Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,440 in Quesnel versus $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,444 in Quesnel versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,447 in Quesnel versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Living in Quesnel costs roughly 7% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Quesnel 78% above, Toronto 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 CA$23.02

$17.88 CA$24.66

-6.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.70 CA$64.4

$87.9 CA$121

-46.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 CA$15.43

$10.93 CA$15.08

2.38%

Cappuccino

$4.32 CA$5.95

$4.06 CA$5.60

6.40%

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

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.18 CA$3.01

17.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.93

$1.70 CA$2.34

24.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.78 CA$6.60

$6.69 CA$9.22

-28.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 CA$7.84

$7.35 CA$10.13

-22.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.24

$2.78 CA$3.83

-15.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 CA$3.38

$2.89 CA$3.99

-15.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.89

$2.56 CA$3.54

66.80%

Eggs

$5.03 CA$6.94

$3.79 CA$5.22

32.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 CA$17.23

$10.17 CA$14.02

22.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 CA$23.42

$11.95 CA$16.48

42.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 CA$23.74

$16.12 CA$22.23

6.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.77

$3.89 CA$5.37

7.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.27 CA$1.76

3.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 CA$6.49

$3.88 CA$5.35

21.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 CA$5.98

$4.33 CA$5.97

0.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.46

$1.83 CA$2.52

76.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.11

$1.50 CA$2.06

147.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.57

$2.28 CA$3.14

13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.43

$1.44 CA$1.98

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 CA$16.47

$14.20 CA$19.58

-15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 CA$14.72

$14.24 CA$19.64

-25.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$2.25 CA$3.10

18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.76

$2.53 CA$3.49

36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.47 CA$3.41

-3.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 CA$80.6

$112 CA$154

-47.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$3.05 CA$4.20

-16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 CA$3.05

$1.24 CA$1.70

78.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.38 CA$59.8

$22.44 CA$30.94

93.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.65

$1.24 CA$1.70

-3.23%

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

$29.3K CA$40.5K

$27.5K CA$37.9K

6.65%

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

$23.4K CA$32.3K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

10.81%

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

$179 CA$247

$128 CA$176

40.31%

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

$39.51 CA$54.5

$33.79 CA$46.59

16.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 CA$101

$49.25 CA$67.9

48.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 CA$56.6

$40.93 CA$56.5

0.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 CA$25.42

$24.62 CA$33.95

-25.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 CA$10.63

$13.16 CA$18.15

-41.41%

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

$783 CA$1,080

$792 CA$1,093

-1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K CA$19.7K

$24.1K CA$33.3K

-40.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 CA$51.7

$54.5 CA$75.2

-31.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 CA$64.5

$43.11 CA$59.5

8.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 CA$109

$102 CA$140

-21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$123 CA$170

-13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 CA$1,104

$1,653 CA$2,279

-51.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 CA$1,593

$1,452 CA$2,002

-20.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CA$2,756

$2,694 CA$3,716

-25.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 CA$2,405

$2,149 CA$2,964

-18.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,846 CA$6,683

$8,347 CA$11.5K

-41.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,186 CA$4,393

$6,816 CA$9,399

-53.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,490 CA$3,433

$3,614 CA$4,984

-31.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.35

4.49

19.15%

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

Last update for Quesnel: August 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $800 in Quesnel and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 45% 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: $47.00 in Quesnel vs $88.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $419 vs $365, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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

Quesnel vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quesnel wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quesnel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 45% 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: $800 in Quesnel versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Quesnel – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $88.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,440 in Quesnel versus $2,628 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quesnel but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Quesnel 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 Quesnel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.