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: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,348 in Hearst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,364 in Hearst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,380 in Hearst.

Living in Toronto is roughly 20% more expensive than Hearst, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Hearst 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$16.91 CA$23.52

10.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$69.2 CA$96.2

18.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$11.14 CA$15.50

-2.78%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$3.82 CA$5.31

1.83%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.07 CA$2.88

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.65 CA$2.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.43 CA$7.55

11.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.01 CA$8.36

9.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.16 CA$3.00

26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$2.73 CA$3.79

-0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$3.63 CA$5.05

-2.48%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.41 CA$4.74

2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$10.96 CA$15.24

23.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$11.50 CA$15.99

13.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$14.90 CA$20.73

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$4.09 CA$5.69

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.43 CA$1.98

-17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.64 CA$5.07

-10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$3.74 CA$5.20

10.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.51 CA$3.49

-0.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.54 CA$3.54

13.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.64 CA$3.68

-10.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.76 CA$2.45

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$14.03 CA$19.52

3.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$12.47 CA$17.34

13.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.95 CA$4.10

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$3.00 CA$4.18

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.31 CA$3.21

3.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$62.2 CA$86.5

83.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.26 CA$4.54

15.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.50 CA$2.08

-6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$26.03 CA$36.20

-1.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.17 CA$1.62

-5.98%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.0K CA$34.8K

0.96%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

2.68%

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

$120 CA$166

$143 CA$198

-16.19%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$44.04 CA$61.3

-14.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$63.7 CA$88.6

-14.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$41.31 CA$57.4

34.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$14.82 CA$20.62

42.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$11.45 CA$15.93

0.96%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$734 CA$1,021

53.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$12.0K CA$16.6K

50.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$54.0 CA$75.1

5.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$39.98 CA$55.6

-0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$85.8 CA$119

4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$109 CA$152

4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,289 CA$1,792

43.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,158 CA$1,610

34.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$1,992 CA$2,770

46.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$1,784 CA$2,482

38.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$4,349 CA$6,048

108.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$3,475 CA$4,832

102.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$3,189 CA$4,435

12.00%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hearst: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,289 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $69.0 in Hearst for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $364 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 20% in total monthly costs ($2,811 vs $2,348 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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,289 in Hearst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,129 in Toronto versus $734 in Hearst. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,348 in Hearst versus $2,811 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 20% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.