Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Houston, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Houston, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,620 in Toronto versus $2,746 in Houston, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,866 in Toronto versus $3,895 in Houston, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,111 in Toronto versus $5,045 in Houston, TX.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 5% less than in Houston, TX, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Houston, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$19.92 $19.92

-10.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$75.5 $75.5

15.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$10.11 $10.11

8.21%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$5.42 $5.42

-26.01%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.72 $2.72

-19.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$2.18 $2.18

-22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$6.17 $6.17

4.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$7.87 $7.87

-10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$0.87 $0.87

211.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$3.38 $3.38

-13.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$4.25 $4.25

-41.65%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.35 $3.35

14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$12.64 $12.64

-20.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$12.71 $12.71

-5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$16.28 $16.28

-4.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$4.35 $4.35

-10.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.41 $1.41

-12.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$2.95 $2.95

28.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$3.32 $3.32

31.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$2.39 $2.39

-19.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.84 $2.84

-47.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$1.87 $1.87

21.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.61 $2.61

-44.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$9.51 $9.51

52.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$14.50 $14.50

-0.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$2.53 $2.53

-10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$3.03 $3.03

-14.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$1.28 $1.28

84.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$76.2 $76.2

50.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$2.98 $2.98

6.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.47 $1.47

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$23.55 $23.55

-4.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$0.94 $0.94

31.91%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$36.0K $36.0K

-24.00%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

-23.61%

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

$124 CA$172

$199 $199

-37.84%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$62.6 $62.6

-47.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$74.8 $74.8

-34.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$40.06 $40.06

0.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$20.53 $20.53

16.12%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$14.83 $14.83

-13.55%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$2,202 $2,202

-64.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$21.9K $21.9K

12.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$49.34 $49.34

9.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$46.55 $46.55

-7.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$106 $106

-7.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$94.3 $94.3

33.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$1,670 $1,670

-0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$1,416 $1,416

4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$3,096 $3,096

-9.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$2,209 $2,209

-2.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$2,426 $2,426

245.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

$1,804 $1,804

279.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$4,285 $4,285

-11.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.2

-27.90%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Houston, TX: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,660 in Toronto and $1,670 in Houston, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houston, TX pays 13% 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: $87.0 in Toronto vs $75.0 in Houston, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $381, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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 Houston, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Houston, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Toronto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Houston, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,670 in Houston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Houston, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Toronto – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $75.0 in Houston, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Toronto delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,620 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Toronto hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Houston, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.