Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarnia and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarnia and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,998 per month in Sarnia vs $2,811 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,894 per month in Sarnia vs $4,130 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,791 per month in Sarnia vs $5,449 in Toronto, rent included.

Sarnia is about 29% cheaper than Toronto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarnia and Toronto sit above the global median – Sarnia by 49%, Toronto by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 CA$20.51

$18.71 CA$25.99

-21.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.14 CA$65.5

$81.9 CA$114

-42.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 CA$13.04

$10.83 CA$15.04

-13.39%

Cappuccino

$2.57 CA$3.58

$3.89 CA$5.40

-33.93%

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

$1.55 CA$2.15

$2.22 CA$3.09

-30.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.22

$1.65 CA$2.29

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 CA$6.63

$6.05 CA$8.41

-21.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.22

$6.58 CA$9.15

-10.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.73 CA$3.79

-22.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.72 CA$3.77

-13.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.59

$3.54 CA$4.91

-27.12%

Eggs

$3.16 CA$4.39

$3.50 CA$4.86

-9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 CA$11.44

$13.53 CA$18.80

-39.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.00

$13.09 CA$18.19

9.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.98

$16.96 CA$23.57

-19.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$4.16 CA$5.78

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.54

$3.25 CA$4.51

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.14

$4.12 CA$5.72

-10.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.50 CA$3.48

-6.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.91

$2.88 CA$4.00

-2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.35 CA$3.26

-17.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CA$1.67

$2.00 CA$2.78

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.82 CA$15.03

$14.58 CA$20.26

-25.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.06 CA$13.98

$14.18 CA$19.70

-29.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.80 CA$3.89

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 CA$4.11

$3.25 CA$4.52

-8.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.40 CA$3.33

-8.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.4 CA$77.0

$114 CA$158

-51.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 CA$3.54

$3.76 CA$5.22

-32.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.38

$1.41 CA$1.96

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.94 CA$41.60

$25.53 CA$35.47

17.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.51

$1.10 CA$1.53

-1.82%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$25.2K CA$35.1K

-2.06%

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

$19.9K CA$27.7K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

-5.38%

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

$146 CA$203

$120 CA$166

22.33%

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

$37.40 CA$52.0

$37.54 CA$52.2

-0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 CA$76.5

$54.5 CA$75.7

0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.45 CA$31.19

$55.5 CA$77.1

-59.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 CA$25.69

$21.15 CA$29.39

-12.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 CA$16.77

$11.56 CA$16.06

4.41%

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

$293 CA$407

$1,129 CA$1,569

-74.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K CA$14.5K

$18.0K CA$25.0K

-42.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.3

$56.9 CA$79.1

-4.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.82 CA$35.88

$39.96 CA$55.5

-35.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 CA$98.5

$89.7 CA$125

-20.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 CA$120

$114 CA$159

-24.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,785

$1,849 CA$2,570

-30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 CA$1,319

$1,560 CA$2,167

-39.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,415 CA$3,356

$2,925 CA$4,065

-17.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 CA$2,086

$2,470 CA$3,432

-39.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,775

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,053 CA$4,242

$3,572 CA$4,963

-14.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

5.16

22.67%

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

Last update for Sarnia: May 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Sarnia versus $1,849 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 17% 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 $47.00 in Sarnia versus $82.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $396 – making Sarnia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sarnia vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,998 in Sarnia, $2,811 in Toronto – roughly 41% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,997 per month in Sarnia and $4,216 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarnia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Sarnia and $82.0 in Toronto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,998 in Sarnia and $2,811 in Toronto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarnia, where all-in costs run around $1,998, than in Toronto at $2,811. In Sarnia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarnia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sarnia. 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.