Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $2,347 in Kingston, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $3,286 in Kingston, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $4,226 in Kingston, rent included.

Toronto costs about 20% more than Kingston, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Kingston sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, Kingston by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$16.77 CA$23.33

11.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$74.6 CA$104

9.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$11.29 CA$15.70

-4.07%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$3.55 CA$4.94

9.58%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.88 CA$2.62

18.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.42 CA$1.98

16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.78 CA$8.04

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.62 CA$9.20

-0.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.57 CA$3.57

6.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$2.55 CA$3.55

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$4.06 CA$5.64

-12.81%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$2.92 CA$4.06

19.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$10.55 CA$14.67

28.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$11.30 CA$15.71

15.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$11.82 CA$16.44

43.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$3.64 CA$5.06

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.31 CA$1.83

-9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$4.02 CA$5.59

-19.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$4.76 CA$6.62

-13.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$3.57 CA$4.97

-29.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.30 CA$3.20

25.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.99 CA$4.16

-21.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.68 CA$2.34

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$13.60 CA$18.91

7.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$12.50 CA$17.39

13.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.27 CA$3.16

23.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$3.45 CA$4.80

-5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.64 CA$3.67

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$60.0 CA$83.5

89.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.23 CA$4.49

16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.52 CA$2.11

-7.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$33.53 CA$46.63

-23.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

0.60%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

0.15%

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

$120 CA$166

$134 CA$186

-10.50%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$43.78 CA$60.9

-14.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$78.5 CA$109

-30.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$31.93 CA$44.41

73.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$9.31 CA$12.95

127.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$11.16 CA$15.51

3.58%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$434 CA$604

160.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$11.7K CA$16.2K

53.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$46.04 CA$64.0

23.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$35.14 CA$48.86

13.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$95.7 CA$133

-6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$94.5 CA$131

20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,278 CA$1,778

44.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,146 CA$1,594

36.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$2,064 CA$2,870

41.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$1,643 CA$2,285

50.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$3,486 CA$4,848

160.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$2,498 CA$3,474

181.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$2,996 CA$4,167

19.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.69

-22.87%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,278 in Kingston. 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 19% 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 $82.0 in Toronto versus $75.0 in Kingston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $359 – making Kingston the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,811 in Toronto, $2,347 in Kingston – roughly 20% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,216 per month in Toronto and $3,521 in Kingston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,811 in Toronto and $2,347 in Kingston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 90% less in Kingston. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kingston, where all-in costs run around $2,347, than in Toronto at $2,811. In Kingston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kingston – 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 Kingston. 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.