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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $2,119 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $3,202 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $4,286 in Dartmouth, rent included.

Toronto costs about 33% more than Dartmouth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Dartmouth sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, Dartmouth by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$14.71 CA$20.37

27.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$60.8 CA$84.2

34.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$8.65 CA$11.98

25.20%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.79 CA$5.25

2.64%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$1.74 CA$2.40

27.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.32 CA$1.83

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$6.03 CA$8.35

0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$6.02 CA$8.33

9.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$2.04 CA$2.83

33.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$2.51 CA$3.48

8.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$3.77 CA$5.22

-6.10%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$3.49 CA$4.83

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$10.38 CA$14.37

30.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$11.44 CA$15.84

14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$15.33 CA$21.22

10.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$3.62 CA$5.02

14.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.63 CA$2.25

-27.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$3.83 CA$5.31

-15.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$5.38 CA$7.45

-23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.03 CA$2.81

23.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$2.22 CA$3.08

29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.70 CA$3.74

-12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.84 CA$2.55

8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$14.66 CA$20.30

-0.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$11.41 CA$15.80

24.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$3.24 CA$4.49

-13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.26 CA$4.51

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$1.97 CA$2.72

21.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$61.2 CA$84.8

86.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$8.00 CA$11.07

-53.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.42 CA$1.96

-0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$28.93 CA$40.05

-11.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.20 CA$1.66

-8.33%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

1.50%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$20.8K CA$28.7K

1.50%

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

$120 CA$166

$69.9 CA$96.8

71.19%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$37.93 CA$52.5

-1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$81.4 CA$113

-33.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$37.35 CA$51.7

48.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$11.06 CA$15.31

4.52%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$165 CA$229

582.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$11.9K CA$16.5K

51.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$41.16 CA$57.0

38.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$34.99 CA$48.45

14.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$69.5 CA$96.3

28.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$77.7 CA$108

47.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$1,295 CA$1,793

42.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$1,062 CA$1,471

46.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$2,081 CA$2,881

40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$1,890 CA$2,617

30.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

$2,657 CA$3,679

34.42%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dartmouth: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,295 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 $82.0 in Toronto versus $61.0 in Dartmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $368 – 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: $2,811 in Toronto, $2,119 in Dartmouth – roughly 33% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,216 per month in Toronto and $3,178 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 $2,811 in Toronto and $2,119 in Dartmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 86% 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 $2,119, than in Toronto at $2,811. 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.