Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Hearst Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Hearst

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,768 in Toronto versus $2,366 in Hearst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,066 in Toronto versus $3,408 in Hearst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,364 in Toronto versus $4,450 in Hearst.

Living in Toronto is roughly 17% more expensive than Hearst, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 106% above, Hearst 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 CA$25.20

$16.96 CA$23.23

8.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 CA$111

$69.2 CA$94.8

17.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$14.97

$11.01 CA$15.08

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.25

$3.81 CA$5.22

0.52%

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

$2.19 CA$3.01

$2.04 CA$2.79

7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.25

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.05

$5.56 CA$7.61

5.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.24

$5.99 CA$8.21

12.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.68

$2.18 CA$2.98

23.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.64 CA$3.62

5.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.81

$3.56 CA$4.87

-1.40%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.76

$3.52 CA$4.82

-1.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 CA$18.15

$11.34 CA$15.53

16.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.70

$11.68 CA$16.00

10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 CA$22.44

$14.63 CA$20.04

11.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.52

$4.01 CA$5.49

0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.40 CA$1.92

-16.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$3.71 CA$5.08

-9.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$3.77 CA$5.17

6.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$2.41 CA$3.31

1.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.90

$2.53 CA$3.47

12.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 CA$3.27

$2.58 CA$3.54

-7.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.70 CA$2.33

16.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.31

$13.85 CA$18.97

7.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 CA$19.68

$14.63 CA$20.04

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.79

$2.95 CA$4.05

-6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.52

$3.03 CA$4.15

8.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.35

$2.30 CA$3.15

6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$155

$63.0 CA$86.3

80.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 CA$4.95

$3.25 CA$4.46

11.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.94

$1.50 CA$2.05

-5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$35.48

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.50

$1.17 CA$1.61

-5.98%

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

$25.5K CA$35.0K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

2.89%

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

$21.0K CA$28.7K

$20.3K CA$27.8K

3.41%

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

$119 CA$163

$142 CA$195

-16.68%

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

$37.69 CA$51.6

$44.44 CA$60.9

-15.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 CA$74.7

$63.7 CA$87.2

-14.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$78.5

$42.17 CA$57.8

35.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 CA$28.33

$14.93 CA$20.45

38.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$15.92

$11.55 CA$15.82

0.61%

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

$1,118 CA$1,531

$745 CA$1,020

50.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K CA$25.0K

$11.6K CA$15.9K

57.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$78.6

$53.5 CA$73.3

7.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$54.5

$38.97 CA$53.4

2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$87.3 CA$120

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$109 CA$149

6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 CA$2,516

$1,339 CA$1,834

37.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 CA$2,124

$1,196 CA$1,638

29.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,991 CA$4,097

$2,024 CA$2,773

47.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 CA$3,415

$1,816 CA$2,488

37.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,566 CA$11.7K

$4,297 CA$5,887

99.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,905 CA$9,460

$3,214 CA$4,403

114.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,697 CA$5,064

$3,300 CA$4,521

12.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.46

-20.12%

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

Last update for Toronto: April 13, 2026

Last update for Hearst: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,836 in Toronto and $1,339 in Hearst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81 in Toronto vs $69 in Hearst for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $368 per month, with Hearst cheaper across the board.

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 Hearst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto and Hearst differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,768 vs $2,366 including rent). Hearst is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Toronto pays 12% more on average, 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: $1,836 in Toronto versus $1,339 in Hearst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,118 in Toronto versus $745 in Hearst. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,366 in Hearst versus $2,768 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hearst but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Hearst the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Hearst gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.