Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Elgin, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Elgin, IL: $1,035 a month against $2,530 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Elgin, IL
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Elgin, IL Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,530

/mo nomad

Elgin, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,035

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Elgin, IL

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 Elgin, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,530 in Toronto versus $1,035 in Elgin, IL.

Toronto $2,530
Elgin, IL $1,035

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Toronto versus $2,614 in Elgin, IL.

Toronto $3,646
Elgin, IL $2,614

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Toronto versus $4,192 in Elgin, IL.

Toronto $4,761
Elgin, IL $4,192

Living in Toronto is roughly 144% more expensive than in Elgin, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toronto is 89% above, Elgin, IL is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 CA$25.19

$19.93 $19.93

-11.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 CA$110

$59.5 $59.5

30.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 CA$14.93

$10.07 $10.07

3.97%

Cappuccino

$4.08 CA$5.81

$3.90 $3.90

4.62%

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

$2.12 CA$3.02

$3.03 $3.03

-30.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.51

$2.05 $2.05

-14.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 CA$8.80

$5.96 $5.96

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 CA$9.82

$4.92 $4.92

40.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 CA$3.46

$0.89 $0.89

173.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.92

$3.54 $3.54

-22.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.18

$4.34 $4.34

-48.62%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.91

$3.73 $3.73

-7.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 CA$12.73

$11.35 $11.35

-21.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.31

$13.45 $13.45

-14.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 CA$20.83

$11.71 $11.71

24.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.34

$4.49 $4.49

-16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.64

$1.27 $1.27

-9.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$5.06

$2.57 $2.57

38.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.10

$4.22 $4.22

1.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.63

$1.99 $1.99

-7.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.38

$2.08 $2.08

-19.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.16

$1.84 $1.84

20.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$2.37 $2.37

-48.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 CA$19.78

$10.79 $10.79

28.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$20.31

$15.56 $15.56

-8.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.13

$2.62 $2.62

-16.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.45

$3.49 $3.49

-30.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$158

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.13

$4.06 $4.06

-28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.80

$2.02 $2.02

-37.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.03 CA$31.40

$28.28 $28.28

-22.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.74

$1.04 $1.04

17.31%

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

$27.6K CA$39.4K

$36.5K $36.5K

-24.36%

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

$19.8K CA$28.3K

$24.9K $24.9K

-20.50%

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

$122 CA$174

$99.4 $99.4

22.67%

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

$32.03 CA$45.66

$52.2 $52.2

-38.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 CA$68.3

$49.61 $49.61

-3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 CA$55.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.24 CA$33.12

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 CA$17.97

$14.76 $14.76

-14.57%

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

$834 CA$1,189

$1,690 $1,690

-50.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K CA$33.3K

$23.2K $23.2K

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 CA$75.0

$39.27 $39.27

33.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 CA$57.4

$50.2 $50.2

-19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 CA$137

$100 $100

-4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$175

$122 $122

0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,278

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 CA$2,045

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 CA$3,787

$2,175 $2,175

22.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 CA$2,988

$1,811 $1,811

15.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,033 CA$11.5K

$2,192 $2,192

266.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,557 CA$9,347

$2,211 $2,211

196.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,743 CA$5,335

$3,971 $3,971

-5.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.69

-33.18%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 4, 2026

Last update for Elgin, IL: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.4%

Elgin, IL

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.1%

Elgin, IL

$371 35.3% 9.2% $31

Eating Out

Toronto

$282 10.9%

Elgin, IL

$296 28.1% 5.2% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$202 7.8%

Elgin, IL

$201 19.1% 0.3% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$140 5.4%

Elgin, IL

$141 13.3% 0.1% $0.1

Getting Around

Toronto

$130 5%

Elgin, IL

$14 * 1.4% 89.1% $115

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$64 2.5%

Elgin, IL

$30 * 2.8% 54% $35

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

Cost Breakdown

Elgin, IL pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Toronto vs $59.0 in Elgin, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $371, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 Elgin, IL

🕒 Local time

20:49 8:49 PM

19:49 7:49 PM

1 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

112,603

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 11, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toronto Elgin, IL 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Elgin, IL

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 Elgin, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elgin, IL is cheaper overall, especially in transport and leisure. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Elgin, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $834 in Toronto versus $1,690 in Elgin, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Elgin, IL – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $77.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,035 in Elgin, IL versus $2,530 in Toronto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elgin, IL but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Elgin, IL 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.

Safety-wise, Toronto and Elgin, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Elgin, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.