Cost of Living Comparison Between Stratford, ON and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Stratford, ON and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,037 in Stratford, ON versus $2,620 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Stratford, ON versus $3,866 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,551 in Stratford, ON versus $5,111 in Toronto.

Living in Stratford, ON costs roughly 22% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stratford, ON 48% above, Toronto 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.00 CA$24.96

$17.85 CA$24.75

0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 CA$69.4

$86.8 CA$120

-42.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 CA$15.84

$10.94 CA$15.17

4.39%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.87

$4.01 CA$5.57

-12.47%

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

$1.51 CA$2.10

$2.19 CA$3.04

-31.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 CA$1.91

$1.69 CA$2.34

-18.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 CA$6.07

$6.45 CA$8.94

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 CA$6.55

$7.05 CA$9.77

-32.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$3.01

$2.71 CA$3.76

-19.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 CA$4.12

$2.92 CA$4.05

1.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.29

$2.48 CA$3.44

54.03%

Eggs

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.85 CA$5.34

-23.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 CA$13.43

$10.10 CA$14.01

-4.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$15.86

$12.02 CA$16.66

-4.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.97 CA$48.49

$15.61 CA$21.65

124.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$3.90 CA$5.41

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 CA$1.43

$1.24 CA$1.72

-16.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 CA$6.71

$3.78 CA$5.24

28.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.75

$4.38 CA$6.08

-5.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.66

$1.93 CA$2.67

74.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.39

$1.50 CA$2.08

63.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$2.28 CA$3.17

7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.46 CA$2.02

-7.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 CA$15.76

$14.52 CA$20.13

-21.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 CA$15.37

$14.42 CA$19.99

-23.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$2.26 CA$3.14

56.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$2.59 CA$3.60

18.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$2.36 CA$3.28

-9.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 CA$69.5

$114 CA$159

-56.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$3.16 CA$4.38

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 CA$2.59

$1.26 CA$1.74

48.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 CA$33.75

$22.57 CA$31.29

7.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$1.24 CA$1.72

-12.90%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$27.3K CA$37.9K

4.57%

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

$20.6K CA$28.6K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-0.68%

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

$127 CA$176

$124 CA$172

2.52%

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

$39.53 CA$54.8

$32.72 CA$45.37

20.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.27 CA$44.75

$48.79 CA$67.7

-33.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.24 CA$61.4

$40.27 CA$55.9

9.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 CA$27.88

$23.84 CA$33.06

-15.69%

Cinema Ticket

$10.58 CA$14.68

$12.82 CA$17.77

-17.47%

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

$831 CA$1,153

$787 CA$1,092

5.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K CA$23.8K

$24.5K CA$34.0K

-30.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.42 CA$65.8

$54.2 CA$75.2

-12.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.90 CA$51.2

$43.10 CA$59.8

-14.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 CA$108

$97.9 CA$136

-20.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$174

$126 CA$175

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 CA$1,702

$1,660 CA$2,302

-26.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CA$1,275

$1,483 CA$2,057

-38.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 CA$3,025

$2,800 CA$3,883

-22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 CA$2,575

$2,157 CA$2,991

-13.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 CA$5,166

$8,381 CA$11.6K

-55.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,488

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,730 CA$3,786

$3,799 CA$5,269

-28.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.47

11.63%

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

Last update for Stratford, ON: September 6, 2026

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,227 in Stratford, ON and $1,660 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 39% 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: $50.0 in Stratford, ON vs $87.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $422 vs $364, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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

Stratford, ON vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stratford, ON and Toronto differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,037 vs $2,620 including rent). Stratford, ON is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $1,227 in Stratford, ON versus $1,660 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,037 per month in Stratford, ON versus $2,620 in Toronto – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stratford, ON runs roughly 128% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,037 in Stratford, ON versus $2,620 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Stratford, ON but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Stratford, ON 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 Stratford, ON gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.