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: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,354 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,577 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,801 in Duncan BC.

Living in Toronto is roughly 18% more expensive than in Duncan BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Duncan BC 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$18.27 CA$25.71

1.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$69.5 CA$97.7

20.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$11.15 CA$15.69

-1.61%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.07 CA$5.72

-1.97%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.13 CA$3.00

-0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.80 CA$2.53

-6.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.27 CA$7.41

12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$6.20 CA$8.72

4.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$1.52 CA$2.14

78.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.74 CA$3.86

4.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$5.51 CA$7.75

-35.39%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.71 CA$5.23

-4.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$10.16 CA$14.30

30.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.91 CA$16.75

9.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$14.56 CA$20.48

15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.33 CA$4.68

23.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.33 CA$1.87

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$2.97 CA$4.18

14.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.34 CA$4.70

20.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.45 CA$3.45

-0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.03 CA$2.86

44.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.49 CA$3.51

-0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.70 CA$2.39

12.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$14.19 CA$19.97

5.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$11.44 CA$16.10

25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$3.94 CA$5.54

-31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.99 CA$5.61

-21.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$1.98 CA$2.79

23.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$76.8 CA$108

46.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$2.74 CA$3.86

32.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.47 CA$2.07

-8.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$29.22 CA$41.12

-12.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.31 CA$1.84

-15.27%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$23.8K CA$33.5K

6.31%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$20.9K CA$29.4K

4.35%

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

$117 CA$164

$158 CA$223

-26.22%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$42.68 CA$60.1

-11.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$67.8 CA$95.4

-20.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$62.4 CA$87.8

-8.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$12.75 CA$17.95

-9.33%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$916 CA$1,289

22.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$10.6K CA$14.9K

74.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$55.0 CA$77.3

4.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$52.4 CA$73.7

-25.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$101 CA$142

-13.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$94.8 CA$133

19.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,288 CA$1,813

42.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,125 CA$1,582

36.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$2,350 CA$3,306

24.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$2,146 CA$3,019

16.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$4,387 CA$6,173

98.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$3,621 CA$5,095

89.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,104 CA$4,368

11.27%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,288 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $69.0 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Toronto, 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,288 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 $69.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,354 in Duncan BC versus $2,788 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 18% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.