Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Chico, CA

For one person, living costs are similar in Toronto and in Chico, CA: $2,561 and $2,515 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Chico, CA
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Chico, CA Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,561

/mo nomad

Chico, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Chico, CA

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 Chico, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,561 in Toronto versus $2,515 in Chico, CA.

Toronto $2,561
Chico, CA $2,515

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,694 in Toronto versus $4,036 in Chico, CA.

Toronto $3,694
Chico, CA $4,036

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,826 in Toronto versus $5,556 in Chico, CA.

Toronto $4,826
Chico, CA $5,556

Living in Toronto is roughly 2% more expensive than in Chico, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Chico, CA 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.29

$25.46 $25.46

-32.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 CA$107

$50.1 $50.1

51.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.89

$12.05 $12.05

-12.53%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.68

$5.77 $5.77

-30.33%

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

$2.12 CA$3.00

$2.63 $2.63

-19.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.48

$2.27 $2.27

-22.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 CA$8.83

$7.34 $7.34

-14.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 CA$10.02

$8.22 $8.22

-13.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.45

$1.13 $1.13

115.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.78

$2.99 $2.99

-10.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.17

$3.51 $3.51

-36.18%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$5.03

$4.86 $4.86

-26.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.85

$11.12 $11.12

-18.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 CA$16.01

$12.12 $12.12

-6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 CA$20.55

$23.12 $23.12

-37.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.12

$5.43 $5.43

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$2.35 $2.35

-48.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.09

$3.81 $3.81

-5.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.96

$5.64 $5.64

-25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.53

$5.01 $5.01

-64.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.25

$3.10 $3.10

-48.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$2.46 $2.46

-7.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.77

$2.56 $2.56

-51.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 CA$19.53

$8.01 $8.01

72.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 CA$20.18

$14.92 $14.92

-4.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$1.75 $1.75

25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.44

$3.62 $3.62

-32.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.38

$2.94 $2.94

-18.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$157

$34.74 $34.74

219.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$3.22 $3.22

-9.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$2.41 $2.41

-50.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.38 CA$30.23

$40.65 $40.65

-47.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$1.42 $1.42

-14.79%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$36.3K $36.3K

-22.39%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$24.7K $24.7K

-18.09%

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

$120 CA$170

$185 $185

-34.86%

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

$32.26 CA$45.60

$49.40 $49.40

-34.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 CA$67.8

$67.9 $67.9

-29.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.48 CA$54.4

$77.0 $77.0

-50.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 CA$32.46

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.50

$13.12 $13.12

-5.64%

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

$830 CA$1,173

$1,837 $1,837

-54.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K CA$32.6K

$37.1K $37.1K

-37.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 CA$71.7

$51.1 $51.1

-0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 CA$56.6

$31.08 $31.08

28.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$139

$70.3 $70.3

39.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$171

$98.8 $98.8

22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 CA$2,251

$1,508 $1,508

5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,994

$1,123 $1,123

25.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 CA$3,775

$2,933 $2,933

-8.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 CA$3,042

$2,590 $2,590

-16.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,945 CA$11.2K

$3,210 $3,210

147.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,542 CA$9,249

$2,919 $2,919

124.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,727 CA$5,269

$3,832 $3,832

-2.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.28

-28.82%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chico, CA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.1%

Chico, CA

$1.1K 44.6% 20.4% $287

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.3%

Chico, CA

$430 17.1% 26.7% $91

Eating Out

Toronto

$278 10.9%

Chico, CA

$382 15.2% 37.3% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$201 7.8%

Chico, CA

$302 12% 50.6% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$139 5.4%

Chico, CA

$113 4.5% 18.8% $26

Getting Around

Toronto

$129 5.1%

Chico, CA

$62 2.5% 52.3% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$63 2.5%

Chico, CA

$103 4.1% 63.3% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Toronto and $1,508 in Chico, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Toronto vs $50.0 in Chico, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $430, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 Chico, CA

🕒 Local time

03:35 3:35 AM

00:35 12:35 AM

3 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

90,316

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toronto Chico, CA 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Chico, CA

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 Chico, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chico, CA is cheaper overall, especially in clothing and transport. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Chico, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,592 in Toronto versus $1,508 in Chico, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chico, CA – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $76.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,561 per month in Toronto versus $2,515 in Chico, CA – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Chico, CA 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.

Expats usually find Chico, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.