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,875 per month in Pickering, ON vs $5,449 in Toronto, rent included.

Pickering, ON is about 3% cheaper than Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pickering, ON and Toronto sit above the global median – Pickering, ON by 104%, Toronto by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.56 CA$25.69

$18.71 CA$25.90

-0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 CA$100

$81.9 CA$113

-11.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 CA$15.52

$10.83 CA$14.99

3.51%

Cappuccino

$2.29 CA$3.17

$3.89 CA$5.38

-41.13%

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

$1.68 CA$2.32

$2.22 CA$3.07

-24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.65 CA$2.28

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 CA$6.64

$6.05 CA$8.38

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 CA$6.90

$6.58 CA$9.11

-24.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.73 CA$3.77

-22.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$2.72 CA$3.76

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.13

$3.54 CA$4.90

25.14%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.66

$3.50 CA$4.84

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 CA$15.38

$13.53 CA$18.73

-17.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 CA$21.53

$13.09 CA$18.12

18.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 CA$20.13

$16.96 CA$23.49

-14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.69

$4.16 CA$5.76

-1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 CA$1.39

$1.18 CA$1.63

-15.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.93

$3.25 CA$4.50

31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 CA$7.19

$4.12 CA$5.70

26.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.13

$2.50 CA$3.47

19.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.89

$2.88 CA$3.98

22.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.64

$2.35 CA$3.25

11.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$2.00 CA$2.77

-43.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 CA$11.93

$14.58 CA$20.19

-40.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.23

$14.18 CA$19.63

-7.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$2.80 CA$3.88

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.20

$3.25 CA$4.51

-6.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$2.40 CA$3.32

15.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$86.9

$114 CA$158

-44.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$3.96

$3.76 CA$5.20

-23.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.41 CA$1.95

-14.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.93 CA$31.75

$25.53 CA$35.34

-10.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

-0.27%

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

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

5.47%

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

$163 CA$226

$120 CA$166

36.30%

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

$36.22 CA$50.2

$37.54 CA$52.0

-3.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 CA$92.5

$54.5 CA$75.5

22.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 CA$86.3

$55.5 CA$76.9

12.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 CA$16.61

$11.56 CA$16.00

3.81%

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

$757 CA$1,048

$1,129 CA$1,564

-32.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$18.0K CA$24.9K

-34.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 CA$106

$56.9 CA$78.8

34.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 CA$75.8

$39.96 CA$55.3

37.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 CA$104

$89.7 CA$124

-16.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 CA$119

$114 CA$158

-24.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 CA$2,290

$1,849 CA$2,561

-10.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 CA$2,143

$1,560 CA$2,159

-0.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,209 CA$3,058

$2,925 CA$4,051

-24.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 CA$2,898

$2,470 CA$3,420

-15.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,474 CA$8,964

$9,085 CA$12.6K

-28.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,110 CA$7,075

$7,036 CA$9,742

-27.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,099 CA$4,290

$3,572 CA$4,946

-13.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

5.16

27.33%

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

Last update for Pickering, ON: May 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,654 in Pickering, ON versus $1,849 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 15% 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 $73.0 in Pickering, ON versus $82.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $396 – making Pickering, ON 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

Pickering, ON vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,734 in Pickering, ON, $2,811 in Toronto – roughly 3% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,101 per month in Pickering, ON and $4,216 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pickering, ON, 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 $2,734 in Pickering, ON and $2,811 in Toronto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% less in Pickering, ON. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,734 in Pickering, ON and $2,811 in Toronto. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pickering, ON – 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 Pickering, ON. 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.