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: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,558 in Houston, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $4,002 in Houston, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $5,445 in Houston, TX.

Living in Toronto is roughly 9% more expensive than in Houston, TX, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Houston, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$19.76 $19.76

-6.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$78.5 $78.5

6.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$9.89 $9.89

10.92%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$5.43 $5.43

-26.52%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.75 $2.75

-23.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$2.10 $2.10

-19.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$6.10 $6.10

-2.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$7.07 $7.07

-8.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$0.93 $0.93

191.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.97 $2.97

-4.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$3.47 $3.47

2.59%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$4.12 $4.12

-14.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$12.96 $12.96

2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.90 $11.90

9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$17.59 $17.59

-4.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$4.27 $4.27

-3.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.34 $1.34

-14.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.84 $3.84

-11.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$2.50 $2.50

60.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.83 $2.83

-14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.36 $2.36

24.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$1.86 $1.86

32.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$2.14 $2.14

-10.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$9.82 $9.82

52.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$14.59 $14.59

-1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.03 $2.03

33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.84 $3.84

-18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$1.27 $1.27

92.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$74.3 $74.3

51.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.82 $3.82

-4.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.85 $1.85

-27.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$29.85 $29.85

-14.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$0.77 $0.77

44.16%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$32.4K $32.4K

-21.95%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

-15.11%

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

$117 CA$164

$196 $196

-40.32%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$63.4 $63.4

-40.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$65.2 $65.2

-17.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$38.15 $38.15

49.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$10.97 $10.97

90.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$14.96 $14.96

-22.73%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$1,268 $1,268

-11.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$19.3K $19.3K

-4.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$46.52 $46.52

23.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$43.79 $43.79

-10.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$96.4 $96.4

-9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$124 $124

-8.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,650 $1,650

11.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,274 $1,274

20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$3,073 $3,073

-4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$2,437 $2,437

2.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$2,504 $2,504

248.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$1,869 $1,869

267.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$4,393 $4,393

-21.38%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Houston, TX: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,650 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $79.0 in Houston, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $371 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 9% 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, salaries run 27% 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,650 in Houston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $79.0 versus $84.0 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 $2,558 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 9% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.