Cost of Living Comparison Between St.Catharines and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between St.Catharines and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,396 per month in St.Catharines vs $2,628 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in St.Catharines vs $3,848 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,215 per month in St.Catharines vs $5,067 in Toronto, rent included.

St.Catharines is about 9% cheaper than Toronto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both St.Catharines and Toronto sit above the global median – St.Catharines by 74%, Toronto by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.55 CA$20.14

$17.88 CA$24.75

-18.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 CA$81.5

$87.9 CA$122

-33.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 CA$17.79

$10.93 CA$15.13

17.57%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CA$4.95

$4.06 CA$5.62

-11.82%

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

$1.89 CA$2.61

$2.18 CA$3.02

-13.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$1.70 CA$2.35

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.82 CA$6.66

$6.69 CA$9.25

-27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 CA$7.37

$7.35 CA$10.16

-27.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 CA$2.69

$2.78 CA$3.85

-30.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CA$3.44

$2.89 CA$4.00

-13.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.41

$2.56 CA$3.55

52.73%

Eggs

$4.06 CA$5.62

$3.79 CA$5.24

7.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 CA$19.16

$10.17 CA$14.07

36.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.47 CA$21.41

$11.95 CA$16.53

29.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 CA$19.42

$16.12 CA$22.31

-12.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.04

$3.89 CA$5.39

30.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 CA$1.64

$1.27 CA$1.76

-6.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.06

$3.88 CA$5.37

12.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.83

$4.33 CA$5.99

-2.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.12

$1.83 CA$2.53

62.84%

Onion (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.30

$1.50 CA$2.07

203.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.80

$2.28 CA$3.15

20.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.85

$1.44 CA$1.99

-6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 CA$19.23

$14.20 CA$19.64

-2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 CA$17.68

$14.24 CA$19.71

-10.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.17

$2.25 CA$3.11

34.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.23

$2.53 CA$3.50

20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.43

$2.47 CA$3.42

0.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 CA$101

$112 CA$155

-34.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$3.96

$3.05 CA$4.22

-6.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$1.24 CA$1.71

82.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.81 CA$31.57

$22.44 CA$31.05

1.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$1.24 CA$1.71

-8.87%

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

$27.0K CA$37.3K

$27.5K CA$38.1K

-2.02%

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

$20.1K CA$27.8K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

-5.07%

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

$181 CA$250

$128 CA$177

41.77%

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

$31.56 CA$43.67

$33.79 CA$46.75

-6.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 CA$115

$49.25 CA$68.2

68.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.02 CA$44.31

$40.93 CA$56.6

-21.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.61 CA$57.6

$24.62 CA$34.07

69.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 CA$15.82

$13.16 CA$18.21

-13.15%

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

$513 CA$710

$792 CA$1,097

-35.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K CA$39.7K

$24.1K CA$33.4K

18.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 CA$101

$54.5 CA$75.4

33.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 CA$74.9

$43.11 CA$59.7

25.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 CA$105

$102 CA$140

-25.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 CA$118

$123 CA$171

-31.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,646

$1,653 CA$2,287

-28.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,647

$1,452 CA$2,009

-18.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 CA$2,516

$2,694 CA$3,728

-32.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 CA$2,150

$2,149 CA$2,974

-27.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,117 CA$4,313

$8,347 CA$11.6K

-62.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,728 CA$3,775

$6,816 CA$9,431

-59.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,987 CA$4,134

$3,614 CA$5,001

-17.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.41

4.49

20.49%

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

Last update for St.Catharines: September 1, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,190 in St.Catharines versus $1,653 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 21% 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 $59.0 in St.Catharines versus $88.0 in Toronto. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in St.Catharines vs $365 in Toronto – so Toronto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

St.Catharines vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,593 per month in St.Catharines and $3,942 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 53% less in St.Catharines. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $513 per month in St.Catharines and $792 in Toronto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in St.Catharines, where all-in costs run around $2,396, than in Toronto at $2,628. In St.Catharines it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St.Catharines – 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 St.Catharines. 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.