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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,788 per month in Toronto vs $2,337 in Kingston, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,110 per month in Toronto vs $3,282 in Kingston, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Toronto vs $4,227 in Kingston, rent included.

Toronto costs about 19% more than Kingston, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Kingston sit above the global median – Toronto by 109%, Kingston by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$16.88 CA$23.76

9.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$72.9 CA$103

15.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$11.55 CA$16.25

-5.02%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.52 CA$4.95

13.35%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.90 CA$2.67

11.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.37 CA$1.93

23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.77 CA$8.13

2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$6.60 CA$9.28

-1.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.54 CA$3.58

6.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.42 CA$3.40

17.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$3.98 CA$5.60

-10.55%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$2.94 CA$4.14

20.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$10.82 CA$15.23

22.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.48 CA$16.15

13.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$11.75 CA$16.53

42.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.67 CA$5.17

11.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.31 CA$1.85

-12.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$4.17 CA$5.87

-18.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$4.68 CA$6.59

-14.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$3.43 CA$4.82

-29.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.30 CA$3.24

27.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$3.10 CA$4.36

-20.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.69 CA$2.38

13.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$13.62 CA$19.17

10.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$12.09 CA$17.01

18.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.34 CA$3.29

15.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.34 CA$4.70

-6.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.53 CA$3.56

-3.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$59.7 CA$84.1

88.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.21 CA$4.52

13.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.51 CA$2.12

-11.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$33.15 CA$46.65

-22.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.08 CA$1.52

2.78%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.2K CA$35.4K

0.45%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$21.4K CA$30.1K

1.82%

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

$117 CA$164

$131 CA$185

-11.10%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$44.09 CA$62.0

-14.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$78.2 CA$110

-31.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$32.46 CA$45.68

75.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$9.30 CA$13.08

124.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$10.93 CA$15.38

5.76%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$445 CA$626

152.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$11.6K CA$16.3K

59.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$46.61 CA$65.6

22.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$35.56 CA$50.0

9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$94.3 CA$133

-7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$93.8 CA$132

21.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,310 CA$1,844

40.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,182 CA$1,664

29.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$2,086 CA$2,935

40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,670 CA$2,350

49.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$3,419 CA$4,811

155.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$2,453 CA$3,452

179.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,010 CA$4,235

14.76%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kingston: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,310 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 15% 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 $84.0 in Toronto versus $73.0 in Kingston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 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: $2,788 in Toronto, $2,337 in Kingston – roughly 19% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,181 per month in Toronto and $3,505 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 $2,788 in Toronto and $2,337 in Kingston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 89% 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 $2,337, than in Toronto at $2,788. 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.