Cost of Living Comparison Between Preston and Ajax, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Preston and Ajax, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,101 per month in Preston vs $3,038 in Ajax, ON, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,213 per month in Preston vs $3,920 in Ajax, ON, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,324 per month in Preston vs $4,802 in Ajax, ON, rent included.

Preston is about 31% cheaper than Ajax, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Preston and Ajax, ON sit above the global median – Preston by 57%, Ajax, ON by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.62 £12.38

$14.69 CA$20.41

13.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 £55.6

$74.8 CA$104

-0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 £6.36

$10.46 CA$14.54

-18.36%

Cappuccino

$4.32 £3.22

$3.52 CA$4.89

22.73%

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

$2.08 £1.55

$1.96 CA$2.73

6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 £1.15

$1.67 CA$2.32

-7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.37 £4.00

$3.64 CA$5.06

47.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 £4.08

$5.87 CA$8.15

-6.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 £1.20

$1.76 CA$2.44

-8.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 £1.09

$2.88 CA$4.01

-49.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 £1.29

$4.47 CA$6.21

-61.30%

Eggs

$3.82 £2.85

$3.27 CA$4.54

16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 £7.71

$9.67 CA$13.43

7.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 £6.14

$10.16 CA$14.12

-18.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 £13.01

$16.25 CA$22.58

7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 £2.08

$4.43 CA$6.15

-37.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 £1.47

$1.51 CA$2.09

30.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 £2.27

$2.91 CA$4.04

4.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 £2.83

$4.53 CA$6.30

-16.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$2.42 CA$3.37

-31.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 £1.54

$2.56 CA$3.56

-19.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 £0.76

$2.88 CA$4.00

-64.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$1.73 CA$2.41

3.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.20 £13.55

$14.21 CA$19.74

28.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 £7.15

$14.22 CA$19.75

-32.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 £2.05

$2.24 CA$3.11

22.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 £1.45

$2.32 CA$3.22

-16.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 £1.97

$2.57 CA$3.57

3.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 £87.6

$65.8 CA$91.4

78.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 £1.98

$3.07 CA$4.27

-13.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 £1.17

$2.79 CA$3.88

-43.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.34 £12.17

$25.44 CA$35.35

-35.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.16 CA$1.62

62.07%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$25.2K CA$35.1K

54.38%

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

$40.9K £30.4K

$20.1K CA$28.0K

102.81%

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

$291 £217

$188 CA$262

54.71%

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

$16.08 £11.97

$33.41 CA$46.42

-51.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.76 £31.85

$59.9 CA$83.2

-28.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.70 £31.80

$33.59 CA$46.67

27.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.87 £12.56

$10.82 CA$15.04

55.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 £9.79

$10.94 CA$15.20

20.11%

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

$1,292 £963

$905 CA$1,258

42.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,783 £6,541

$18.4K CA$25.5K

-52.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 £59.8

$49.88 CA$69.3

60.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 £32.62

$37.21 CA$51.7

17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 £56.5

$87.2 CA$121

-13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 £51.2

$112 CA$156

-38.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 £768

$1,809 CA$2,513

-43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 £645

$1,856 CA$2,578

-53.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 £1,494

$2,480 CA$3,446

-19.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 £1,256

$2,228 CA$3,096

-24.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,371 £2,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,433 £1,812

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,419 £2,547

$3,081 CA$4,281

10.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.83

-18.45%

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

Last update for Preston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ajax, ON: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,031 in Preston versus $1,809 in Ajax, ON. 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 11% higher in Preston, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Preston versus $75.0 in Ajax, ON. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $306 vs $360 – making Preston 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

Preston vs Ajax, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajax, ON is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,151 per month in Preston and $4,558 in Ajax, ON. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Preston, 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 $2,101 in Preston and $3,038 in Ajax, ON. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Preston. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Preston, where all-in costs run around $2,101, than in Ajax, ON at $3,038. In Preston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajax, ON it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Preston – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Preston. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajax, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.