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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,788 per month in Toronto vs $2,186 in Edmonton, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,110 per month in Toronto vs $3,285 in Edmonton, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Toronto vs $4,385 in Edmonton, rent included.

Toronto costs about 28% more than Edmonton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Edmonton sit above the global median – Toronto by 109%, Edmonton by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$18.61 CA$26.09

-0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$65.9 CA$92.3

27.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$11.58 CA$16.23

-5.27%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.69 CA$5.17

8.13%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.18 CA$3.06

-3.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.78 CA$2.49

-5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$5.76 CA$8.07

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$5.83 CA$8.17

11.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.03 CA$2.85

33.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.90 CA$4.07

-1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.10 CA$4.35

14.84%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.72 CA$5.21

-4.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$12.23 CA$17.14

8.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$12.63 CA$17.71

3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$16.01 CA$22.44

4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$4.65 CA$6.52

-11.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.33 CA$1.87

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$3.94 CA$5.53

-13.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$3.62 CA$5.08

11.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.46 CA$3.44

-1.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.21 CA$3.10

33.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.72 CA$3.81

-9.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.95 CA$2.73

-1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$14.97 CA$20.98

0.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$12.15 CA$17.03

18.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.94 CA$4.12

-7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$3.29 CA$4.62

-5.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.51 CA$3.52

-2.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$74.5 CA$104

51.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.26 CA$4.57

11.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.65 CA$2.31

-18.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$23.15 CA$32.46

10.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.06 CA$1.48

4.72%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.9K CA$36.3K

-2.41%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$21.9K CA$30.8K

-0.78%

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

$117 CA$164

$199 CA$278

-41.22%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$44.38 CA$62.2

-15.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$66.2 CA$92.8

-18.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$48.71 CA$68.3

17.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

$21.30 CA$29.86

-2.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$13.02 CA$18.26

-11.21%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$701 CA$982

60.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

56.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$50.3 CA$70.6

13.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$41.94 CA$58.8

-6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$83.5 CA$117

4.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$104 CA$146

9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,251 CA$1,754

47.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$931 CA$1,305

64.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$1,933 CA$2,711

51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$1,587 CA$2,225

57.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$2,303 CA$3,229

278.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$2,110 CA$2,958

225.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$3,313 CA$4,644

4.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.08

-15.13%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,251 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 4% 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 $66.0 in Edmonton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $381 – making Edmonton 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 Edmonton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,788 in Toronto, $2,186 in Edmonton – roughly 28% 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 $3,278 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 $2,788 in Toronto and $2,186 in Edmonton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% 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 $2,186, than in Toronto at $2,788. 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.