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: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,042 in Chatham-Kent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,031 in Chatham-Kent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,021 in Chatham-Kent.

Living in Toronto is roughly 38% more expensive than Chatham-Kent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Chatham-Kent 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.99

$14.50 CA$20.14

29.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$65.7 CA$91.3

24.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.04

$9.54 CA$13.25

13.52%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.10 CA$4.31

25.48%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.57 CA$2.18

41.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.60 CA$2.22

3.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.63 CA$7.82

7.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.03 CA$8.38

9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.24 CA$3.11

21.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.23 CA$3.10

21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.91

$2.69 CA$3.74

31.60%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.86

$3.03 CA$4.21

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.80

$8.32 CA$11.56

62.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.19

$11.64 CA$16.17

12.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.57

$11.93 CA$16.57

42.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.78

$4.03 CA$5.60

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.17 CA$1.63

0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.32 CA$4.61

-2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.72

$3.65 CA$5.07

12.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.36 CA$3.28

5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.81 CA$3.91

2.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.26

$2.03 CA$2.82

15.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.58 CA$2.20

26.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.26

$11.11 CA$15.44

31.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.70

$10.19 CA$14.15

39.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$1.18 CA$1.64

137.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$2.76 CA$3.83

17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.81 CA$2.52

32.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$61.7 CA$85.7

84.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$2.18 CA$3.03

72.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.68 CA$2.34

-16.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.47

$18.64 CA$25.90

36.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.06 CA$1.47

3.77%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

1.08%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$20.4K CA$28.3K

3.53%

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

$120 CA$166

$187 CA$260

-36.09%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$37.25 CA$51.8

0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.7

$55.7 CA$77.3

-2.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.1

$14.95 CA$20.78

271.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.39

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.06

$10.15 CA$14.10

13.89%

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

$1,129 CA$1,569

$547 CA$760

106.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$10.3K CA$14.3K

75.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.1

$53.0 CA$73.6

7.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.5

$26.11 CA$36.28

53.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$69.3 CA$96.3

29.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$88.9 CA$123

28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,570

$1,464 CA$2,035

26.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,167

$1,029 CA$1,430

51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,065

$1,833 CA$2,547

59.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,432

$1,650 CA$2,293

49.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,775

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,963

$3,169 CA$4,404

12.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

5.74

-10.10%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chatham-Kent: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,464 in Chatham-Kent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 13% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $66.0 in Chatham-Kent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $317 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 38% 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.

Toronto pays 13% more on average, 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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,464 in Chatham-Kent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chatham-Kent – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,811 per month in Toronto versus $2,042 in Chatham-Kent – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,042 in Chatham-Kent versus $2,811 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 38% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.