Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Arak

For one person, living is cheaper in Arak: $482 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Arak
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Arak Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,561

/mo nomad

Arak

🇮🇷 Iran

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Arak

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 Arak actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,561 in Toronto versus $482 in Arak.

Toronto $2,561
Arak $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,694 in Toronto versus $758 in Arak.

Toronto $3,694
Arak $758

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,826 in Toronto versus $1,034 in Arak.

Toronto $4,826
Arak $1,034

Living in Toronto is roughly 431% more expensive than in Arak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toronto is 90% above, Arak is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.29

$3.71 $3.71

363.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 CA$107

$12.65 $12.65

500.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.89

$4.09 $4.09

157.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 $0.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 $0.56

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.68

$1.36 $1.36

195.59%

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

$2.12 CA$3.00

$0.48 $0.48

341.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.48

$1.73 $1.73

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 CA$8.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 CA$10.02

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.45

$0.55 $0.55

343.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.78

$0.57 $0.57

370.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.17

$1.90 $1.90

17.89%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$5.03

$1.22 $1.22

191.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.85

$2.16 $2.16

320.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 CA$16.01

$2.56 $2.56

342.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 CA$20.55

$10.32 $10.32

40.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.12

$0.79 $0.79

358.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$1.02 $1.02

18.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.09

$0.63 $0.63

471.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.96

$0.51 $0.51

725.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.53

$0.44 $0.44

306.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.25

$0.41 $0.41

287.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$0.48 $0.48

372.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.77

$0.30 $0.30

316.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.83 $0.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 CA$19.53

$2.54 $2.54

444.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 CA$20.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.38

$0.10 $0.10

2290.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$157

$9.52 $9.52

1065.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$0.25 $0.25

1064.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$0.12 $0.12

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.38 CA$30.23

$1.03 $1.03

1975.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$0.09 $0.09

1244.44%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$49.8K $49.8K

-43.42%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$34.4K $34.4K

-41.04%

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

$120 CA$170

$9.84 $9.84

1123.07%

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

$32.26 CA$45.60

$1.49 $1.49

2065.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 CA$67.8

$3.75 $3.75

1178.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.48 CA$54.4

$9.87 $9.87

289.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 CA$32.46

$24.01 $24.01

-4.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.50

$1.12 $1.12

1005.36%

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

$830 CA$1,173

$83.5 $83.5

894.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K CA$32.6K

$2,319 $2,319

895.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 CA$71.7

$13.43 $13.43

277.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 CA$56.6

$8.95 $8.95

347.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$139

$80.9 $80.9

21.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$171

$51.4 $51.4

134.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 CA$2,251

$295 $295

439.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,994

$211 $211

568.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 CA$3,775

$806 $806

231.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 CA$3,042

$359 $359

499.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,945 CA$11.2K

$1,354 $1,354

486.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,542 CA$9,249

$656 $656

897.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,727 CA$5,269

$368 $368

912.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

18.5

-75.84%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Arak: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.1%

Arak

$211 43.7% 85.1% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.3%

Arak

$97 20.1% 71.5% $243

Eating Out

Toronto

$278 10.9%

Arak

$67 13.9% 75.9% $211

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$201 7.8%

Arak

$15 3.1% 92.5% $185

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$139 5.4%

Arak

$70 14.4% 50% $70

Getting Around

Toronto

$129 5.1%

Arak

$11 2.2% 91.7% $119

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$63 2.5%

Arak

$12 2.5% 80.8% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Toronto and $295 in Arak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 913% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Toronto vs $13.00 in Arak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $97.0 per month, with Arak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇮🇷 Arak

🕒 Local time

01:30 1:30 AM

09:00 9:00 AM

7 h 30 min ahead of Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

526,200

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toronto Arak 9,950 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Arak

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 Arak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arak is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 431% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 913% higher in Toronto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,592 in Toronto versus $295 in Arak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,561 per month in Toronto versus $482 in Arak – a 431% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arak runs roughly 1065% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $482 in Arak versus $2,561 in Toronto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arak but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Arak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Toronto and Arak are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 431% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.