Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,344 per month in Sydney vs $2,628 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,844 per month in Sydney vs $3,848 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,343 per month in Sydney vs $5,067 in Toronto, rent included.

Sydney costs about 27% more than Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sydney and Toronto sit above the global median – Sydney by 143%, Toronto by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 A$24.56

$17.88 CA$24.76

-1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 A$132

$87.9 CA$122

7.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 A$16.86

$10.93 CA$15.14

10.52%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.59

$4.06 CA$5.62

-1.23%

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

$2.87 A$4.00

$2.18 CA$3.02

31.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.18

$1.70 CA$2.35

34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 A$11.29

$6.69 CA$9.26

20.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$9.97

$7.35 CA$10.17

-2.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 A$2.54

$2.78 CA$3.85

-34.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 A$3.80

$2.89 CA$4.00

-5.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.56 CA$3.55

-8.59%

Eggs

$5.84 A$8.15

$3.79 CA$5.25

54.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 A$18.00

$10.17 CA$14.08

26.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.55

$11.95 CA$16.55

-18.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 A$23.41

$16.12 CA$22.32

4.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 A$5.36

$3.89 CA$5.39

-1.29%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.30

$1.27 CA$1.76

142.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.74

$3.88 CA$5.37

-12.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 A$6.39

$4.33 CA$5.99

5.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.43

$1.83 CA$2.53

73.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.56

$1.50 CA$2.07

70.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.44

$2.28 CA$3.15

7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.79

$1.44 CA$1.99

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.08 A$64.3

$14.20 CA$19.66

224.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.70

$14.24 CA$19.72

-0.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 A$5.88

$2.25 CA$3.11

87.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.70

$2.53 CA$3.50

61.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.66

$2.47 CA$3.42

35.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 A$213

$112 CA$155

36.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 A$4.99

$3.05 CA$4.22

17.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.24 CA$1.71

29.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.39 A$57.8

$22.44 CA$31.07

84.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.91

$1.24 CA$1.71

10.48%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$27.5K CA$38.1K

11.29%

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

$30.9K A$43.1K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

46.08%

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

$230 A$321

$128 CA$177

80.48%

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

$27.25 A$38.03

$33.79 CA$46.78

-19.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$79.2

$49.25 CA$68.2

15.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 A$105

$40.93 CA$56.7

84.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 A$33.86

$24.62 CA$34.09

-1.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 A$24.77

$13.16 CA$18.22

34.88%

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

$2,234 A$3,117

$792 CA$1,097

181.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K A$41.2K

$24.1K CA$33.4K

22.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$54.5 CA$75.5

46.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 A$102

$43.11 CA$59.7

69.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$156

$102 CA$141

9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$183

$123 CA$171

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 A$3,666

$1,653 CA$2,289

58.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 A$2,524

$1,452 CA$2,010

24.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,241 A$7,314

$2,694 CA$3,731

94.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 A$4,238

$2,149 CA$2,976

41.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K A$19.1K

$8,347 CA$11.6K

64.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,339 A$11.6K

$6,816 CA$9,437

22.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 A$5,811

$3,614 CA$5,004

15.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

4.49

30.07%

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

Last update for Sydney: August 29, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,627 in Sydney 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 15% higher in Sydney, 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 $95.0 in Sydney versus $88.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $365 – making Toronto 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

Sydney vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,344 in Sydney, $2,628 in Toronto – roughly 27% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,016 per month in Sydney 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 Toronto, 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 $95.0 in Sydney and $88.0 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 $3,344 in Sydney and $2,628 in Toronto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,344 in Sydney and $2,628 in Toronto. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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.

If budget matters most, go with Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sydney makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.