Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,886 in Quebec City versus $2,668 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,916 in Quebec City versus $3,801 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,947 in Quebec City versus $4,934 in Toronto.

Living in Quebec City costs roughly 29% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Quebec City 38% above, Toronto 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.07 CA$28.08

$18.31 CA$25.62

9.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 CA$93.7

$80.4 CA$112

-16.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 CA$16.02

$10.61 CA$14.84

7.92%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.32

$3.99 CA$5.59

-4.76%

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

$2.17 CA$3.04

$2.16 CA$3.02

0.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.76 CA$2.46

-14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.18

$6.65 CA$9.30

-12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 CA$8.10

$7.20 CA$10.07

-19.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$3.04

$2.84 CA$3.97

-23.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$2.75 CA$3.85

4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.75

$2.51 CA$3.50

63.75%

Eggs

$3.18 CA$4.45

$3.83 CA$5.35

-16.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 CA$12.80

$10.01 CA$14.00

-8.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.88 CA$15.22

$11.96 CA$16.73

-9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.48 CA$14.66

$15.63 CA$21.87

-32.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.08

$3.67 CA$5.14

18.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.15

$1.27 CA$1.78

21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.27

$3.87 CA$5.41

-2.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.68

$4.23 CA$5.91

-4.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.19

$1.86 CA$2.60

60.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 CA$4.08

$1.53 CA$2.15

90.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.30 CA$3.22

23.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$1.44 CA$2.01

1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.16 CA$21.21

$14.12 CA$19.75

7.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 CA$16.41

$14.53 CA$20.33

-19.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.22 CA$3.11

42.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 CA$4.88

$2.55 CA$3.57

36.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.11

$2.47 CA$3.46

19.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.3 CA$101

$113 CA$158

-35.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$3.10 CA$4.34

-5.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.28 CA$1.78

13.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.17 CA$49.19

$21.87 CA$30.60

60.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.23 CA$1.72

5.69%

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

$28.9K CA$40.4K

$27.2K CA$38.1K

6.03%

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

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

6.77%

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

$102 CA$142

$122 CA$171

-17.08%

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

$32.20 CA$45.05

$33.21 CA$46.46

-3.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.88 CA$64.2

$49.37 CA$69.1

-7.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.94 CA$51.7

$40.05 CA$56.0

-7.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.28 CA$21.38

$23.78 CA$33.26

-35.74%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 CA$15.53

$12.70 CA$17.76

-12.60%

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

$707 CA$990

$772 CA$1,080

-8.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,276 CA$13.0K

$23.8K CA$33.3K

-61.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 CA$85.6

$53.4 CA$74.7

14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 CA$73.4

$42.13 CA$58.9

24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 CA$128

$99.7 CA$139

-8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$123 CA$172

-10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 CA$1,440

$1,597 CA$2,234

-35.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 CA$1,081

$1,439 CA$2,013

-46.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 CA$2,226

$2,738 CA$3,830

-41.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 CA$1,800

$2,163 CA$3,026

-40.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,225 CA$7,309

$8,246 CA$11.5K

-36.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,758 CA$3,859

$6,695 CA$9,366

-58.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,054 CA$4,272

$3,830 CA$5,358

-20.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

4.47

-0.45%

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

Last update for Quebec City: September 13, 2026

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,030 in Quebec City and $1,597 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 25% 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: $67.0 in Quebec City vs $80.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $361 per month, with Quebec City 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

Quebec City vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quebec City wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quebec City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 25% 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: $1,030 in Quebec City versus $1,597 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,886 per month in Quebec City versus $2,668 in Toronto – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Quebec City runs roughly 56% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,886 in Quebec City versus $2,668 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quebec City but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Quebec City 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 Quebec City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.