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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Toronto vs $2,527 in Halifax, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,866 per month in Toronto vs $3,706 in Halifax, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,111 per month in Toronto vs $4,885 in Halifax, rent included.

Toronto costs about 4% more than Halifax, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toronto and Halifax sit above the global median – Toronto by 90%, Halifax by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$17.82 CA$24.72

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$75.5 CA$105

14.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$10.90 CA$15.12

0.37%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$4.32 CA$5.99

-7.18%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.35 CA$3.26

-6.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.80 CA$2.50

-6.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$5.74 CA$7.96

12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$6.34 CA$8.80

11.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.29 CA$3.18

18.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.91 CA$4.04

0.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.97 CA$5.51

-37.53%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.81 CA$5.29

1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$9.00 CA$12.48

12.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$13.23 CA$18.34

-9.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$15.05 CA$20.87

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$5.22 CA$7.24

-25.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.89 CA$2.62

-34.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$4.50 CA$6.24

-16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$5.17 CA$7.17

-15.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$2.76 CA$3.83

-30.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$3.01 CA$4.17

-50.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$2.73 CA$3.78

-16.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.09 CA$2.89

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$16.96 CA$23.52

-14.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$17.06 CA$23.67

-15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$4.68 CA$6.49

-51.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$5.51 CA$7.64

-52.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$2.12 CA$2.94

11.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$64.5 CA$89.5

77.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$3.46 CA$4.80

-8.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.23 CA$1.71

2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$21.80 CA$30.24

3.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.30 CA$1.80

-4.62%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$29.1K CA$40.3K

-5.95%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$22.0K CA$30.5K

-5.59%

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

$124 CA$172

$145 CA$201

-14.54%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$45.14 CA$62.6

-27.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$68.1 CA$94.4

-28.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$40.48 CA$56.1

-0.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$16.62 CA$23.05

43.44%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$11.51 CA$15.97

11.38%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$958 CA$1,328

-17.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$15.4K CA$21.4K

58.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$61.6 CA$85.4

-11.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$35.45 CA$49.17

21.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$100 CA$139

-2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$118 CA$163

7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$1,492 CA$2,069

11.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$1,315 CA$1,824

12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$2,546 CA$3,531

9.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$2,028 CA$2,813

6.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$3,329 CA$4,617

151.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

$2,833 CA$3,930

141.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$2,860 CA$3,966

32.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.85

-7.84%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Halifax: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,492 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 33% 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 $87.0 in Toronto versus $75.0 in Halifax. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Toronto vs $421 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: $2,620 in Toronto, $2,527 in Halifax – roughly 4% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,930 per month in Toronto and $3,790 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 77% less in Halifax. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Toronto and $958 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 $2,620 in Toronto and $2,527 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 $2,527 in Halifax to $2,620 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.