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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,788 per month in Toronto vs $2,075 in Gatineau, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,110 per month in Toronto vs $3,120 in Gatineau, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Toronto vs $4,166 in Gatineau, rent included.

Toronto costs about 34% more than Gatineau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Toronto and Gatineau sit above the global median – Toronto by 109%, Gatineau by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$13.20 CA$18.50

40.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$88.3 CA$124

-5.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$10.92 CA$15.31

0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.25 CA$4.56

22.77%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$1.49 CA$2.09

41.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.45 CA$2.04

16.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$4.48 CA$6.28

32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$6.42 CA$9.01

0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.98 CA$2.78

36.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$3.05 CA$4.27

-6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$4.98 CA$6.98

-28.51%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.52 CA$4.94

0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$11.80 CA$16.55

12.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$10.49 CA$14.71

24.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$11.44 CA$16.04

46.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$4.63 CA$6.49

-11.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.38 CA$1.93

-17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$4.84 CA$6.78

-29.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$3.73 CA$5.23

7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$1.98 CA$2.77

22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.23 CA$3.13

31.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.18 CA$3.05

13.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$2.78 CA$3.89

-30.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$12.11 CA$16.98

23.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$12.13 CA$17.01

18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.41 CA$3.37

12.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$2.89 CA$4.06

7.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$3.39 CA$4.75

-27.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$81.6 CA$114

38.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.86 CA$5.41

-5.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.48 CA$2.08

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$33.60 CA$47.10

-23.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.18 CA$1.65

-5.93%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

1.44%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$20.5K CA$28.7K

6.29%

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

$117 CA$164

$112 CA$157

3.95%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$39.33 CA$55.1

-4.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$50.3 CA$70.5

6.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$43.93 CA$61.6

29.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

$30.26 CA$42.42

-31.06%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$11.08 CA$15.54

4.33%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$581 CA$814

93.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$11.6K CA$16.2K

59.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$63.2 CA$88.6

-9.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$43.67 CA$61.2

-10.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$78.4 CA$110

11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$121 CA$170

-6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,098 CA$1,539

67.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$1,004 CA$1,408

52.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$1,674 CA$2,346

74.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$1,606 CA$2,251

55.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$5,298 CA$7,428

64.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$6,114 CA$8,572

12.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$2,624 CA$3,679

31.63%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Gatineau: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,098 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 32% 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 $84.0 in Toronto versus $88.0 in Gatineau. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Toronto vs $370 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 34% 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 $4,181 per month in Toronto and $3,113 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 $2,788 in Toronto and $2,075 in Gatineau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 38% 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 $2,075, than in Toronto at $2,788. 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.