Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Barrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Barrie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,843 in Toronto versus $2,585 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,122 in Toronto versus $3,673 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,402 in Toronto versus $4,761 in Barrie.

Living in Toronto is roughly 10% more expensive than in Barrie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 114% above, Barrie 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.86 CA$26.47

$14.78 CA$20.75

27.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 CA$118

$74.2 CA$104

13.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 CA$15.72

$10.27 CA$14.42

9.06%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.52

$3.42 CA$4.80

14.91%

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

$2.15 CA$3.01

$1.80 CA$2.53

19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

$1.11 CA$1.56

45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.22

$6.30 CA$8.84

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 CA$9.48

$5.71 CA$8.02

18.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$2.73 CA$3.83

-1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.92 CA$4.10

-6.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$3.94 CA$5.53

-10.15%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.88

$3.04 CA$4.27

14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 CA$19.01

$8.87 CA$12.46

52.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 CA$18.43

$14.49 CA$20.34

-9.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.52 CA$23.19

$25.25 CA$35.44

-34.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.72 CA$5.22

10.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.33 CA$1.86

-15.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.75

$2.91 CA$4.08

16.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$5.18 CA$7.27

-22.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$1.74 CA$2.44

47.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$3.80 CA$5.34

-25.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.83 CA$3.97

-12.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.67 CA$2.35

14.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.58

$11.76 CA$16.51

24.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 CA$19.50

$10.15 CA$14.25

36.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.43 CA$3.41

11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$2.31 CA$3.25

37.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.65 CA$3.72

-7.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$160

$67.3 CA$94.4

69.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$2.86 CA$4.02

25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$2.09 CA$2.93

-34.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.82 CA$36.24

$25.95 CA$36.43

-0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.14 CA$1.61

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

-0.23%

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

$21.2K CA$29.8K

$20.4K CA$28.7K

3.87%

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

$119 CA$167

$196 CA$275

-39.49%

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

$36.98 CA$51.9

$42.36 CA$59.5

-12.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 CA$76.2

$76.2 CA$107

-28.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 CA$78.6

$36.31 CA$51.0

54.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.56 CA$28.86

$36.57 CA$51.3

-43.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.26

$13.45 CA$18.88

-13.83%

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

$1,155 CA$1,621

$1,473 CA$2,068

-21.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K CA$25.1K

$11.7K CA$16.4K

53.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.8

$70.1 CA$98.4

-16.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 CA$55.0

$56.4 CA$79.2

-30.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$123

$142 CA$200

-38.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$115 CA$161

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,505

$1,413 CA$1,984

26.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 CA$2,165

$1,293 CA$1,815

19.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,918 CA$4,096

$2,166 CA$3,040

34.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,471 CA$3,468

$1,833 CA$2,573

34.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$5,015 CA$7,040

73.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,800 CA$9,544

$4,205 CA$5,902

61.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,476 CA$4,879

$3,045 CA$4,274

14.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.63

-22.17%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 26, 2026

Last update for Barrie: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,785 in Toronto and $1,413 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 14% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $74.0 in Barrie. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $405, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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 Barrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto and Barrie differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,843 vs $2,585 including rent). Barrie is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 14% 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: $1,785 in Toronto versus $1,413 in Barrie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Barrie runs roughly 70% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,155 in Toronto versus $1,473 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,585 in Barrie versus $2,843 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barrie but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Barrie 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.

Expats usually find Barrie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.