Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Kanata Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Kanata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,668 per month in Toronto vs $2,548 in Kanata, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Toronto vs $3,688 in Kanata, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,934 per month in Toronto vs $4,827 in Kanata, rent included.

Toronto costs about 5% more than Kanata, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Kanata sit above the global median – Toronto by 95%, Kanata by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.62

$18.18 CA$25.43

0.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 CA$112

$79.7 CA$111

0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.84

$11.00 CA$15.39

-3.55%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.67 CA$5.14

8.72%

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

$2.16 CA$3.02

$1.96 CA$2.75

10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.44 CA$2.02

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 CA$9.30

$5.33 CA$7.45

24.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.07

$5.82 CA$8.15

23.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.19 CA$3.06

29.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.77 CA$3.87

-0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.50

$1.86 CA$2.60

34.95%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.35

$4.23 CA$5.92

-9.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 CA$14.00

$10.21 CA$14.28

-1.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.73

$11.63 CA$16.28

2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.87

$8.92 CA$12.48

75.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.14

$3.33 CA$4.66

10.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$0.96 CA$1.34

32.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.41

$2.80 CA$3.92

38.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.91

$3.89 CA$5.45

8.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$2.52 CA$3.52

-26.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$2.28 CA$3.19

-32.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.50 CA$3.50

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.46 CA$2.05

-1.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.75

$13.15 CA$18.39

7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.33

$21.67 CA$30.31

-32.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.67 CA$3.73

-16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$3.08 CA$4.31

-17.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.40 CA$3.35

2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$76.9 CA$108

46.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.34

$2.87 CA$4.02

8.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.44 CA$2.02

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.60

$22.20 CA$31.06

-1.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.13 CA$1.58

8.85%

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

$27.2K CA$38.1K

$29.0K CA$40.6K

-6.25%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$19.6K CA$27.5K

3.55%

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

$122 CA$171

$138 CA$193

-11.36%

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

$33.21 CA$46.46

$44.58 CA$62.4

-25.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 CA$69.1

$41.86 CA$58.6

17.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 CA$56.0

$46.80 CA$65.5

-14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 CA$33.26

$15.70 CA$21.96

51.46%

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$17.76

$11.48 CA$16.06

10.63%

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

$772 CA$1,080

$739 CA$1,034

4.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.3K

$12.9K CA$18.1K

84.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.7

$65.1 CA$91.1

-17.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.9

$61.6 CA$86.2

-31.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$89.4 CA$125

11.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$172

$66.0 CA$92.3

86.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,234

$1,571 CA$2,197

1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,013

$1,429 CA$2,000

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 CA$3,830

$2,301 CA$3,219

18.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,026

$2,071 CA$2,897

4.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,246 CA$11.5K

$4,375 CA$6,120

88.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 CA$9,366

$4,036 CA$5,646

65.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 CA$5,358

$2,923 CA$4,089

31.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

5.35

-16.45%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kanata: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Toronto versus $1,571 in Kanata. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Toronto, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Toronto versus $80.0 in Kanata. Groceries tell a different story – $361 in Toronto vs $345 in Kanata – so Kanata wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kanata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,002 per month in Toronto and $3,823 in Kanata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kanata, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Kanata. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $772 per month in Toronto and $739 in Kanata. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,668 in Toronto and $2,548 in Kanata. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kanata – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kanata. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.