Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Leandro, CA and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,561 a month against $3,437 in San Leandro, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

San Leandro, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,437
/mo nomad
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,437 in San Leandro, CA versus $2,561 in Toronto.

  • San Leandro, CA $3,437
  • Toronto $2,561

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,019 in San Leandro, CA versus $3,694 in Toronto.

  • San Leandro, CA $5,019
  • Toronto $3,694

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,601 in San Leandro, CA versus $4,826 in Toronto.

  • San Leandro, CA $6,601
  • Toronto $4,826

Living in San Leandro, CA is roughly 34% more expensive than in Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Leandro, CA 155% above, Toronto 90% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.07 $25.07
$17.18 CA$24.29
45.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$111 $111
$76.0 CA$107
45.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.06 $15.06
$10.54 CA$14.89
42.88%
Cappuccino
$5.82 $5.82
$4.02 CA$5.68
44.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 $3.23
$2.12 CA$3.00
52.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.75 CA$2.48
56.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.98 $7.98
$6.24 CA$8.83
27.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.03 $9.03
$7.09 CA$10.02
27.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.44 CA$3.45
-30.33%
White Bread (500g)
$5.43 $5.43
$2.68 CA$3.78
102.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.74 $4.74
$2.24 CA$3.17
111.61%
Eggs
$5.85 $5.85
$3.56 CA$5.03
64.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.24 $15.24
$9.09 CA$12.85
67.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.33 $13.33
$11.33 CA$16.01
17.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.58 $22.58
$14.53 CA$20.55
55.40%
Apples (1kg)
$5.99 $5.99
$3.62 CA$5.12
65.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.21 CA$1.72
26.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.30 $4.30
$3.60 CA$5.09
19.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.48 $6.48
$4.21 CA$5.96
53.92%
Potato (1kg)
$3.11 $3.11
$1.79 CA$2.53
73.74%
Onion (1kg)
$2.70 $2.70
$1.59 CA$2.25
69.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.27 CA$3.21
-13.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.25 CA$1.77
56.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.78 $11.78
$13.82 CA$19.53
-14.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.59 $14.59
$14.27 CA$20.18
2.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.20 CA$3.10
-22.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 $3.59
$2.43 CA$3.44
47.74%
🚌 Getting Around
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.42 $5.42
$2.39 CA$3.38
126.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$101 $101
$111 CA$157
-9.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.18 $4.18
$2.91 CA$4.12
43.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.20 CA$1.69
67.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.71 $38.71
$21.38 CA$30.23
81.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 $1.55
$1.21 CA$1.71
28.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$28.2K CA$39.8K
30.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$20.3K CA$28.6K
26.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$243 $243
$120 CA$170
102.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.72 $49.72
$32.26 CA$45.60
54.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.8 $76.8
$47.93 CA$67.8
60.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.7 $50.7
$38.48 CA$54.4
31.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.96 CA$32.46
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.94 $15.94
$12.38 CA$17.50
28.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,906 $2,906
$830 CA$1,173
250.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$42.3K $42.3K
$23.1K CA$32.6K
83.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8 $66.8
$50.7 CA$71.7
31.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.91 $39.91
$40.02 CA$56.6
-0.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.2 $91.2
$98.0 CA$139
-6.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 $118
$121 CA$171
-2.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,396 $2,396
$1,592 CA$2,251
50.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,835 $1,835
$1,410 CA$1,994
30.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,666 $3,666
$2,670 CA$3,775
37.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,959 $2,959
$2,152 CA$3,042
37.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,059 $5,059
$7,945 CA$11.2K
-36.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,037 $4,037
$6,542 CA$9,249
-38.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Leandro, CA
Toronto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,686 $5,686
$3,727 CA$5,269
52.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.76
4.47
51.23%

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

Last update for San Leandro, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Leandro, CA
$1.8K
Toronto
$1.4K 23.1% $424
Groceries & Markets
San Leandro, CA
$473
Toronto
$340 28.2% $134
Eating Out
San Leandro, CA
$397
Toronto
$278 30% $119
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Leandro, CA
$370
Toronto
$201 45.8% $169
Clothing & Footwear
San Leandro, CA
$142
Toronto
$139 1.9% $2.8
Getting Around
San Leandro, CA
$137
Toronto
$129 5.4% $7.3
Sport & Entertainment
San Leandro, CA
$83
Toronto
$63 23.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,396 in San Leandro, CA and $1,592 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Leandro, CA pays 53% 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: $111 in San Leandro, CA vs $76.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $473 vs $340 per month, with Toronto cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 San Leandro, CA
🇨🇦 Toronto
🕒 Local time
05:33 5:33 AM
08:33 8:33 AM
3 h ahead of San Leandro, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
88,815
2,731,571
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • San Leandro, CA Toronto 3,620 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • San Leandro, CA
  • 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
San Leandro, CA vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in San Leandro, CA and in Toronto?
San Leandro, CA and Toronto differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($3,437 vs $2,561 including rent). Toronto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: San Leandro, CA or Toronto?
Average pay runs 53% higher in San Leandro, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in San Leandro, CA and in Toronto?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,396 in San Leandro, CA versus $1,592 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in San Leandro, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Toronto – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $111 in San Leandro, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is feasible on a $2,500 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between San Leandro, CA and Toronto?
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.
Where should expats move: San Leandro, CA or Toronto?
Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in San Leandro, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

San Leandro, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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