Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Alliston

For one person, living is cheaper in Alliston: $2,109 a month against $2,610 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,610
/mo nomad
Alliston
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,109
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Alliston

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

A single person spends $2,610 per month in Toronto vs $2,109 in Alliston, rent included.

  • Toronto $2,610
  • Alliston $2,109

A couple spends around $3,727 per month in Toronto vs $3,308 in Alliston, rent included.

  • Toronto $3,727
  • Alliston $3,308

A family of three spends $4,844 per month in Toronto vs $4,507 in Alliston, rent included.

  • Toronto $4,844
  • Alliston $4,507

Toronto costs about 24% more than Alliston, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Toronto and Alliston sit above the global median – Toronto by 93%, Alliston by 56%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 CA$24.87
$17.62 CA$24.91
-0.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.8 CA$111
$78.0 CA$110
1.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 CA$15.16
$10.64 CA$15.04
0.85%
Cappuccino
$4.09 CA$5.78
$1.43 CA$2.02
186.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 CA$2.97
$2.10 CA$2.97
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 CA$2.43
$1.67 CA$2.35
2.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.36 CA$8.99
$6.46 CA$9.13
-1.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.08 CA$10.01
$6.81 CA$9.63
3.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.54 CA$3.59
$2.53 CA$3.58
0.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 CA$3.85
$2.62 CA$3.70
3.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 CA$3.09
$2.16 CA$3.05
0.93%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.13
$3.04 CA$4.29
19.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.46 CA$13.37
$9.32 CA$13.18
1.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.32
$11.30 CA$15.98
2.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.37 CA$20.32
$7.07 CA$9.99
103.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 CA$5.23
$3.59 CA$5.08
3.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 CA$1.68
$1.16 CA$1.64
2.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.46 CA$4.90
$3.44 CA$4.86
0.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.22 CA$5.97
$3.88 CA$5.49
8.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.52
$1.83 CA$2.58
-2.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.65 CA$2.33
$1.61 CA$2.27
2.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.20 CA$3.11
$2.28 CA$3.22
-3.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 CA$1.78
$0.71 CA$1.00
77.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.97 CA$19.75
$13.89 CA$19.64
0.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.20 CA$20.07
$6.96 CA$9.83
104.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 CA$3.18
$2.19 CA$3.09
2.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 CA$3.58
$2.43 CA$3.44
4.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 CA$3.28
$2.25 CA$3.18
3.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$112 CA$158
$61.5 CA$86.9
81.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 CA$4.33
$2.94 CA$4.15
4.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 CA$1.72
$1.22 CA$1.72
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.69 CA$30.66
$21.57 CA$30.50
0.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$0.96 CA$1.36
26.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K CA$37.0K
$27.7K CA$39.2K
-5.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.9K
$19.9K CA$28.2K
6.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$169
$120 CA$170
-0.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.21 CA$45.54
$28.09 CA$39.71
14.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.88 CA$69.1
$48.40 CA$68.4
0.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.34 CA$55.6
$25.52 CA$36.07
54.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.58 CA$33.34
$17.69 CA$25.00
33.30%
Cinema Ticket
$12.58 CA$17.79
$11.24 CA$15.89
11.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$832 CA$1,176
$811 CA$1,146
2.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.6K CA$33.4K
$23.6K CA$33.3K
0.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.3 CA$73.9
$50.9 CA$71.9
2.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.44 CA$55.8
$39.78 CA$56.2
-0.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.0 CA$140
$99.1 CA$140
-0.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 CA$172
$122 CA$172
0.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,631 CA$2,306
$1,234 CA$1,744
32.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,448 CA$2,048
$1,101 CA$1,557
31.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,737 CA$3,869
$1,934 CA$2,734
41.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,129 CA$3,010
$2,122 CA$2,999
0.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,206 CA$11.6K
$4,176 CA$5,904
96.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,838 CA$9,666
$3,581 CA$5,063
90.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
Alliston
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,520 CA$4,976
$1,837 CA$2,597
91.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
4.47
-

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

Last update for Toronto: October 18, 2026

Last update for Alliston: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
Alliston
$1.1K 24% $347
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$343
Alliston
$292 14.8% $51
Eating Out
Toronto
$283
Alliston
$251 11.4% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$201
Alliston
$197 2% $4
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$141
Alliston
$140 0.3% $0.4
Getting Around
Toronto
$130
Alliston
$80 38.9% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$65
Alliston
$48 25.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Toronto versus $1,234 in Alliston. 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 92% 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 $79.0 in Toronto versus $78.0 in Alliston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $292 – making Alliston the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇨🇦 Alliston
🕒 Local time
09:27 9:27 AM
09:27 9:27 AM
Same time as Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto Alliston 67 km
From you
  • Toronto
  • Alliston

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
Toronto vs Alliston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alliston cheaper than Toronto?
Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 24%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,916 per month in Toronto and $3,163 in Alliston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Alliston, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Toronto and in Alliston?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Toronto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Toronto or in Alliston?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Toronto and $78.0 in Alliston. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Toronto or in Alliston?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Alliston, where all-in costs run around $2,109, than in Toronto at $2,610. In Alliston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Toronto or Alliston more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Alliston – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Alliston. 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.

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