Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,462 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,522 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,582 in Cambridge.

Living in Toronto is roughly 13% more expensive than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Cambridge 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$14.82 CA$20.85

24.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$65.2 CA$91.7

28.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$10.00 CA$14.07

9.70%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.68 CA$5.18

8.42%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.21 CA$3.11

-4.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.61 CA$2.27

4.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.84 CA$8.21

1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$6.56 CA$9.22

-1.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.23 CA$3.13

21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.25 CA$3.16

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$2.99 CA$4.21

19.06%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.20 CA$4.50

10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$8.67 CA$12.20

52.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.95 CA$16.81

9.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$13.75 CA$19.35

21.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.99 CA$5.61

3.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.22 CA$1.72

-6.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.68 CA$5.18

-7.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.91 CA$5.51

2.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.73 CA$3.84

-10.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.46 CA$3.45

19.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.24 CA$3.16

10.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.57 CA$2.21

22.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$13.40 CA$18.85

11.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$12.25 CA$17.24

17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.45 CA$3.44

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.16 CA$4.45

-1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.56 CA$3.60

-4.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$66.6 CA$93.7

69.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$2.61 CA$3.67

39.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.71 CA$2.40

-21.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$23.84 CA$33.54

7.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.4K CA$35.7K

-0.49%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

7.32%

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

$117 CA$164

$151 CA$212

-22.65%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$39.94 CA$56.2

-5.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$54.1 CA$76.1

-0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$29.81 CA$41.94

91.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$11.55 CA$16.26

0.09%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$556 CA$782

102.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$10.4K CA$14.7K

76.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$55.4 CA$78.0

3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$34.68 CA$48.80

12.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$70.6 CA$99.4

23.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$110 CA$155

3.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,410 CA$1,984

30.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,377 CA$1,938

11.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$2,684 CA$3,776

9.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$2,127 CA$2,993

17.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$4,165 CA$5,861

109.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$3,848 CA$5,414

78.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,007 CA$4,231

14.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.64

-22.29%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,410 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 15% 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 $65.0 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $342 per month, with Cambridge 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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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 $1,410 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,462 in Cambridge versus $2,788 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge 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 Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.