Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Rafael and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in San Rafael: $1,318 a month against $2,530 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

San Rafael
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,318
/mo nomad
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,530
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,318 per month in San Rafael vs $2,530 in Toronto, rent included.

  • San Rafael $1,318
  • Toronto $2,530

A couple spends around $2,096 per month in San Rafael vs $3,646 in Toronto, rent included.

  • San Rafael $2,096
  • Toronto $3,646

A family of three spends $2,875 per month in San Rafael vs $4,761 in Toronto, rent included.

  • San Rafael $2,875
  • Toronto $4,761

San Rafael is about 48% cheaper than Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

San Rafael sits 2% below the global median, while Toronto is 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.20 ARS 17.0K
$17.67 CA$25.19
-36.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.65 ARS 75.3K
$77.4 CA$110
-35.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.69 ARS 22.3K
$10.47 CA$14.93
40.31%
Cappuccino
$4.34 ARS 6,580
$4.08 CA$5.81
6.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 ARS 3,663
$2.12 CA$3.02
14.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 ARS 3,006
$1.76 CA$2.51
12.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.94 ARS 5,969
$6.17 CA$8.80
-36.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 ARS 6,701
$6.89 CA$9.82
-35.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 ARS 2,046
$2.43 CA$3.46
-44.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 ARS 3,435
$2.75 CA$3.92
-17.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.67 ARS 4,052
$2.23 CA$3.18
19.73%
Eggs
$3.18 ARS 4,820
$3.45 CA$4.91
-7.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.56 ARS 22.1K
$8.93 CA$12.73
63.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.21 ARS 9,418
$11.44 CA$16.31
-45.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ARS 16.9K
$14.61 CA$20.83
-23.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.38 ARS 3,604
$3.75 CA$5.34
-36.53%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 ARS 3,347
$1.15 CA$1.64
92.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 ARS 2,048
$3.55 CA$5.06
-61.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.30 ARS 5,012
$4.28 CA$6.10
-22.90%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 ARS 3,055
$1.85 CA$2.63
8.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.45 ARS 2,203
$1.67 CA$2.38
-13.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.94 ARS 2,935
$2.22 CA$3.16
-12.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 ARS 3,725
$1.21 CA$1.72
103.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.82 ARS 4,279
$13.88 CA$19.78
-79.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.05 ARS 7,656
$14.25 CA$20.31
-64.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 ARS 2,625
$2.20 CA$3.13
-21.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 ARS 4,619
$2.42 CA$3.45
26.03%
🚌 Getting Around
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.00 ARS 1,513
$2.42 CA$3.44
-58.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$111 CA$158
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 ARS 2,966
$2.90 CA$4.13
-32.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ARS 1,540
$1.26 CA$1.80
-19.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.89 ARS 7,412
$22.03 CA$31.40
-77.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 ARS 1,929
$1.22 CA$1.74
4.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K ARS 40.4M
$27.6K CA$39.4K
-3.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.6K ARS 49.4M
$19.8K CA$28.3K
64.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 ARS 205.3K
$122 CA$174
11.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.43 ARS 26.4K
$32.03 CA$45.66
-45.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.44 ARS 35.6K
$47.92 CA$68.3
-51.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.21 ARS 47.3K
$38.90 CA$55.5
-19.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.24 CA$33.12
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 ARS 10.5K
$12.61 CA$17.97
-45.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$177 ARS 268.1K
$834 CA$1,189
-78.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,090 ARS 6.2M
$23.3K CA$33.3K
-82.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116 ARS 175.9K
$52.6 CA$75.0
120.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$125 ARS 188.9K
$40.26 CA$57.4
209.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 ARS 206.8K
$96.2 CA$137
41.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 ARS 189.8K
$123 CA$175
1.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$489 ARS 740.9K
$1,598 CA$2,278
-69.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$318 ARS 482.7K
$1,435 CA$2,045
-77.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$937 ARS 1.4M
$2,657 CA$3,787
-64.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$725 ARS 1.1M
$2,096 CA$2,988
-65.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$8,033 CA$11.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,557 CA$9,347
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Rafael
Toronto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,743 CA$5,335
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
59
4.47
1219.91%

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

Last update for San Rafael: October 5, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Rafael
$318
Toronto
$1.4K 351% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
San Rafael
$286
Toronto
$340 19% $54
Eating Out
San Rafael
$232
Toronto
$282 21.6% $50
Clothing & Footwear
San Rafael
$226
Toronto
$140 37.9% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Rafael
$176
Toronto
$202 14.5% $26
Sport & Entertainment
San Rafael
$45
Toronto
$64 42.4% $19
Getting Around
San Rafael
$11 *
Toronto
$130 1076% $119

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in San Rafael versus $1,598 in Toronto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in San Rafael versus $77.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $340 – making San Rafael the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇷 San Rafael
🇨🇦 Toronto
🕒 Local time
10:50 10:50 AM
09:50 9:50 AM
1 h behind San Rafael
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
118,850
2,731,571
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Rafael Toronto 8,770 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • San Rafael
  • 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 Rafael vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, San Rafael or Toronto?
Toronto costs about 92% more than San Rafael, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in San Rafael and in Toronto?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,978 per month in San Rafael and $3,795 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, San Rafael or Toronto?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Rafael, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in San Rafael compared to Toronto?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,318 in San Rafael and $2,530 in Toronto. That's a gap of about 92%.
How do childcare costs compare in San Rafael and in Toronto?
Kindergarten costs $177 per month in San Rafael and $834 in Toronto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in San Rafael or in Toronto?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Rafael, where all-in costs run around $1,318, than in Toronto at $2,530. In San Rafael it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward San Rafael – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is San Rafael compared to Toronto?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to San Rafael or to Toronto?
If budget matters most, go with San Rafael. 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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