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: $1,332 in Saguenay versus $2,788 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Saguenay versus $4,110 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Saguenay versus $5,432 in Toronto.

Living in Saguenay costs roughly 52% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saguenay 0% above, Toronto 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.01 CA$18.31

$18.51 CA$26.05

-29.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 CA$63.3

$83.8 CA$118

-46.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.79

$10.97 CA$15.44

2.28%

Cappuccino

$3.91 CA$5.50

$3.99 CA$5.61

-2.01%

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

$1.52 CA$2.13

$2.11 CA$2.98

-27.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$1.69 CA$2.38

-24.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 CA$7.86

$5.92 CA$8.33

-5.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CA$7.16

$6.48 CA$9.11

-21.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.07

$2.71 CA$3.82

-19.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 CA$4.19

$2.85 CA$4.02

4.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.27

$3.56 CA$5.01

25.00%

Eggs

$2.60 CA$3.66

$3.54 CA$4.98

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.02

$13.26 CA$18.66

-3.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 CA$12.08

$13.05 CA$18.36

-34.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.32

$16.77 CA$23.59

-18.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.11 CA$5.79

-2.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.76

$1.14 CA$1.60

9.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.56

$3.40 CA$4.78

16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.57

$4.02 CA$5.66

-1.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$2.43 CA$3.42

-19.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$2.94 CA$4.13

-45.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.64

$2.47 CA$3.48

4.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 CA$1.16

$1.92 CA$2.70

-57.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 CA$16.77

$14.99 CA$21.09

-20.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 CA$15.82

$14.34 CA$20.17

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.71 CA$3.81

13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.81

$3.12 CA$4.39

-35.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$2.45 CA$3.45

15.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 CA$79.9

$113 CA$159

-49.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.15

$3.63 CA$5.10

0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 CA$2.75

$1.34 CA$1.89

45.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.28 CA$44.02

$25.55 CA$35.95

22.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$1.11 CA$1.56

3.60%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$25.3K CA$35.6K

-0.89%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$21.8K CA$30.6K

-6.71%

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

$87.2 CA$123

$117 CA$164

-25.26%

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

$38.88 CA$54.7

$37.60 CA$52.9

3.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.25 CA$60.9

$53.7 CA$75.6

-19.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.57 CA$47.24

$57.1 CA$80.3

-41.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 CA$19.85

$20.86 CA$29.35

-32.36%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 CA$13.70

$11.56 CA$16.26

-15.74%

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

$613 CA$863

$1,125 CA$1,583

-45.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,342 CA$8,923

$18.4K CA$25.9K

-65.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$84.6

$57.3 CA$80.7

4.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CA$74.8

$39.05 CA$55.0

36.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 CA$135

$87.6 CA$123

9.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 CA$180

$114 CA$160

12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 CA$862

$1,842 CA$2,591

-66.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 CA$422

$1,531 CA$2,154

-80.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,827

$2,925 CA$4,116

-55.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 CA$1,498

$2,502 CA$3,521

-57.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,707 CA$8,031

$8,725 CA$12.3K

-34.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,425 CA$4,820

$6,867 CA$9,663

-50.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,588 CA$3,642

$3,454 CA$4,860

-25.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

5.16

33.14%

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

Last update for Saguenay: July 13, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Saguenay and $1,842 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 33% 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: $45.00 in Saguenay vs $84.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $395 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 109% in total monthly costs ($1,332 vs $2,788 including rent). Saguenay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 33% 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: $613 in Saguenay versus $1,842 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $613 in Saguenay versus $1,125 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,332 in Saguenay versus $2,788 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 109% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.