Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Alliston Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Alliston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,768 per month in Toronto vs $2,216 in Alliston, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,066 per month in Toronto vs $3,433 in Alliston, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,364 per month in Toronto vs $4,651 in Alliston, rent included.

Toronto costs about 25% more than Alliston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toronto and Alliston sit above the global median – Toronto by 106%, Alliston by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 CA$25.20

$18.83 CA$25.80

-2.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 CA$111

$82.6 CA$113

-1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$14.97

$11.14 CA$15.26

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.25

$1.56 CA$2.13

145.51%

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

$2.19 CA$3.01

$2.22 CA$3.04

-1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.25

$1.69 CA$2.32

-2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.05

$5.76 CA$7.89

1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.24

$6.78 CA$9.28

-0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.68

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.72 CA$3.73

2.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.81

$3.65 CA$5.00

-3.84%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.76

$3.26 CA$4.46

6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 CA$18.15

$13.31 CA$18.24

-0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.70

$13.24 CA$18.14

-2.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 CA$22.44

$7.25 CA$9.93

125.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.52

$3.93 CA$5.38

2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.61

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$3.27 CA$4.48

2.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$4.07 CA$5.58

-1.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$2.50 CA$3.43

-2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.90

$2.82 CA$3.86

0.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 CA$3.27

$2.35 CA$3.22

1.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$0.69 CA$0.95

186.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.31

$14.91 CA$20.42

-0.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 CA$19.68

$7.37 CA$10.10

94.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.79

$2.69 CA$3.69

2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.52

$3.27 CA$4.49

0.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.35

$2.43 CA$3.33

0.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$155

$63.6 CA$87.1

78.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 CA$4.95

$3.67 CA$5.02

-1.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.94

$1.76 CA$2.41

-19.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$35.48

$25.99 CA$35.60

-0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.50

$1.00 CA$1.37

10.00%

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

$25.5K CA$35.0K

$25.2K CA$34.5K

1.51%

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

$21.0K CA$28.7K

$21.6K CA$29.6K

-2.86%

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

$119 CA$163

-0.50%

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

$37.69 CA$51.6

$29.03 CA$39.76

29.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 CA$74.7

$53.5 CA$73.3

1.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$78.5

$27.03 CA$37.03

111.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 CA$28.33

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$15.92

$11.85 CA$16.23

-1.94%

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

$1,118 CA$1,531

$1,137 CA$1,557

-1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K CA$25.0K

-0.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$78.6

$58.0 CA$79.5

-1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$54.5

$39.22 CA$53.7

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$88.5 CA$121

-0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

-0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 CA$2,516

$1,293 CA$1,771

42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 CA$2,124

$1,176 CA$1,611

31.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,991 CA$4,097

$2,038 CA$2,792

46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 CA$3,415

$2,238 CA$3,066

11.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,566 CA$11.7K

$4,776 CA$6,543

79.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,905 CA$9,460

$4,115 CA$5,638

67.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,697 CA$5,064

$1,873 CA$2,566

97.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

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

Last update for Toronto: April 13, 2026

Last update for Alliston: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,836 in Toronto versus $1,293 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 97% 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 $81 in Toronto versus $83 in Alliston. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Toronto vs $335 in Alliston – so Alliston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,153 per month in Toronto and $3,324 in Alliston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Toronto and $83.0 in Alliston. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Alliston, where all-in costs run around $2,216, than in Toronto at $2,768. In Alliston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.