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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,788 per month in Toronto vs $2,118 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,110 per month in Toronto vs $3,187 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Toronto vs $4,257 in Dartmouth, rent included.

Toronto costs about 32% more than Dartmouth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Dartmouth sit above the global median – Toronto by 109%, Dartmouth by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$14.52 CA$20.35

27.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$61.1 CA$85.6

37.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$8.67 CA$12.15

26.53%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.67 CA$5.14

8.72%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$1.66 CA$2.33

27.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.28 CA$1.80

32.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$6.03 CA$8.45

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$5.85 CA$8.21

10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.93 CA$2.71

40.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.59 CA$3.64

10.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.57 CA$5.00

-0.28%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.34 CA$4.69

5.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$10.02 CA$14.04

32.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$11.23 CA$15.75

16.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$15.59 CA$21.85

7.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.54 CA$4.97

16.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.64 CA$2.30

-30.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$3.68 CA$5.16

-7.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$5.39 CA$7.55

-25.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.10 CA$2.94

15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.21 CA$3.10

33.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.77 CA$3.89

-10.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.86 CA$2.61

3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$14.79 CA$20.73

1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$13.92 CA$19.52

3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$3.23 CA$4.53

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$3.38 CA$4.73

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$1.98 CA$2.77

23.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$62.0 CA$86.9

82.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$7.67 CA$10.75

-52.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.48 CA$2.08

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$29.72 CA$41.67

-14.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.21 CA$1.70

-8.26%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

2.14%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$21.4K CA$30.0K

1.58%

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

$117 CA$164

$72.6 CA$102

60.75%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$37.43 CA$52.5

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$83.3 CA$117

-35.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$36.95 CA$51.8

54.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$10.98 CA$15.40

5.28%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$163 CA$229

590.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$11.6K CA$16.3K

58.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$41.19 CA$57.8

39.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$35.22 CA$49.38

10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$70.0 CA$98.1

25.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$77.8 CA$109

45.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,284 CA$1,800

43.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$1,101 CA$1,543

39.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$2,077 CA$2,912

40.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$1,876 CA$2,631

33.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$2,577 CA$3,613

34.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

5.62

-8.19%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Dartmouth: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,284 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 34% 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 $84.0 in Toronto versus $61.0 in Dartmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $370 – 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: $2,788 in Toronto, $2,118 in Dartmouth – roughly 32% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,181 per month in Toronto and $3,177 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 $2,788 in Toronto and $2,118 in Dartmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% 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 $2,118, than in Toronto at $2,788. 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.