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: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,640 in Houston, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $4,013 in Houston, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $5,386 in Houston, TX.

Living in Toronto is roughly 6% more expensive than Houston, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Houston, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$20.24 $20.24

-7.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$80.7 $80.7

1.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$9.97 $9.97

8.63%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$5.63 $5.63

-30.91%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.81 $2.81

-21.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$2.17 $2.17

-23.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.82 $5.82

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$7.15 $7.15

-7.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$0.88 $0.88

210.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$3.00 $3.00

-9.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$3.58 $3.58

-1.12%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$4.22 $4.22

-17.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$12.62 $12.62

7.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$12.09 $12.09

8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$17.32 $17.32

-2.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$4.27 $4.27

-2.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.36 $1.36

-13.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.82 $3.82

-14.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$2.62 $2.62

57.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.79 $2.79

-10.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.30 $2.30

25.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$1.86 $1.86

26.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.16 $2.16

-7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$9.82 $9.82

48.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$13.53 $13.53

4.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$1.97 $1.97

42.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$3.81 $3.81

-14.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$1.27 $1.27

88.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$76.1 $76.1

49.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.93 $3.93

-4.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.84 $1.84

-23.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$30.40 $30.40

-16.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$0.78 $0.78

41.03%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$32.6K $32.6K

-22.68%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$25.2K $25.2K

-16.36%

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

$120 CA$166

$193 $193

-37.99%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$63.3 $63.3

-40.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$66.5 $66.5

-17.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$38.61 $38.61

43.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$10.73 $10.73

97.11%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$15.23 $15.23

-24.10%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$1,236 $1,236

-8.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$18.9K $18.9K

-4.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$47.10 $47.10

20.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$43.41 $43.41

-7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$99.7 $99.7

-10.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$121 $121

-5.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,663 $1,663

11.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,250 $1,250

24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$3,066 $3,066

-4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$2,412 $2,412

2.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$2,489 $2,489

264.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$1,868 $1,868

276.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$4,549 $4,549

-21.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.44

-19.88%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Houston, TX: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,663 in Houston, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houston, TX pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Toronto vs $81.0 in Houston, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $369 per month, with Houston, TX 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 Houston, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Houston, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Houston, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Houston, TX earns 27% less. 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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,663 in Houston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Houston, TX – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Houston, TX 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 Houston, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,640 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Houston, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Houston, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.