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: $2,811 in Toronto versus $1,728 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $2,737 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $3,746 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Toronto is roughly 63% more expensive than Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Fort St John, BC 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$13.80 CA$19.10

35.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$44.90 CA$62.2

82.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$9.53 CA$13.20

13.64%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$4.31 CA$5.97

-9.74%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$1.85 CA$2.57

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.25 CA$1.73

32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$6.35 CA$8.79

-4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$5.60 CA$7.76

17.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$2.35 CA$3.25

16.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$3.29 CA$4.55

-17.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$3.94 CA$5.45

-10.15%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$3.86 CA$5.35

-9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$6.57 CA$9.10

105.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$12.13 CA$16.79

7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$19.41 CA$26.87

-12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$5.22 CA$7.23

-20.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$0.68 CA$0.94

73.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$3.85 CA$5.33

-15.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$3.75 CA$5.19

9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$5.22 CA$7.23

-52.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$2.90 CA$4.02

-0.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.51 CA$3.47

-6.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.25 CA$3.11

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$14.68 CA$20.33

-0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$21.27 CA$29.44

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$2.95 CA$4.08

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.02 CA$4.18

7.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$1.45 CA$2.00

65.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$29.49 CA$40.84

286.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$7.24 CA$10.03

-48.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.02 CA$1.41

38.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$26.28 CA$36.38

-2.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.26 CA$1.75

-12.70%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

0.15%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$20.5K CA$28.4K

2.74%

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

$120 CA$166

$86.3 CA$119

38.61%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$104 CA$144

-63.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$65.1 CA$90.1

-16.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$55.9 CA$77.3

-0.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$10.91 CA$15.10

5.96%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$745 CA$1,032

51.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

54.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$74.3 CA$103

-23.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$48.13 CA$66.6

-16.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$84.7 CA$117

5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$145 CA$201

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$589 CA$815

214.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$552 CA$765

182.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$1,302 CA$1,803

124.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$1,125 CA$1,557

119.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

$3,124 CA$4,325

14.35%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $589 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 14% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $45.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $412, 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 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Toronto pays 14% more on average, 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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $589 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 $45.00 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,811 per month in Toronto versus $1,728 in Fort St John, BC – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,811 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 63% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.