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: $2,754 in Toronto versus $2,598 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,090 in Toronto versus $3,673 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,427 in Toronto versus $4,748 in Barrie.

Living in Toronto is roughly 6% more expensive than Barrie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 105% above, Barrie 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.93 CA$26.43

$14.79 CA$20.65

27.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$74.4 CA$104

10.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.55

$10.35 CA$14.45

7.54%

Cappuccino

$4.00 CA$5.59

$3.36 CA$4.69

19.05%

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

$2.18 CA$3.05

$1.88 CA$2.62

15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.36

$1.12 CA$1.57

50.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.28

$6.25 CA$8.73

-5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.18

$6.00 CA$8.38

9.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 CA$3.96

$2.84 CA$3.97

-0.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$2.92 CA$4.08

-6.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.09

$4.08 CA$5.69

-10.54%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.94

$3.14 CA$4.39

12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 CA$18.84

$9.02 CA$12.59

49.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.06 CA$18.24

$15.03 CA$20.99

-13.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 CA$23.05

$24.87 CA$34.73

-33.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.57

$3.62 CA$5.05

10.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.27 CA$1.78

-7.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.49

$2.95 CA$4.12

8.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$4.99 CA$6.97

-19.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$1.73 CA$2.42

46.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.92

$3.86 CA$5.39

-27.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.43

$2.81 CA$3.92

-12.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.68

$1.70 CA$2.37

12.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.85 CA$20.74

$11.66 CA$16.29

27.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.22 CA$19.86

$10.28 CA$14.35

38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$2.52 CA$3.51

6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.57

$2.27 CA$3.17

44.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.35

$2.64 CA$3.68

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$65.9 CA$92.0

71.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 CA$5.18

$2.90 CA$4.05

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.97

$2.12 CA$2.96

-33.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.65

$25.81 CA$36.04

-1.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.10 CA$1.54

3.64%

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

$24.7K CA$34.4K

$24.5K CA$34.3K

0.45%

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

$21.6K CA$30.2K

$20.0K CA$28.0K

7.95%

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

$120 CA$168

$200 CA$280

-40.11%

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

$36.76 CA$51.3

$42.82 CA$59.8

-14.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 CA$76.7

$75.0 CA$105

-26.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 CA$79.8

$37.29 CA$52.1

53.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 CA$29.40

$37.50 CA$52.4

-43.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 CA$16.40

$13.08 CA$18.26

-10.24%

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

$1,142 CA$1,595

$1,486 CA$2,075

-23.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.1K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

52.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 CA$79.2

$72.0 CA$101

-21.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$55.6

$56.3 CA$78.6

-29.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 CA$124

$146 CA$204

-39.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$115 CA$161

0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CA$2,556

$1,437 CA$2,006

27.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 CA$2,207

$1,323 CA$1,847

19.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,989 CA$4,174

$2,190 CA$3,058

36.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 CA$3,506

$1,853 CA$2,588

35.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,084 CA$12.7K

$5,149 CA$7,191

76.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,885 CA$9,614

$4,402 CA$6,148

56.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,555 CA$4,964

$3,051 CA$4,260

16.52%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barrie: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,830 in Toronto and $1,437 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 17% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $74.0 in Barrie. Groceries flip the comparison at $394 vs $408, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($2,754 vs $2,598 including rent). Barrie is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Toronto pays 17% more on average, 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: $1,830 in Toronto versus $1,437 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 71% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,142 in Toronto versus $1,486 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barrie is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 6% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.