Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Gatineau Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Gatineau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $2,127 in Gatineau, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $3,222 in Gatineau, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $4,316 in Gatineau, rent included.

Toronto costs about 32% more than Gatineau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Toronto and Gatineau sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, Gatineau by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.99

$13.10 CA$18.21

42.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$86.9 CA$121

-5.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.04

$10.95 CA$15.21

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.40 CA$4.73

14.41%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.49 CA$2.07

48.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.40 CA$1.94

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$4.30 CA$5.97

40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.19 CA$8.60

6.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.06 CA$2.87

32.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.96 CA$4.11

-8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.91

$4.86 CA$6.75

-27.16%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.86

$3.57 CA$4.97

-1.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.80

$12.03 CA$16.72

12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.19

$10.44 CA$14.50

25.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.57

$11.10 CA$15.42

52.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.78

$4.61 CA$6.40

-9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.37 CA$1.90

-13.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$4.84 CA$6.72

-32.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.72

$3.63 CA$5.04

13.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.04 CA$2.84

22.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.23 CA$3.09

29.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.26

$2.09 CA$2.91

12.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.77 CA$3.84

-27.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.26

$11.99 CA$16.66

21.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.70

$12.43 CA$17.27

14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.47 CA$3.43

13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$2.91 CA$4.04

11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$3.23 CA$4.49

-25.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$82.1 CA$114

38.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.86 CA$5.36

-2.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.47 CA$2.05

-4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.47

$33.65 CA$46.76

-24.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.16 CA$1.61

-5.17%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$24.8K CA$34.4K

1.92%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

2.66%

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

$120 CA$166

$111 CA$154

8.04%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$39.98 CA$55.6

-6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.7

$49.08 CA$68.2

11.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.1

$42.54 CA$59.1

30.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.39

$30.89 CA$42.91

-31.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.06

$11.18 CA$15.54

3.40%

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

$1,129 CA$1,569

$575 CA$799

96.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$11.9K CA$16.6K

50.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.1

$64.7 CA$89.9

-11.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.5

$44.48 CA$61.8

-10.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$78.3 CA$109

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$121 CA$169

-5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,570

$1,119 CA$1,554

65.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,167

$975 CA$1,355

59.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,065

$1,626 CA$2,259

79.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,432

$1,607 CA$2,232

53.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$5,304 CA$7,370

71.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,775

$6,116 CA$8,498

15.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,963

$2,631 CA$3,656

35.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.5

-20.62%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gatineau: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,119 in Gatineau. 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 36% 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 $82.0 in Toronto versus $87.0 in Gatineau. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in Toronto vs $369 in Gatineau – so Gatineau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Gatineau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto costs about 32% more than Gatineau, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,216 per month in Toronto and $3,190 in Gatineau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gatineau, 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 $2,811 in Toronto and $2,127 in Gatineau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Gatineau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gatineau, where all-in costs run around $2,127, than in Toronto at $2,811. In Gatineau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gatineau – 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 Gatineau. 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.