Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockford, IL and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Rockford, IL: $2,166 a month against $2,610 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Toronto outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Rockford, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,166
/mo nomad
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,610
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,166 per month in Rockford, IL vs $2,610 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Rockford, IL $2,166
  • Toronto $2,610

A couple spends around $3,480 per month in Rockford, IL vs $3,727 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Rockford, IL $3,480
  • Toronto $3,727

A family of three spends $4,794 per month in Rockford, IL vs $4,844 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Rockford, IL $4,794
  • Toronto $4,844

Rockford, IL is about 17% cheaper than Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rockford, IL and Toronto sit above the global median – Rockford, IL by 60%, Toronto by 93%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.72 $15.72
$17.59 CA$24.87
-10.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.6 $73.6
$78.8 CA$111
-6.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.97 $9.97
$10.73 CA$15.16
-7.08%
Cappuccino
$5.03 $5.03
$4.09 CA$5.78
22.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.10 CA$2.97
34.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$1.72 CA$2.43
15.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.59 $4.59
$6.36 CA$8.99
-27.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 $6.83
$7.08 CA$10.01
-3.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.82 $0.82
$2.54 CA$3.59
-67.72%
White Bread (500g)
$3.40 $3.40
$2.72 CA$3.85
25.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.30 $5.30
$2.18 CA$3.09
143.12%
Eggs
$2.91 $2.91
$3.63 CA$5.13
-19.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 $10.07
$9.46 CA$13.37
6.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.99 $13.99
$11.54 CA$16.32
21.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.79 $16.79
$14.37 CA$20.32
16.84%
Apples (1kg)
$4.78 $4.78
$3.70 CA$5.23
29.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.19 CA$1.68
28.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.79 $3.79
$3.46 CA$4.90
9.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.15 $5.15
$4.22 CA$5.97
22.04%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 $2.45
$1.79 CA$2.52
36.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.59 $2.59
$1.65 CA$2.33
56.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.23 $2.23
$2.20 CA$3.11
1.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.26 CA$1.78
46.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.97 $10.97
$13.97 CA$19.75
-21.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.82 $15.82
$14.20 CA$20.07
11.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.25 CA$3.18
-11.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.53 CA$3.58
-26.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.32 CA$3.28
-34.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.5 $55.5
$112 CA$158
-50.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.75 $2.75
$3.06 CA$4.33
-10.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.22 CA$1.72
29.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.70 $20.70
$21.69 CA$30.66
-4.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.21 CA$1.72
-14.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K $33.5K
$26.1K CA$37.0K
28.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$21.1K CA$29.9K
23.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 $192
$120 CA$169
60.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.71 $45.71
$32.21 CA$45.54
41.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.1 $71.1
$48.88 CA$69.1
45.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.82 $41.82
$39.34 CA$55.6
6.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.44 $25.44
$23.58 CA$33.34
7.89%
Cinema Ticket
$14.03 $14.03
$12.58 CA$17.79
11.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$520 $520
$832 CA$1,176
-37.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,074 $4,074
$23.6K CA$33.4K
-82.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.23 $45.23
$52.3 CA$73.9
-13.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.80 $35.80
$39.44 CA$55.8
-9.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 $93.1
$99.0 CA$140
-5.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$122 CA$172
-7.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 $1,293
$1,631 CA$2,306
-20.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$925 $925
$1,448 CA$2,048
-36.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,298 $2,298
$2,737 CA$3,869
-16.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 $2,040
$2,129 CA$3,010
-4.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,476 $1,476
$8,206 CA$11.6K
-82.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,421 $1,421
$6,838 CA$9,666
-79.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rockford, IL
Toronto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,398 $3,398
$3,520 CA$4,976
-3.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.49
4.47
45.19%

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

Last update for Rockford, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rockford, IL
$925
Toronto
$1.4K 56.5% $523
Groceries & Markets
Rockford, IL
$389
Toronto
$343 11.7% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rockford, IL
$309
Toronto
$201 35% $108
Eating Out
Rockford, IL
$272
Toronto
$283 4.2% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Rockford, IL
$129
Toronto
$141 9% $12
Getting Around
Rockford, IL
$72
Toronto
$130 80.1% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Rockford, IL
$70
Toronto
$65 7.7% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Rockford, IL versus $1,631 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 4% 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 $74.0 in Rockford, IL versus $79.0 in Toronto. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Rockford, IL vs $343 in Toronto – so Toronto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Rockford, IL
🇨🇦 Toronto
🕒 Local time
17:17 5:17 PM
18:17 6:17 PM
1 h ahead of Rockford, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
148,655
2,731,571
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rockford, IL Toronto 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Rockford, IL
  • 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
Rockford, IL vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toronto cheaper than Rockford, IL?
Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,249 per month in Rockford, IL and $3,916 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rockford, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $520 per month in Rockford, IL and $832 in Toronto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Rockford, IL and in Toronto?
Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Toronto – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Rockford, IL or in Toronto?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rockford, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,166, than in Toronto at $2,610. In Rockford, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rockford, IL or Toronto more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rockford, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rockford, IL. 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.

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