Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Halifax Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Halifax

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,788 per month in Toronto vs $2,514 in Halifax, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,110 per month in Toronto vs $3,626 in Halifax, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Toronto vs $4,737 in Halifax, rent included.

Toronto costs about 11% more than Halifax, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Halifax sit above the global median – Toronto by 109%, Halifax by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$18.05 CA$25.30

2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$66.1 CA$92.6

26.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$10.34 CA$14.50

6.09%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.89 CA$5.45

2.57%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.28 CA$3.20

-7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.73 CA$2.43

-2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$5.73 CA$8.03

3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$6.82 CA$9.57

-4.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.25 CA$3.15

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.90 CA$4.06

-1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$4.77 CA$6.69

-25.37%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.92 CA$5.49

-9.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$9.87 CA$13.84

34.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$13.23 CA$18.54

-1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$13.80 CA$19.35

21.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$5.07 CA$7.11

-18.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.68 CA$2.36

-32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$4.26 CA$5.97

-20.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$4.36 CA$6.12

-7.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.96 CA$4.15

-17.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.67 CA$3.74

10.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.56 CA$3.59

-3.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$2.22 CA$3.11

-13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$15.28 CA$21.42

-1.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$15.66 CA$21.95

-8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$3.80 CA$5.33

-28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$4.58 CA$6.42

-31.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.22 CA$3.11

10.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$66.9 CA$93.7

68.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.61 CA$5.06

0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.20 CA$1.68

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$22.26 CA$31.20

14.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.26 CA$1.76

-11.90%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.1K CA$35.1K

0.89%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$21.9K CA$30.7K

-0.55%

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

$117 CA$164

$158 CA$221

-25.93%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$49.40 CA$69.3

-23.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$70.0 CA$98.2

-23.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$53.2 CA$74.6

7.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

$11.78 CA$16.51

77.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$11.26 CA$15.78

2.66%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$919 CA$1,289

22.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$15.3K CA$21.5K

20.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$66.0 CA$92.6

-13.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$33.87 CA$47.49

15.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$98.0 CA$137

-10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$110 CA$155

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,524 CA$2,136

20.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$1,231 CA$1,725

24.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$2,380 CA$3,337

22.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$1,943 CA$2,724

28.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$3,167 CA$4,441

175.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$2,741 CA$3,843

150.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$2,790 CA$3,911

23.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.12

-15.69%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Halifax: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,524 in Halifax. 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 24% 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 $66.0 in Halifax. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Toronto vs $408 in Halifax – so Toronto 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 Halifax: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,788 in Toronto, $2,514 in Halifax – roughly 11% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,181 per month in Toronto and $3,772 in Halifax. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Halifax, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Halifax. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,125 per month in Toronto and $919 in Halifax. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,788 in Toronto and $2,514 in Halifax. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Halifax has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,514 in Halifax to $2,788 in Toronto. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Halifax. 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.