Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Burnaby Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Burnaby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,777 in Burnaby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $4,049 in Burnaby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $5,321 in Burnaby.

Monthly costs are close between Toronto and Burnaby; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Burnaby 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$14.84 CA$20.88

24.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$74.8 CA$105

12.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$9.25 CA$13.02

18.59%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.24 CA$5.97

-5.90%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.80 CA$2.53

17.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.34 CA$1.89

26.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.95 CA$8.37

-0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$5.67 CA$7.98

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.50 CA$3.52

8.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.75 CA$3.87

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$4.66 CA$6.55

-23.61%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.27 CA$4.60

8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$12.46 CA$17.54

6.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.71 CA$16.47

11.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$21.40 CA$30.12

-21.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.36 CA$4.72

22.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.33 CA$1.88

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.03 CA$4.27

12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.85 CA$5.42

4.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.91 CA$4.10

-16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$3.07 CA$4.32

-4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.91 CA$2.68

0.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$14.81 CA$20.84

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$12.95 CA$18.22

10.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.49 CA$3.50

8.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.55 CA$3.58

22.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.27 CA$3.19

7.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$77.6 CA$109

45.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$2.73 CA$3.85

32.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.35 CA$1.90

-0.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$26.16 CA$36.82

-2.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.37 CA$1.93

-18.98%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.4K CA$35.7K

-0.34%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$20.1K CA$28.3K

8.07%

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

$117 CA$164

$136 CA$192

-14.32%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$41.79 CA$58.8

-10.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$54.8 CA$77.1

-2.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$31.21 CA$43.91

82.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$5.36 CA$7.54

289.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$16.13 CA$22.70

-28.33%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$534 CA$752

110.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$8,169 CA$11.5K

125.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$54.8 CA$77.1

4.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$53.8 CA$75.7

-27.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$94.3 CA$133

-7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$94.6 CA$133

20.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,884 CA$2,651

-2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,650 CA$2,321

-7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$4,117 CA$5,793

-28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$2,678 CA$3,768

-6.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$6,680 CA$9,400

30.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$5,538 CA$7,792

24.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,116 CA$4,385

10.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.54

-21.10%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Burnaby: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,884 in Burnaby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 11% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $84.0 in Toronto vs $75.0 in Burnaby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $392 per month, with Burnaby cheaper across the board.

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 Burnaby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 11% 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,884 in Burnaby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Burnaby runs roughly 45% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Burnaby 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.

It comes down to priorities – Burnaby wins on affordability, Toronto on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.