Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Dartmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Dartmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,628 per month in Toronto vs $2,050 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,848 per month in Toronto vs $3,065 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,067 per month in Toronto vs $4,080 in Dartmouth, rent included.

Toronto costs about 28% more than Dartmouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Toronto and Dartmouth sit above the global median – Toronto by 91%, Dartmouth by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 CA$24.66

$10.99 CA$15.16

62.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 CA$121

$62.3 CA$86.0

40.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.08

$7.15 CA$9.86

52.87%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.60

$3.73 CA$5.14

8.85%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$2.07 CA$2.86

5.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.34

$1.87 CA$2.58

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.22

$4.44 CA$6.12

50.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CA$10.13

$5.88 CA$8.11

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.83

$2.44 CA$3.36

13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$3.99

$2.11 CA$2.90

36.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$3.52 CA$4.85

-27.27%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.22

$3.69 CA$5.09

2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.02

$7.78 CA$10.72

30.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.48

$9.27 CA$12.78

28.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 CA$22.23

$11.07 CA$15.26

45.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

$3.67 CA$5.06

5.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.62 CA$2.23

-21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.35

$4.79 CA$6.61

-19.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$5.97

$5.62 CA$7.75

-22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.52

$1.99 CA$2.75

-8.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.06

$2.19 CA$3.01

-31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.14

$2.57 CA$3.54

-11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.98

$2.14 CA$2.95

-32.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.58

$14.24 CA$19.64

-0.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 CA$19.64

$14.15 CA$19.52

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.10

$3.47 CA$4.79

-35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.49

$4.00 CA$5.51

-36.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$1.95 CA$2.69

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$154

$62.0 CA$85.5

80.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.20

$2.95 CA$4.06

3.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$1.35 CA$1.86

-8.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.44 CA$30.94

$21.83 CA$30.10

2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$1.11 CA$1.53

11.71%

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

$27.5K CA$37.9K

$28.0K CA$38.6K

-1.82%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$19.6K CA$27.1K

7.77%

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

$128 CA$176

$79.5 CA$110

60.55%

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

$33.79 CA$46.59

$41.74 CA$57.6

-19.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.25 CA$67.9

$66.0 CA$91.0

-25.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 CA$56.5

$36.67 CA$50.6

11.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$33.95

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 CA$18.15

$13.10 CA$18.07

0.46%

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

$792 CA$1,093

$380 CA$524

108.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K CA$33.3K

$13.8K CA$19.1K

74.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.2

$41.23 CA$56.9

32.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 CA$59.5

$34.05 CA$46.96

26.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$68.3 CA$94.1

48.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$170

$74.8 CA$103

64.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 CA$2,279

$1,242 CA$1,713

33.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 CA$2,002

$1,073 CA$1,480

35.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 CA$3,716

$2,020 CA$2,786

33.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CA$2,964

$1,859 CA$2,564

15.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,347 CA$11.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 CA$9,399

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,614 CA$4,984

$2,629 CA$3,625

37.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.6

-2.39%

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

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dartmouth: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Toronto versus $1,242 in Dartmouth. 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 37% higher in Toronto, 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 $88.0 in Toronto versus $62.0 in Dartmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $352 – making Dartmouth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dartmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,628 in Toronto, $2,050 in Dartmouth – roughly 28% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,942 per month in Toronto and $3,076 in Dartmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,628 in Toronto and $2,050 in Dartmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 80% less in Dartmouth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dartmouth, where all-in costs run around $2,050, than in Toronto at $2,628. In Dartmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dartmouth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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