Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and El Cajon, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,610 a month against $3,319 in El Cajon, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
161

Cost of Living Index in El Cajon, CA
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El Cajon, CA Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,610

/mo nomad

El Cajon, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in El Cajon, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toronto and in El Cajon, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,610 per month in Toronto vs $3,319 in El Cajon, CA, rent included.

Toronto $2,610
El Cajon, CA $3,319

A couple spends around $3,727 per month in Toronto vs $4,260 in El Cajon, CA, rent included.

Toronto $3,727
El Cajon, CA $4,260

A family of three spends $4,844 per month in Toronto vs $5,202 in El Cajon, CA, rent included.

Toronto $4,844
El Cajon, CA $5,202

Toronto is about 21% cheaper than El Cajon, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Toronto and El Cajon, CA sit above the global median – Toronto by 93%, El Cajon, CA by 145%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 CA$24.87

$19.88 $19.88

-11.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$111

$80.2 $80.2

-1.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 CA$15.16

$14.86 $14.86

-27.79%

Cappuccino

$4.09 CA$5.78

$5.98 $5.98

-31.61%

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

$2.10 CA$2.97

$3.24 $3.24

-35.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.43

$2.67 $2.67

-35.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 CA$8.99

$7.71 $7.71

-17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 CA$10.01

$9.58 $9.58

-26.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 CA$3.59

$1.15 $1.15

120.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.85

$4.12 $4.12

-33.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CA$3.09

$4.83 $4.83

-54.87%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.13

$4.74 $4.74

-23.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 CA$13.37

$14.42 $14.42

-34.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.32

$16.73 $16.73

-31.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 CA$20.32

$15.23 $15.23

-5.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.23

$4.67 $4.67

-20.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 CA$1.68

$1.64 $1.64

-27.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.90

$4.67 $4.67

-25.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.97

$4.81 $4.81

-12.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$3.46 $3.46

-48.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 CA$2.33

$2.20 $2.20

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.11

$2.05 $2.05

7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 CA$1.78

$2.12 $2.12

-40.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 CA$19.75

$11.86 $11.86

17.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 CA$20.07

$16.27 $16.27

-12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.18

$1.93 $1.93

16.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.58

$3.18 $3.18

-20.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$1.99 $1.99

16.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$158

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 CA$4.33

$3.08 $3.08

-0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$2.08 $2.08

-41.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.69 CA$30.66

$27.50 $27.50

-21.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$1.56 $1.56

-22.44%

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

$26.1K CA$37.0K

$29.1K $29.1K

-10.25%

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

$21.1K CA$29.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-19.02%

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

$120 CA$169

$165 $165

-27.70%

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

$32.21 CA$45.54

$67.3 $67.3

-52.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.88 CA$69.1

$72.8 $72.8

-32.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.34 CA$55.6

$41.39 $41.39

-4.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.58 CA$33.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.58 CA$17.79

$14.96 $14.96

-15.91%

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

$832 CA$1,176

$1,930 $1,930

-56.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K CA$33.4K

$36.6K $36.6K

-35.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 CA$73.9

$57.2 $57.2

-8.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.44 CA$55.8

$39.81 $39.81

-0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 CA$140

$99.3 $99.3

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$172

$147 $147

-17.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 CA$2,306

$2,378 $2,378

-31.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CA$2,048

$1,972 $1,972

-26.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,737 CA$3,869

$2,495 $2,495

9.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 CA$3,010

$2,185 $2,185

-2.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,206 CA$11.6K

$2,399 $2,399

242.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,838 CA$9,666

$2,365 $2,365

189.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,520 CA$4,976

$3,872 $3,872

-9.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.39

-30.05%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 18, 2026

Last update for El Cajon, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.5%

El Cajon, CA

$2K 59.4% 36.2% $524

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$343 13.1%

El Cajon, CA

$436 13.2% 27.3% $94

Eating Out

Toronto

$283 10.9%

El Cajon, CA

$357 10.8% 26% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$201 7.7%

El Cajon, CA

$306 9.2% 52.3% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$141 5.4%

El Cajon, CA

$155 4.7% 10% $14

Getting Around

Toronto

$130 5%

El Cajon, CA

$21 * 0.7% 83.5% $109

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$65 2.5%

El Cajon, CA

$71 2.2% 10.6% $6.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Toronto versus $2,378 in El Cajon, CA. 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 10% higher in El Cajon, CA, 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 $79.0 in Toronto versus $80.0 in El Cajon, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $436 – making Toronto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 El Cajon, CA

🕒 Local time

23:14 11:14 PM

20:14 8:14 PM

3 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

106,215

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Toronto El Cajon, CA 3,460 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
El Cajon, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 El Cajon, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – El Cajon, CA is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,916 per month in Toronto and $4,978 in El Cajon, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toronto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Toronto and $80.0 in El Cajon, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in El Cajon, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,610 in Toronto and $3,319 in El Cajon, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Toronto – 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 Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, El Cajon, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.