Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Guelph Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Guelph

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,620 in Toronto versus $2,679 in Guelph.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,866 in Toronto versus $3,848 in Guelph.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,111 in Toronto versus $5,018 in Guelph.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 2% less than in Guelph, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Guelph 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$22.10 CA$30.65

-19.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$71.0 CA$98.5

22.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$11.49 CA$15.94

-4.79%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$3.56 CA$4.94

12.64%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.46 CA$2.02

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.38 CA$1.92

22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$5.10 CA$7.08

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$5.90 CA$8.18

19.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.26 CA$3.13

19.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.85 CA$3.95

2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.72 CA$5.16

-33.33%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$2.96 CA$4.11

30.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$9.56 CA$13.25

5.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$15.90 CA$22.05

-24.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$33.68 CA$46.72

-53.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$3.73 CA$5.17

4.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.33 CA$1.85

-6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$4.80 CA$6.65

-21.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$4.13 CA$5.73

6.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$3.50 CA$4.85

-44.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.50 CA$3.46

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$2.90 CA$4.03

-21.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.28 CA$1.78

14.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$11.08 CA$15.37

31.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$11.27 CA$15.63

27.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$3.40 CA$4.72

-33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$3.14 CA$4.35

-17.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$2.23 CA$3.10

5.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$68.5 CA$95.0

66.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$2.47 CA$3.43

27.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.90 CA$2.63

-33.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$24.39 CA$33.83

-7.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.11 CA$1.54

11.71%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$28.5K CA$39.6K

-4.21%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-0.78%

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

$124 CA$172

$127 CA$176

-2.75%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$44.27 CA$61.4

-26.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$56.9 CA$78.9

-14.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$57.8 CA$80.2

-30.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$14.23 CA$19.73

67.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$10.70 CA$14.84

19.81%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$834 CA$1,157

-5.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$17.0K CA$23.6K

43.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$64.6 CA$89.6

-16.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$37.48 CA$52.0

14.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$88.0 CA$122

11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$125 CA$173

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$1,526 CA$2,116

8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$1,380 CA$1,914

7.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$2,093 CA$2,903

33.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$2,024 CA$2,807

6.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$4,889 CA$6,780

71.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

$4,961 CA$6,881

37.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$3,305 CA$4,584

14.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.99

-10.42%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Guelph: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,660 in Toronto and $1,526 in Guelph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Toronto vs $71.0 in Guelph. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $442, 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 Guelph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,526 in Guelph. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Guelph. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Toronto – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $71.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.