Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Machala

For one person, living is cheaper in Machala: $654 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $22,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Machala
Learn more

Machala Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,561

/mo nomad

Machala

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$654

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Machala

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toronto and in Machala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,561 in Toronto versus $654 in Machala.

Toronto $2,561
Machala $654

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,694 in Toronto versus $1,045 in Machala.

Toronto $3,694
Machala $1,045

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,826 in Toronto versus $1,436 in Machala.

Toronto $4,826
Machala $1,436

Living in Toronto is roughly 291% more expensive than in Machala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toronto is 90% above, Machala is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.29

$2.69 $2.69

538.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 CA$107

$25.09 $25.09

202.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.89

$5.21 $5.21

102.30%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.68

$2.70 $2.70

48.89%

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

$2.12 CA$3.00

$0.84 $0.84

152.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.48

$0.75 $0.75

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 CA$8.83

$1.94 $1.94

221.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 CA$10.02

$3.80 $3.80

86.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.45

$1.10 $1.10

121.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.78

$1.05 $1.05

155.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.17

$0.96 $0.96

133.33%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$5.03

$1.50 $1.50

137.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.85

$3.34 $3.34

172.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 CA$16.01

$4.12 $4.12

175.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 CA$20.55

$4.80 $4.80

202.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.12

$1.54 $1.54

135.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$0.64 $0.64

89.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.09

$0.74 $0.74

386.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.96

$0.53 $0.53

694.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.53

$0.38 $0.38

371.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.25

$0.49 $0.49

224.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$0.37 $0.37

513.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.77

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 CA$19.53

$4.39 $4.39

214.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 CA$20.18

$7.59 $7.59

88.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$1.51 $1.51

45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.44

$2.11 $2.11

15.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.38

$0.33 $0.33

624.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$157

$22.38 $22.38

395.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$1.47 $1.47

97.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.80 $1.80

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.38 CA$30.23

$7.98 $7.98

167.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$0.59 $0.59

105.08%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$18.1K $18.1K

55.62%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$21.9K $21.9K

-7.40%

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

$120 CA$170

$50.8 $50.8

136.77%

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

$32.26 CA$45.60

$15.01 $15.01

114.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 CA$67.8

$26.60 $26.60

80.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.48 CA$54.4

$43.11 $43.11

-10.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 CA$32.46

$30.17 $30.17

-23.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.50

$4.91 $4.91

152.14%

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

$830 CA$1,173

$133 $133

522.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K CA$32.6K

$5,667 $5,667

307.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 CA$71.7

$65.9 $65.9

-23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 CA$56.6

$39.72 $39.72

0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$139

$79.8 $79.8

22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$171

$67.6 $67.6

78.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 CA$2,251

$193 $193

723.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,994

$132 $132

969.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 CA$3,775

$349 $349

665.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 CA$3,042

$265 $265

712.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,945 CA$11.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,542 CA$9,249

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,727 CA$5,269

$458 $458

714.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

-10.60%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Machala: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.1%

Machala

$132 20.2% 90.6% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.3%

Machala

$136 20.7% 60% $204

Eating Out

Toronto

$278 10.9%

Machala

$93 14.3% 66.5% $185

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$201 7.8%

Machala

$92 14.1% 53.9% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$139 5.4%

Machala

$114 17.4% 18.2% $25

Getting Around

Toronto

$129 5.1%

Machala

$34 5.2% 73.6% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$63 2.5%

Machala

$53 8.1% 16.3% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Toronto and $193 in Machala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 714% 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: $76.0 in Toronto vs $25.00 in Machala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $136 per month, with Machala cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇪🇨 Machala

🕒 Local time

00:07 12:07 AM

23:07 11:07 PM

1 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

231,260

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toronto Machala 5,220 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Machala

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Machala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machala is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 291% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 714% 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: $1,592 in Toronto versus $193 in Machala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Machala – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $76.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,561 per month in Toronto versus $654 in Machala – a 291% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $654 in Machala versus $2,561 in Toronto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Machala but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Machala 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.

Expats usually find Machala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 291% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.