Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Fort St John, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Fort St John, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $2,740 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $3,751 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Toronto is roughly 61% more expensive than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Fort St John, BC 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$13.92 CA$19.52

32.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$43.98 CA$61.7

90.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$9.45 CA$13.24

16.08%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$4.42 CA$6.20

-9.73%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$1.86 CA$2.61

13.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.31 CA$1.84

29.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$6.68 CA$9.37

-11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$5.59 CA$7.84

15.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.38 CA$3.33

13.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$3.40 CA$4.77

-16.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.81 CA$5.34

-6.56%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.91 CA$5.48

-9.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$6.51 CA$9.13

103.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$12.39 CA$17.37

5.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$19.09 CA$26.77

-12.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$5.25 CA$7.35

-21.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$0.67 CA$0.94

70.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$3.98 CA$5.58

-14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$3.59 CA$5.03

11.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$5.23 CA$7.33

-53.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.87 CA$4.02

2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.46 CA$3.44

0.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$2.19 CA$3.07

-12.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$14.61 CA$20.48

2.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$21.01 CA$29.46

-31.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.86 CA$4.00

-5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$3.08 CA$4.32

1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$1.49 CA$2.09

64.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$28.99 CA$40.64

289.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$7.23 CA$10.13

-49.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.07 CA$1.50

25.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$25.59 CA$35.88

-0.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.26 CA$1.77

-11.90%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.0K CA$35.0K

1.17%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

7.21%

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

$117 CA$164

$87.8 CA$123

32.92%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$103 CA$144

-63.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$66.2 CA$92.9

-18.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$56.6 CA$79.3

0.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$11.09 CA$15.55

4.24%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$746 CA$1,047

50.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

54.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$72.7 CA$102

-21.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$47.98 CA$67.3

-18.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$83.6 CA$117

4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$148 CA$207

-23.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$578 CA$811

218.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$541 CA$759

182.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$1,340 CA$1,879

118.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$1,094 CA$1,534

128.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$3,079 CA$4,317

12.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

7.45

-30.74%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $578 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 12% 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 $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $411, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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 Fort St John, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% 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 $578 in Fort St John, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,788 per month in Toronto versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,730 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,788 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, 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 Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.