Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and High Level Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and High Level

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,363 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,362 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,361 in High Level.

Living in Toronto is roughly 19% more expensive than High Level, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, High Level 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$16.89 CA$23.39

10.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$70.7 CA$97.9

15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$10.94 CA$15.14

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.76 CA$5.21

3.46%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$1.99 CA$2.75

11.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.67 CA$2.31

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$5.60 CA$7.75

8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$5.85 CA$8.10

12.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$2.09 CA$2.90

30.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$2.61 CA$3.62

4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$3.64 CA$5.03

-2.75%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$3.48 CA$4.82

0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$10.99 CA$15.22

23.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$11.64 CA$16.12

12.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$14.67 CA$20.31

15.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$3.95 CA$5.47

5.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.41 CA$1.95

-16.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$3.66 CA$5.07

-11.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$3.84 CA$5.31

7.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.51 CA$3.47

-0.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$2.50 CA$3.46

15.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.62 CA$3.63

-10.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.77 CA$2.45

12.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$13.78 CA$19.08

5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$11.82 CA$16.37

19.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$2.80 CA$3.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.04 CA$4.21

6.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$61.9 CA$85.8

84.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$3.24 CA$4.49

16.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.48 CA$2.05

-4.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$25.67 CA$35.54

-0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.15 CA$1.60

-4.35%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$25.3K CA$35.0K

-0.22%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$21.0K CA$29.1K

0.29%

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

$120 CA$166

$140 CA$194

-14.79%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$43.21 CA$59.8

-13.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$63.1 CA$87.4

-13.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$41.85 CA$57.9

32.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$11.57 CA$16.02

-0.09%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$723 CA$1,002

56.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$11.8K CA$16.3K

52.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$55.1 CA$76.2

3.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$39.43 CA$54.6

1.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$86.3 CA$119

3.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$108 CA$150

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$1,327 CA$1,837

39.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$1,185 CA$1,640

31.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$2,025 CA$2,804

44.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$1,805 CA$2,500

36.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$4,894 CA$6,776

85.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

$4,084 CA$5,654

72.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

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 High Level: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,327 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $82.0 in Toronto vs $71.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $361 per month, with High Level 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 High Level: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto and High Level differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,811 vs $2,363 including rent). High Level is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,216 in Toronto and $3,545 in High Level to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,327 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,811 per month in Toronto versus $2,363 in High Level – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in High Level runs roughly 84% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,363 in High Level versus $2,811 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in High Level but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes High Level 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.

Safety-wise, Toronto and High Level are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find High Level gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.