Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Burlington Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Burlington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,668 per month in Toronto vs $2,675 in Burlington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Toronto vs $3,900 in Burlington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,934 per month in Toronto vs $5,125 in Burlington, rent included.

Toronto and Burlington have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Toronto and Burlington sit above the global median – Toronto by 95%, Burlington by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.46

$21.41 CA$29.76

-14.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 CA$112

$73.1 CA$102

10.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.75

$10.92 CA$15.18

-2.84%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.55

$3.30 CA$4.59

20.91%

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

$2.16 CA$3.00

$1.92 CA$2.67

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$1.51 CA$2.10

16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 CA$9.24

$5.85 CA$8.13

13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.01

$6.47 CA$9.00

11.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.61 CA$3.63

8.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.82

$2.95 CA$4.10

-6.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$3.90 CA$5.42

-35.64%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.77 CA$5.24

1.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 CA$13.91

$10.08 CA$14.01

-0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.62

$10.51 CA$14.61

13.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.73

$14.98 CA$20.83

4.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.11

$3.88 CA$5.40

-5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.48 CA$2.05

-14.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.38

$2.68 CA$3.72

44.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.88

$3.68 CA$5.12

14.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$1.92 CA$2.67

-3.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.86 CA$2.59

-17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.20

$2.08 CA$2.90

10.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.51 CA$2.10

-4.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.62

$13.69 CA$19.03

3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.20

$10.97 CA$15.25

32.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.79 CA$3.88

-20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.54

$2.92 CA$4.06

-12.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.44

$2.74 CA$3.81

-9.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$157

$97.9 CA$136

15.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$5.02 CA$6.98

-38.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$2.59 CA$3.60

-50.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.41

$42.79 CA$59.5

-48.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.09 CA$1.52

12.84%

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

$27.2K CA$37.8K

$28.8K CA$40.1K

-5.52%

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

$20.3K CA$28.3K

$20.6K CA$28.7K

-1.37%

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

$122 CA$170

$144 CA$200

-14.87%

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

$33.21 CA$46.17

$45.85 CA$63.7

-27.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 CA$68.6

$68.3 CA$95.0

-27.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 CA$55.7

$52.1 CA$72.5

-23.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 CA$33.05

$29.78 CA$41.40

-20.15%

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$17.65

$16.29 CA$22.64

-22.04%

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

$772 CA$1,073

$1,199 CA$1,667

-35.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.1K

$19.1K CA$26.6K

24.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.3

$71.5 CA$99.4

-25.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.6

$66.6 CA$92.5

-36.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$99.6 CA$138

0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$171

$100 CA$139

22.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,220

$1,680 CA$2,336

-4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,000

$1,440 CA$2,002

-0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 CA$3,806

$2,542 CA$3,534

7.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,007

$2,249 CA$3,126

-3.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,246 CA$11.5K

$5,150 CA$7,158

60.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 CA$9,307

$4,158 CA$5,780

61.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 CA$5,324

$3,212 CA$4,465

19.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.52

-1.11%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Last update for Burlington: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Toronto versus $1,680 in Burlington. 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 19% higher in Toronto. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Toronto versus $73.0 in Burlington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $349 – making Burlington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Burlington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,002 per month in Toronto and $4,012 in Burlington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toronto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Toronto and $73.0 in Burlington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Toronto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,668 in Toronto and $2,675 in Burlington. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Toronto – 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 Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.