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: $2,077 in Stratford, ON versus $2,788 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,265 in Stratford, ON versus $4,110 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,452 in Stratford, ON versus $5,432 in Toronto.

Living in Stratford, ON costs roughly 25% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stratford, ON 55% above, Toronto 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 CA$22.06

$18.51 CA$25.96

-15.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$101

$83.8 CA$118

-13.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 CA$16.71

$10.97 CA$15.38

8.66%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.18

$3.99 CA$5.59

-7.52%

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

$1.79 CA$2.51

$2.11 CA$2.96

-15.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$1.69 CA$2.37

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.38

$5.92 CA$8.30

-11.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.20

$6.48 CA$9.08

-53.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 CA$2.61

$2.71 CA$3.80

-31.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 CA$2.59

$2.85 CA$4.00

-35.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$3.56 CA$4.99

-9.27%

Eggs

$2.11 CA$2.96

$3.54 CA$4.96

-40.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 CA$7.16

$13.26 CA$18.59

-61.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 CA$10.47

$13.05 CA$18.29

-42.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.70 CA$36.04

$16.77 CA$23.51

53.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.71

$4.11 CA$5.77

-0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 CA$1.18

$1.14 CA$1.60

-26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.64

$3.40 CA$4.76

-2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 CA$3.19

$4.02 CA$5.64

-43.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 CA$4.01

$2.43 CA$3.41

17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$2.94 CA$4.12

-9.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CA$3.33

$2.47 CA$3.47

-3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.92 CA$2.69

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CA$15.46

$14.99 CA$21.01

-26.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.07 CA$15.52

$14.34 CA$20.10

-22.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$2.71 CA$3.80

1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.93

$3.12 CA$4.38

-10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 CA$3.03

$2.45 CA$3.44

-11.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.8 CA$71.2

$113 CA$158

-54.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$3.63 CA$5.08

-35.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.34 CA$1.88

30.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.86 CA$46.07

$25.55 CA$35.82

28.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

-0.50%

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

$21.6K CA$30.2K

$21.8K CA$30.5K

-0.97%

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

$134 CA$188

$117 CA$164

14.75%

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

$54.2 CA$75.9

$37.60 CA$52.7

44.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 CA$80.5

$53.7 CA$75.3

6.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.75 CA$61.3

$57.1 CA$80.1

-23.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.40 CA$28.59

$20.86 CA$29.24

-2.21%

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 CA$14.86

$11.56 CA$16.20

-8.30%

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

$932 CA$1,307

$1,125 CA$1,577

-17.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$15.3K

$18.4K CA$25.9K

-40.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.64 CA$66.8

$57.3 CA$80.4

-16.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.4

$39.05 CA$54.8

-2.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 CA$117

$87.6 CA$123

-4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$181

$114 CA$159

13.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 CA$1,904

$1,842 CA$2,582

-26.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 CA$1,323

$1,531 CA$2,146

-38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 CA$3,066

$2,925 CA$4,101

-25.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 CA$2,696

$2,502 CA$3,508

-23.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,672 CA$5,148

$8,725 CA$12.2K

-57.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,760 CA$3,869

$3,454 CA$4,842

-20.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.16

26.94%

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

Last update for Stratford, ON: July 11, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,358 in Stratford, ON and $1,842 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 25% 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: $72.0 in Stratford, ON vs $84.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $395 per month, with Stratford, ON cheaper across the board.

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 34% in total monthly costs ($2,077 vs $2,788 including rent). Stratford, ON is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% 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: $1,358 in Stratford, ON versus $1,842 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,077 per month in Stratford, ON versus $2,788 in Toronto – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stratford, ON runs roughly 122% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,077 in Stratford, ON versus $2,788 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 34% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.