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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,768 per month in Toronto vs $2,286 in Kingston, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,066 per month in Toronto vs $3,230 in Kingston, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,364 per month in Toronto vs $4,173 in Kingston, rent included.

Toronto costs about 21% more than Kingston, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Kingston sit above the global median – Toronto by 106%, Kingston by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 CA$25.20

$16.72 CA$22.91

10.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 CA$111

$74.2 CA$102

9.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$14.97

$11.28 CA$15.46

-3.19%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.25

$3.69 CA$5.06

3.79%

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

$2.19 CA$3.01

$1.90 CA$2.60

15.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.25

$1.44 CA$1.97

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.05

$6.04 CA$8.28

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.24

$6.45 CA$8.83

4.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.68

$2.58 CA$3.53

4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.54 CA$3.47

9.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.81

$4.17 CA$5.71

-15.83%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.76

$2.91 CA$3.99

19.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 CA$18.15

$10.68 CA$14.63

24.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.70

$11.42 CA$15.64

13.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 CA$22.44

$11.41 CA$15.63

43.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.52

$3.56 CA$4.87

13.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.32 CA$1.80

-11.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$4.01 CA$5.50

-16.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$4.86 CA$6.66

-17.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$3.54 CA$4.85

-31.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.90

$2.41 CA$3.30

17.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 CA$3.27

$2.97 CA$4.07

-19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.62 CA$2.22

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.31

$13.87 CA$19.00

6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 CA$19.68

$12.45 CA$17.06

15.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.79

$2.29 CA$3.13

20.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.52

$3.30 CA$4.53

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.35

$2.52 CA$3.46

-2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$155

$58.0 CA$79.5

95.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 CA$4.95

$3.27 CA$4.48

10.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.94

$1.57 CA$2.16

-9.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$35.48

$32.56 CA$44.60

-20.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.50

$1.08 CA$1.49

1.85%

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

$25.5K CA$35.0K

$24.6K CA$33.7K

3.78%

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

$21.0K CA$28.7K

$21.4K CA$29.3K

-1.86%

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

$119 CA$163

$130 CA$178

-8.59%

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

$37.69 CA$51.6

$44.36 CA$60.8

-15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 CA$74.7

$78.7 CA$108

-30.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$78.5

$32.36 CA$44.33

76.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 CA$28.33

$9.29 CA$12.73

122.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$15.92

$11.18 CA$15.32

3.94%

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

$1,118 CA$1,531

$446 CA$611

150.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K CA$25.0K

$11.7K CA$16.0K

56.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$78.6

$46.10 CA$63.2

24.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$54.5

$35.95 CA$49.25

10.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$95.1 CA$130

-7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$92.3 CA$126

25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 CA$2,516

$1,289 CA$1,766

42.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 CA$2,124

$1,189 CA$1,630

30.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,991 CA$4,097

$2,130 CA$2,918

40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 CA$3,415

$1,679 CA$2,301

48.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,566 CA$11.7K

$3,450 CA$4,726

148.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,905 CA$9,460

$2,513 CA$3,443

174.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,697 CA$5,064

$3,086 CA$4,228

19.79%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Kingston: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,836 in Toronto versus $1,289 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 20% 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 $81 in Toronto versus $74 in Kingston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 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: $2,768 in Toronto, $2,286 in Kingston – roughly 21% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,153 per month in Toronto and $3,429 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 $2,768 in Toronto and $2,286 in Kingston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% 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 $2,286, than in Toronto at $2,768. 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.