Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Chatham-Kent Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Chatham-Kent

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,620 in Toronto versus $1,989 in Chatham-Kent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,866 in Toronto versus $2,837 in Chatham-Kent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,111 in Toronto versus $3,685 in Chatham-Kent.

Living in Toronto is roughly 32% more expensive than in Chatham-Kent, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Chatham-Kent 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$17.96 CA$24.90

-0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$57.0 CA$79.1

52.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$10.16 CA$14.09

7.68%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$2.96 CA$4.10

35.47%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.60 CA$2.23

36.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.34 CA$1.86

26.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$5.16 CA$7.15

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$5.83 CA$8.08

20.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$1.11 CA$1.54

144.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$1.59 CA$2.21

83.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$2.52 CA$3.50

-1.59%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$2.87 CA$3.99

34.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$11.32 CA$15.70

-10.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$15.56 CA$21.58

-22.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$16.42 CA$22.77

-4.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$3.68 CA$5.10

5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.18 CA$1.63

5.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$3.62 CA$5.02

4.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$3.61 CA$5.01

21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$1.35 CA$1.87

42.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.86 CA$2.58

-19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$1.71 CA$2.37

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.28 CA$1.78

14.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$12.84 CA$17.81

13.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$10.12 CA$14.03

42.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$1.18 CA$1.63

91.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$1.17 CA$1.62

121.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$1.77 CA$2.46

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$2.51 CA$3.48

25.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.76 CA$2.44

-28.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$29.32 CA$40.67

-23.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.10 CA$1.52

12.73%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

-3.90%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$19.2K CA$26.6K

8.08%

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

$124 CA$172

$144 CA$200

-14.29%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$29.80 CA$41.32

9.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$46.12 CA$64.0

5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$11.48 CA$15.92

11.67%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$555 CA$769

41.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$16.3K CA$22.6K

50.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$57.0 CA$79.1

-4.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$30.74 CA$42.63

40.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$82.8 CA$115

18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$74.7 CA$104

68.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$1,397 CA$1,938

18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$999 CA$1,386

48.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$1,796 CA$2,491

55.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$1,602 CA$2,221

34.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$3,194 CA$4,430

18.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

5.05

-11.49%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chatham-Kent: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,660 in Toronto and $1,397 in Chatham-Kent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 19% 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: $87.0 in Toronto vs $57.0 in Chatham-Kent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $326 per month, with Chatham-Kent 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 Chatham-Kent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chatham-Kent wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chatham-Kent the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,397 in Chatham-Kent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,620 per month in Toronto versus $1,989 in Chatham-Kent – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,989 in Chatham-Kent versus $2,620 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chatham-Kent but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Chatham-Kent 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 Chatham-Kent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.