Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,457 in Saguenay versus $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Saguenay versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,130 in Saguenay versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Living in Saguenay costs roughly 45% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saguenay 6% above, Toronto 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.88 CA$21.90

$17.88 CA$24.66

-11.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.69 CA$58.9

$87.9 CA$121

-51.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 CA$15.74

$10.93 CA$15.08

4.39%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.11

$4.06 CA$5.60

-8.87%

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

$1.50 CA$2.07

$2.18 CA$3.01

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.70 CA$2.34

-24.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.51

$6.69 CA$9.22

-18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CA$7.09

$7.35 CA$10.13

-30.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.82

$2.78 CA$3.83

-26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 CA$4.13

$2.89 CA$3.99

3.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.43

$2.56 CA$3.54

53.91%

Eggs

$2.86 CA$3.94

$3.79 CA$5.22

-24.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 CA$12.45

$10.17 CA$14.02

-11.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 CA$10.13

$11.95 CA$16.48

-38.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 CA$14.95

$16.12 CA$22.23

-32.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 CA$6.20

$3.89 CA$5.37

15.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.96

$1.27 CA$1.76

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.33

$3.88 CA$5.35

-0.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.76

$4.33 CA$5.97

-3.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.02

$1.83 CA$2.52

59.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.88

$1.50 CA$2.06

88.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.58

$2.28 CA$3.14

13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 CA$1.06

$1.44 CA$1.98

-46.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 CA$16.65

$14.20 CA$19.58

-15.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 CA$16.01

$14.24 CA$19.64

-18.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.20

$2.25 CA$3.10

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 CA$4.67

$2.53 CA$3.49

33.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 CA$3.79

$2.47 CA$3.41

11.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.4 CA$80.5

$112 CA$154

-47.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.01

$3.05 CA$4.20

-4.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$1.24 CA$1.70

16.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.78 CA$38.30

$22.44 CA$30.94

23.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.67

$1.24 CA$1.70

-2.42%

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

$28.0K CA$38.6K

$27.5K CA$37.9K

1.79%

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

$20.3K CA$28.0K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

-3.91%

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

$64.2 CA$88.6

$128 CA$176

-49.65%

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

$31.89 CA$43.98

$33.79 CA$46.59

-5.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.61 CA$64.3

$49.25 CA$67.9

-5.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 CA$34.95

$40.93 CA$56.5

-38.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.39 CA$26.73

$24.62 CA$33.95

-21.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.36 CA$12.90

$13.16 CA$18.15

-28.88%

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

$687 CA$948

$792 CA$1,093

-13.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,397 CA$13.0K

$24.1K CA$33.3K

-61.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$76.4

$54.5 CA$75.2

1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.56 CA$50.4

$43.11 CA$59.5

-15.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$102 CA$140

-13.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$123 CA$170

-11.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 CA$869

$1,653 CA$2,279

-61.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 CA$650

$1,452 CA$2,002

-67.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 CA$1,682

$2,694 CA$3,716

-54.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 CA$1,369

$2,149 CA$2,964

-53.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,866 CA$8,089

$8,347 CA$11.5K

-29.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,495 CA$4,819

$6,816 CA$9,399

-48.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,616 CA$3,607

$3,614 CA$4,984

-27.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

4.49

-0.89%

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

Last update for Saguenay: August 29, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $630 in Saguenay and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 38% 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: $43.00 in Saguenay vs $88.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $365 per month, with Saguenay 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

Saguenay vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saguenay and Toronto differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($1,457 vs $2,628 including rent). Saguenay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 38% 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: $630 in Saguenay versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $687 in Saguenay versus $792 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,457 in Saguenay versus $2,628 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saguenay but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Saguenay 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 Saguenay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.