Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Airdrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Airdrie

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $2,470 in Airdrie, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $3,433 in Airdrie, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $4,395 in Airdrie, rent included.

Toronto costs about 14% more than Airdrie, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Airdrie sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, Airdrie by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$18.05 CA$25.11

3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$70.4 CA$97.9

16.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$10.86 CA$15.10

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$3.71 CA$5.16

4.85%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.06 CA$2.86

7.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.66 CA$2.31

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.85 CA$8.13

3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$5.98 CA$8.31

10.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.03 CA$2.83

34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$2.64 CA$3.67

3.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$3.09 CA$4.30

14.56%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.77 CA$5.24

-7.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$12.48 CA$17.36

8.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$12.48 CA$17.35

4.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$16.00 CA$22.25

6.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$4.29 CA$5.96

-3.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.30 CA$1.81

-9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.83 CA$5.33

-15.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$3.77 CA$5.24

9.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.36 CA$3.28

5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.19 CA$3.04

31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.64 CA$3.67

-10.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.85 CA$2.58

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$14.69 CA$20.43

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$12.16 CA$16.92

16.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.81 CA$3.90

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$3.13 CA$4.36

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.42 CA$3.37

-0.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$64.0 CA$89.0

78.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.10 CA$4.31

21.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.35 CA$1.88

4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$23.47 CA$32.64

8.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.08 CA$1.50

1.85%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

2.28%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$21.8K CA$30.3K

-3.27%

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

$120 CA$166

$207 CA$288

-42.26%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$40.66 CA$56.6

-7.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$58.7 CA$81.6

-7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$88.4 CA$123

-37.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$58.2 CA$80.9

-63.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$13.20 CA$18.36

-12.42%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$699 CA$972

61.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

51.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$49.63 CA$69.0

14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$41.83 CA$58.2

-4.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$81.8 CA$114

9.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$103 CA$144

10.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,351 CA$1,878

36.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,190 CA$1,655

31.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$1,848 CA$2,570

58.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$1,615 CA$2,246

52.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$6,268 CA$8,717

44.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$6,274 CA$8,725

12.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$2,908 CA$4,044

22.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.08

-15.13%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Airdrie: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,351 in Airdrie. 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 23% higher in Toronto, 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 $82.0 in Toronto versus $70.0 in Airdrie. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $374 – making Airdrie 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

Toronto vs Airdrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,811 in Toronto, $2,470 in Airdrie – roughly 14% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,216 per month in Toronto and $3,705 in Airdrie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Airdrie, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,811 in Toronto and $2,470 in Airdrie. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% less in Airdrie. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Airdrie, where all-in costs run around $2,470, than in Toronto at $2,811. In Airdrie it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Airdrie. 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.