Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Duncan BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Duncan BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,354 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,584 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,813 in Duncan BC.

Living in Toronto is roughly 19% more expensive than Duncan BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Duncan BC 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$18.54 CA$25.78

0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$69.5 CA$96.7

17.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$11.24 CA$15.63

-3.65%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$4.14 CA$5.76

-6.04%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.04 CA$2.83

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.81 CA$2.52

-8.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.10 CA$7.09

18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.12 CA$8.51

7.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$1.53 CA$2.13

78.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$2.61 CA$3.63

4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$5.36 CA$7.46

-33.96%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.53 CA$4.91

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$10.25 CA$14.26

32.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$12.06 CA$16.77

8.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$14.91 CA$20.74

13.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$3.34 CA$4.64

24.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.29 CA$1.80

-8.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.00 CA$4.18

8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$3.44 CA$4.79

19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.38 CA$3.31

5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.02 CA$2.82

42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.37 CA$3.29

-0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.75 CA$2.44

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$14.34 CA$19.94

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$12.01 CA$16.71

18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$3.84 CA$5.34

-27.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$3.96 CA$5.50

-17.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$1.98 CA$2.75

21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$76.5 CA$106

49.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$2.81 CA$3.91

33.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.50 CA$2.09

-6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$29.01 CA$40.35

-12.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.35 CA$1.88

-18.52%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$23.3K CA$32.4K

8.31%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

1.93%

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

$120 CA$166

$158 CA$220

-24.27%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$41.92 CA$58.3

-10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$66.9 CA$93.0

-18.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$64.1 CA$89.2

-13.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$12.72 CA$17.69

-9.12%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$920 CA$1,279

22.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$10.7K CA$14.9K

68.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$56.5 CA$78.5

0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$51.3 CA$71.4

-22.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$99.1 CA$138

-9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$96.1 CA$134

18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,280 CA$1,781

44.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,154 CA$1,605

35.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$2,411 CA$3,353

21.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$2,216 CA$3,082

11.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$4,387 CA$6,101

107.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$3,646 CA$5,071

92.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$3,217 CA$4,474

11.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.54

-21.10%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $82.0 in Toronto vs $70.0 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $359 per month, with Duncan BC cheaper across the board.

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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duncan BC is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Toronto pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Duncan BC – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,354 in Duncan BC versus $2,811 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Duncan BC but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Duncan BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Duncan BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.