Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Edmonton Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Edmonton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Toronto vs $2,216 in Edmonton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,866 per month in Toronto vs $3,231 in Edmonton, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,111 per month in Toronto vs $4,245 in Edmonton, rent included.

Toronto costs about 18% more than Edmonton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Edmonton sit above the global median – Toronto by 90%, Edmonton by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$20.53 CA$28.47

-13.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$79.7 CA$110

8.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$9.98 CA$13.84

9.62%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$4.04 CA$5.60

-0.74%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.92 CA$2.66

-11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$5.87 CA$8.14

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$6.58 CA$9.13

7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$1.68 CA$2.33

61.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.23 CA$3.09

30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.13 CA$4.34

-20.77%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.46 CA$4.80

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$10.96 CA$15.20

-7.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$11.62 CA$16.11

3.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$18.52 CA$25.68

-15.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$4.44 CA$6.16

-12.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.35 CA$1.87

-8.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$4.28 CA$5.94

-11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$4.05 CA$5.62

8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$2.26 CA$3.13

-14.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.90 CA$2.64

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$2.42 CA$3.36

-5.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.81 CA$2.51

-19.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$14.49 CA$20.10

0.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$11.72 CA$16.26

23.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$3.66 CA$5.07

-38.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$3.05 CA$4.23

-15.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$2.66 CA$3.69

-11.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$72.8 CA$101

57.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$3.03 CA$4.20

4.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.36 CA$1.89

-7.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$21.77 CA$30.20

3.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.16 CA$1.61

6.90%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$29.2K CA$40.4K

-6.31%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$19.7K CA$27.4K

5.18%

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

$124 CA$172

$228 CA$316

-45.64%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$41.39 CA$57.4

-20.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$55.2 CA$76.5

-11.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$48.77 CA$67.6

-17.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$18.21 CA$25.25

30.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$12.98 CA$18.00

-1.23%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$783 CA$1,086

0.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$9,700 CA$13.5K

152.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$45.17 CA$62.7

20.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$47.85 CA$66.4

-9.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$86.1 CA$119

13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$98.2 CA$136

28.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$1,136 CA$1,576

46.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$920 CA$1,276

61.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$1,734 CA$2,404

61.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$1,453 CA$2,015

48.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$2,251 CA$3,122

272.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

$2,112 CA$2,929

224.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$3,780 CA$5,243

0.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.32

3.47%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,136 in Edmonton. 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 1% 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 $87.0 in Toronto versus $80.0 in Edmonton. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Toronto vs $369 in Edmonton – so Toronto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Edmonton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,620 in Toronto, $2,216 in Edmonton – roughly 18% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,930 per month in Toronto and $3,324 in Edmonton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Edmonton, 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 $2,620 in Toronto and $2,216 in Edmonton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Edmonton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Edmonton, where all-in costs run around $2,216, than in Toronto at $2,620. In Edmonton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Edmonton – 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 Edmonton. 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.