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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $2,778 in Burlington, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $4,107 in Burlington, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $5,436 in Burlington, rent included.

Toronto costs about 1% more than Burlington, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Toronto and Burlington sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, Burlington by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$20.15 CA$28.02

-7.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$74.4 CA$104

10.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$10.96 CA$15.24

-1.19%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$3.67 CA$5.11

5.99%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.01 CA$2.80

10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.73 CA$2.41

-4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.85 CA$8.14

3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.54 CA$9.09

0.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$1.99 CA$2.76

37.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$3.07 CA$4.26

-11.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$4.31 CA$5.99

-17.87%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.19 CA$4.43

9.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$13.65 CA$18.98

-0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$9.14 CA$12.72

43.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$21.94 CA$30.51

-22.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$3.46 CA$4.81

20.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.42 CA$1.98

-16.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.73 CA$5.19

-12.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$3.49 CA$4.86

18.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$1.95 CA$2.71

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$1.79 CA$2.48

60.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.10 CA$2.93

11.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$14.74 CA$20.50

-1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$12.63 CA$17.56

12.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.36 CA$3.29

18.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$2.33 CA$3.24

39.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$3.39 CA$4.72

-29.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$105 CA$146

8.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$2.32 CA$3.22

62.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.70 CA$2.37

-17.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$43.79 CA$60.9

-41.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.17 CA$1.63

-5.98%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

0.44%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$21.4K CA$29.8K

-1.63%

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

$120 CA$166

$131 CA$182

-8.43%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$53.2 CA$74.0

-29.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$62.1 CA$86.3

-12.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$45.44 CA$63.2

22.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$23.28 CA$32.38

-9.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$11.22 CA$15.60

3.03%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$952 CA$1,324

18.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$24.0K CA$33.3K

-24.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$62.1 CA$86.4

-8.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$69.4 CA$96.5

-42.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$87.5 CA$122

2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$136 CA$189

-16.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,733 CA$2,410

6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,470 CA$2,045

6.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$2,640 CA$3,671

10.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$2,440 CA$3,393

1.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$5,745 CA$7,989

58.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$4,546 CA$6,322

54.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$3,278 CA$4,559

8.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.4

-19.38%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Burlington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,733 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 9% 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 $82.0 in Toronto versus $74.0 in Burlington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $375 – 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

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,216 per month in Toronto and $4,167 in Burlington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,129 per month in Toronto and $952 in Burlington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Toronto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,811 in Toronto and $2,778 in Burlington. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Burlington – 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 Burlington. 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.