Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacoma, WA and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,530 a month against $2,977 in Tacoma, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tacoma, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,977
/mo nomad
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,530
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tacoma, WA and in Toronto

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tacoma, WA and in Toronto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,977 per month in Tacoma, WA vs $2,530 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Tacoma, WA $2,977
  • Toronto $2,530

A couple spends around $4,468 per month in Tacoma, WA vs $3,646 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Tacoma, WA $4,468
  • Toronto $3,646

A family of three spends $5,960 per month in Tacoma, WA vs $4,761 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Tacoma, WA $5,960
  • Toronto $4,761

Tacoma, WA costs about 18% more than Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tacoma, WA and Toronto sit above the global median – Tacoma, WA by 122%, Toronto by 89%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.07 $25.07
$17.67 CA$25.19
41.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.4 $79.4
$77.4 CA$110
2.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.14 $12.14
$10.47 CA$14.93
15.95%
Cappuccino
$5.57 $5.57
$4.08 CA$5.81
36.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 $3.15
$2.12 CA$3.02
48.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 $2.56
$1.76 CA$2.51
45.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.85 $6.85
$6.17 CA$8.80
11.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.88 $6.88
$6.89 CA$9.82
-0.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$2.43 CA$3.46
-53.50%
White Bread (500g)
$4.09 $4.09
$2.75 CA$3.92
48.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.91 $5.91
$2.23 CA$3.18
165.02%
Eggs
$5.53 $5.53
$3.45 CA$4.91
60.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.34 $16.34
$8.93 CA$12.73
82.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$21.87 $21.87
$11.44 CA$16.31
91.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.38 $23.38
$14.61 CA$20.83
60.03%
Apples (1kg)
$5.13 $5.13
$3.75 CA$5.34
36.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.15 CA$1.64
46.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.23 $4.23
$3.55 CA$5.06
19.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.66 $4.66
$4.28 CA$6.10
8.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.77 $2.77
$1.85 CA$2.63
49.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.90 $2.90
$1.67 CA$2.38
73.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.73 $1.73
$2.22 CA$3.16
-22.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.29 $3.29
$1.21 CA$1.72
171.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.22 $12.22
$13.88 CA$19.78
-11.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.82 $18.82
$14.25 CA$20.31
32.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.20 CA$3.13
-20.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 $5.00
$2.42 CA$3.45
106.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.42 CA$3.44
-17.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.1 $63.1
$111 CA$158
-43.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.53 $2.53
$2.90 CA$4.13
-12.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.26 CA$1.80
29.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.56 $29.56
$22.03 CA$31.40
34.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 $1.35
$1.22 CA$1.74
10.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.2K $37.2K
$27.6K CA$39.4K
34.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$19.8K CA$28.3K
37.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$230 $230
$122 CA$174
88.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$92.7 $92.7
$32.03 CA$45.66
189.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.3 $88.3
$47.92 CA$68.3
84.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.21 $42.21
$38.90 CA$55.5
8.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.21 $18.21
$23.24 CA$33.12
-21.64%
Cinema Ticket
$16.97 $16.97
$12.61 CA$17.97
34.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,105 $2,105
$834 CA$1,189
152.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.4K $31.4K
$23.3K CA$33.3K
34.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.2 $61.2
$52.6 CA$75.0
16.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.72 $43.72
$40.26 CA$57.4
8.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.8 $85.8
$96.2 CA$137
-10.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 $128
$123 CA$175
3.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,725 $1,725
$1,598 CA$2,278
7.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,444 $1,444
$1,435 CA$2,045
0.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,797 $2,797
$2,657 CA$3,787
5.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,420 $2,420
$2,096 CA$2,988
15.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,896 $4,896
$8,033 CA$11.5K
-39.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,482 $3,482
$6,557 CA$9,347
-46.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tacoma, WA
Toronto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,817 $4,817
$3,743 CA$5,335
28.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.64
4.47
48.55%

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

Last update for Tacoma, WA: October 3, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tacoma, WA
$1.4K
Toronto
$1.4K 0.6% $9
Groceries & Markets
Tacoma, WA
$519
Toronto
$340 34.5% $179
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tacoma, WA
$411
Toronto
$202 50.9% $209
Eating Out
Tacoma, WA
$375
Toronto
$282 24.8% $93
Clothing & Footwear
Tacoma, WA
$143
Toronto
$140 2% $2.8
Getting Around
Tacoma, WA
$82
Toronto
$130 58.6% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Tacoma, WA
$76
Toronto
$64 15.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,725 in Tacoma, WA versus $1,598 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 29% higher in Tacoma, WA, 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 $79.0 in Tacoma, WA versus $77.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $519 vs $340 – making Toronto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Tacoma, WA
🇨🇦 Toronto
🕒 Local time
00:43 12:43 AM
03:43 3:43 AM
3 h ahead of Tacoma, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
219,346
2,731,571
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tacoma, WA Toronto 3,340 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tacoma, WA
  • Toronto

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tacoma, WA vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tacoma, WA or Toronto?
Tacoma, WA costs about 18% more than Toronto, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tacoma, WA and in Toronto?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,465 per month in Tacoma, WA and $3,795 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tacoma, WA or Toronto?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Tacoma, WA and in Toronto?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Tacoma, WA and $77.0 in Toronto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Tacoma, WA compared to Toronto?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,977 in Tacoma, WA and $2,530 in Toronto. That's a gap of about 18%.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Tacoma, WA or in Toronto?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,977 in Tacoma, WA and $2,530 in Toronto. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tacoma, WA or Toronto?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Toronto costs $2,530 versus $2,977 in Tacoma, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Tacoma, WA or to Toronto?
If budget matters most, go with Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tacoma, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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