Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Kelowna Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Kelowna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,620 in Toronto versus $2,414 in Kelowna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,866 in Toronto versus $3,520 in Kelowna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,111 in Toronto versus $4,625 in Kelowna.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Kelowna 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$17.08 CA$23.68

4.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$59.1 CA$82.0

46.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$11.38 CA$15.78

-3.87%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$4.20 CA$5.82

-4.52%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.03 CA$2.81

7.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.71 CA$2.37

-1.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$4.82 CA$6.68

33.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$5.67 CA$7.87

24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.09 CA$2.89

29.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.90 CA$4.02

0.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.48 CA$4.83

-28.74%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.31 CA$4.59

16.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$9.35 CA$12.97

8.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$13.43 CA$18.62

-10.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$21.72 CA$30.13

-28.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$3.51 CA$4.87

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.52 CA$2.11

-18.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$3.56 CA$4.93

6.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$4.89 CA$6.78

-10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$3.12 CA$4.33

-38.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$3.21 CA$4.45

-53.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$2.63 CA$3.64

-13.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.95 CA$2.70

-25.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$14.35 CA$19.90

1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$13.80 CA$19.14

4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$2.67 CA$3.70

-15.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$3.10 CA$4.30

-16.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$1.77 CA$2.45

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$50.5 CA$70.0

126.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$2.87 CA$3.98

10.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.84 CA$2.55

-31.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$34.55 CA$47.92

-34.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.21 CA$1.68

2.48%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

-3.91%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$18.6K CA$25.8K

11.52%

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

$124 CA$172

$129 CA$179

-4.14%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$46.25 CA$64.1

-29.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$57.5 CA$79.7

-15.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$57.6 CA$79.9

-30.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$30.93 CA$42.89

-22.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$12.19 CA$16.90

5.17%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$1,050 CA$1,456

-25.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

47.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$50.4 CA$69.8

7.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$41.38 CA$57.4

4.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$86.7 CA$120

12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$103 CA$143

21.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$1,349 CA$1,871

23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$1,214 CA$1,683

22.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$2,339 CA$3,244

19.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$2,005 CA$2,781

7.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$3,995 CA$5,540

109.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

$3,224 CA$4,471

112.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$3,062 CA$4,246

24.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.69

-4.69%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kelowna: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,660 in Toronto and $1,349 in Kelowna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 24% 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 $59.0 in Kelowna. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $400, 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 Kelowna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto and Kelowna differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,620 vs $2,414 including rent). Kelowna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Toronto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,349 in Kelowna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,620 per month in Toronto versus $2,414 in Kelowna – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kelowna runs roughly 126% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,414 in Kelowna versus $2,620 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kelowna but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Kelowna 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 Kelowna 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 Kelowna 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.