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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Sydney vs $2,811 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,168 per month in Sydney vs $4,130 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,578 per month in Sydney vs $5,449 in Toronto, rent included.

Sydney is about 2% cheaper than Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sydney and Toronto sit above the global median – Sydney by 106%, Toronto by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$23.12

$18.71 CA$26.02

-11.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$111

$81.9 CA$114

-3.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$13.93

$10.83 CA$15.06

-8.31%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.74

$3.89 CA$5.41

-13.11%

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

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.22 CA$3.09

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.76

$1.65 CA$2.29

19.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.35

$6.05 CA$8.41

10.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 A$10.30

$6.58 CA$9.15

11.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.29

$2.73 CA$3.79

-40.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.82

$2.72 CA$3.78

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.19

$3.54 CA$4.92

-35.59%

Eggs

$5.04 A$7.07

$3.50 CA$4.87

44.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 A$12.50

$13.53 CA$18.81

-34.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.70

$13.09 CA$18.20

-36.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 A$19.80

$16.96 CA$23.59

-16.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.54

$4.16 CA$5.79

-22.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$1.18 CA$1.64

128.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.39

$3.25 CA$4.52

-3.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.19

$4.12 CA$5.73

7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.43

$2.50 CA$3.48

-2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.27

$2.88 CA$4.00

-19.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.10

$2.35 CA$3.27

-5.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.75

$2.00 CA$2.78

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.36 A$45.37

$14.58 CA$20.28

121.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.79

$14.18 CA$19.71

-0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.53

$2.80 CA$3.89

66.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.47

$3.25 CA$4.53

64.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.60

$2.40 CA$3.34

36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 A$197

$114 CA$159

23.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 A$5.59

$3.76 CA$5.22

6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 A$4.11

$1.41 CA$1.96

107.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 A$73.6

$25.53 CA$35.50

105.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 A$1.75

$1.10 CA$1.53

13.64%

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

$29.4K A$41.3K

$25.2K CA$35.1K

16.60%

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

$22.7K A$31.8K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

7.49%

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

$204 A$286

$120 CA$166

70.41%

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

$24.13 A$33.83

$37.54 CA$52.2

-35.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.8

$54.5 CA$75.8

-4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 A$85.7

$55.5 CA$77.2

10.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 A$29.22

$21.15 CA$29.41

-1.47%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 A$22.03

$11.56 CA$16.07

35.90%

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

$2,074 A$2,908

$1,129 CA$1,571

83.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K A$26.5K

$18.0K CA$25.0K

5.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 A$102

$56.9 CA$79.2

28.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.5

$39.96 CA$55.6

45.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$151

$89.7 CA$125

20.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$187

$114 CA$159

16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 A$3,076

$1,849 CA$2,572

18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 A$2,090

$1,560 CA$2,169

-4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 A$6,191

$2,925 CA$4,068

50.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 A$3,682

$2,470 CA$3,435

6.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$9,085 CA$12.6K

47.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,589 A$10.6K

$7,036 CA$9,785

7.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 A$5,879

$3,572 CA$4,967

17.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

5.16

22.87%

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

Last update for Sydney: May 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,194 in Sydney 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 Sydney, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Sydney versus $82.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $396 – making Sydney 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: $2,759 in Sydney, $2,811 in Toronto – roughly 2% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,138 per month in Sydney 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 Sydney, 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 $79.0 in Sydney 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 $2,759 in Sydney and $2,811 in Toronto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,759 in Sydney and $2,811 in Toronto. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sydney – 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 Sydney. 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.