Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Marathon Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Marathon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Toronto vs $2,263 in Marathon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,866 per month in Toronto vs $3,299 in Marathon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,111 per month in Toronto vs $4,335 in Marathon, rent included.

Toronto costs about 16% more than Marathon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Marathon sit above the global median – Toronto by 90%, Marathon by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$18.26 CA$25.33

-2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$67.3 CA$93.4

28.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$10.64 CA$14.76

2.82%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$3.59 CA$4.97

11.70%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.08 CA$2.88

5.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.65 CA$2.29

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$5.54 CA$7.69

16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$5.73 CA$7.95

23.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.03 CA$2.82

33.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.53 CA$3.51

15.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.29 CA$4.56

-24.62%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.42 CA$4.74

12.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$10.00 CA$13.87

1.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$11.58 CA$16.06

3.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$15.14 CA$21.00

3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$3.77 CA$5.23

3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.36 CA$1.88

-8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$3.84 CA$5.32

-1.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$3.85 CA$5.34

13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$2.54 CA$3.52

-24.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.21 CA$3.07

-32.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$2.46 CA$3.42

-7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.67 CA$2.32

-12.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$14.17 CA$19.65

2.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$12.42 CA$17.22

16.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$2.75 CA$3.82

-17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$3.17 CA$4.39

-18.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$2.37 CA$3.29

-0.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$63.2 CA$87.6

80.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$2.99 CA$4.14

5.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.44 CA$2.00

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$23.46 CA$32.54

-3.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.15 CA$1.59

7.83%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$28.5K CA$39.5K

-4.08%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$19.5K CA$27.0K

6.45%

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

$124 CA$172

$142 CA$197

-12.80%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$39.20 CA$54.4

-16.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$57.3 CA$79.4

-14.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$41.56 CA$57.6

-3.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$18.81 CA$26.09

26.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$11.32 CA$15.70

13.25%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$768 CA$1,064

2.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$13.3K CA$18.4K

85.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$53.8 CA$74.6

0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$38.28 CA$53.1

12.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$86.9 CA$121

12.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$104 CA$144

21.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$1,297 CA$1,799

27.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$1,175 CA$1,630

26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$2,035 CA$2,823

37.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$1,752 CA$2,429

23.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$4,371 CA$6,061

91.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

$3,735 CA$5,180

83.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$1,834 CA$2,543

107.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.68

-4.49%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Marathon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,297 in Marathon. 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 107% 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 $87.0 in Toronto versus $67.0 in Marathon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $354 – making Marathon 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 Marathon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,930 per month in Toronto and $3,395 in Marathon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Toronto and $768 in Marathon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Toronto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Marathon, where all-in costs run around $2,263, than in Toronto at $2,620. In Marathon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Marathon – 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 Marathon. 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.