Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,530 a month against $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,530

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toronto and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,530 per month in Toronto vs $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toronto $2,530
Chicago, IL $3,169

A couple spends around $3,646 per month in Toronto vs $4,682 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toronto $3,646
Chicago, IL $4,682

A family of three spends $4,761 per month in Toronto vs $6,196 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Toronto $4,761
Chicago, IL $6,196

Toronto is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Toronto and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Toronto by 89%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 CA$25.13

$21.62 $21.62

-18.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 CA$110

$91.2 $91.2

-15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 CA$14.90

$13.09 $13.09

-20.02%

Cappuccino

$4.08 CA$5.80

$5.78 $5.78

-29.41%

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

$2.12 CA$3.01

$2.64 $2.64

-19.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.50

$2.28 $2.28

-22.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 CA$8.78

$6.94 $6.94

-11.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 CA$9.80

$8.93 $8.93

-22.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 CA$3.46

$1.27 $1.27

91.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.91

$3.94 $3.94

-30.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.17

$4.96 $4.96

-55.04%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.90

$4.64 $4.64

-25.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 CA$12.71

$13.97 $13.97

-36.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.27

$14.37 $14.37

-20.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 CA$20.78

$18.59 $18.59

-21.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.33

$5.37 $5.37

-30.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.63

$1.93 $1.93

-40.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$5.05

$4.01 $4.01

-11.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.09

$4.94 $4.94

-13.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.62

$2.80 $2.80

-33.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.37

$2.76 $2.76

-39.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.15

$2.16 $2.16

2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$3.12 $3.12

-61.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 CA$19.74

$15.71 $15.71

-11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$20.27

$15.23 $15.23

-6.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.12

$2.57 $2.57

-14.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.44

$3.48 $3.48

-30.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.44

$2.48 $2.48

-2.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$158

$74.4 $74.4

48.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.12

$3.23 $3.23

-10.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.79

$1.43 $1.43

-11.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.03 CA$31.33

$24.33 $24.33

-9.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.74

$1.25 $1.25

-2.40%

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

$27.6K CA$39.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.99%

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

$19.8K CA$28.2K

$26.0K $26.0K

-23.72%

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

$122 CA$173

$195 $195

-37.36%

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

$32.03 CA$45.56

$69.0 $69.0

-53.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 CA$68.2

$62.1 $62.1

-22.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 CA$55.3

$54.5 $54.5

-28.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.24 CA$33.05

$27.80 $27.80

-16.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 CA$17.94

$17.84 $17.84

-29.32%

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

$834 CA$1,186

$1,513 $1,513

-44.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K CA$33.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

-24.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 CA$74.8

$68.1 $68.1

-22.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 CA$57.3

$51.6 $51.6

-22.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 CA$137

$101 $101

-5.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$175

$141 $141

-12.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,273

$2,437 $2,437

-34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 CA$2,041

$1,662 $1,662

-13.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 CA$3,779

$4,644 $4,644

-42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 CA$2,981

$2,751 $2,751

-23.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,033 CA$11.4K

$4,036 $4,036

99.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,557 CA$9,327

$2,677 $2,677

144.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,743 CA$5,324

$4,861 $4,861

-23.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.77

-33.97%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 4, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53% 15.8% $227

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3% 32.2% $109

Eating Out

Toronto

$282 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3% 25.5% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$202 7.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4% 61.4% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$140 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2% 16.1% $23

Getting Around

Toronto

$130 5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 26.9% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$64 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 40.6% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,598 in Toronto versus $2,437 in Chicago, IL. 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 30% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $77.0 in Toronto versus $91.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $450 – making Toronto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:06 3:06 AM

02:06 2:06 AM

1 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

2,746,388

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.627 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Toronto Chicago, IL 700 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,530 in Toronto, $3,169 in Chicago, IL – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,795 per month in Toronto and $4,753 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Toronto and $91.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,530 in Toronto and $3,169 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,530 in Toronto to $3,169 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.