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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,843 per month in Toronto vs $2,413 in Marathon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,122 per month in Toronto vs $3,456 in Marathon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,402 per month in Toronto vs $4,498 in Marathon, rent included.

Toronto costs about 18% more than Marathon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Marathon sit above the global median – Toronto by 114%, Marathon by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.86 CA$26.47

$18.24 CA$25.60

3.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 CA$118

$59.4 CA$83.4

41.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 CA$15.72

$12.56 CA$17.63

-10.83%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.52

$3.68 CA$5.16

6.79%

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

$2.15 CA$3.01

$1.89 CA$2.65

13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

$1.47 CA$2.07

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.22

$5.28 CA$7.41

10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 CA$9.48

$5.04 CA$7.07

33.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$2.42 CA$3.40

11.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.55 CA$3.58

7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$2.57 CA$3.61

37.74%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.88

$2.95 CA$4.14

17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 CA$19.01

$8.79 CA$12.34

54.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 CA$18.43

$16.85 CA$23.65

-22.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.52 CA$23.19

$16.23 CA$22.78

1.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.53 CA$4.95

16.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.09 CA$1.53

3.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.75

$3.31 CA$4.65

2.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$3.33 CA$4.68

21.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.66 CA$3.74

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$0.98 CA$1.37

187.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.91 CA$4.09

-15.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.13 CA$1.59

69.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.58

$9.00 CA$12.64

62.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 CA$19.50

$12.30 CA$17.26

12.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$1.65 CA$2.32

64.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$2.77 CA$3.88

14.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.34 CA$3.28

5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$160

$63.6 CA$89.2

79.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.26 CA$4.57

10.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.50 CA$2.10

-9.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.82 CA$36.24

$25.71 CA$36.09

0.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.11 CA$1.56

2.70%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$25.2K CA$35.4K

-2.15%

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

$21.2K CA$29.8K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

4.37%

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

$119 CA$167

$199 CA$280

-40.46%

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

$36.98 CA$51.9

$44.64 CA$62.7

-17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 CA$76.2

$80.8 CA$113

-32.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 CA$78.6

$42.19 CA$59.2

32.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.56 CA$28.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.26

$10.47 CA$14.70

10.70%

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

$1,155 CA$1,621

$737 CA$1,034

56.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K CA$25.1K

$11.8K CA$16.6K

51.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.8

$59.6 CA$83.7

-2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 CA$55.0

$36.13 CA$50.7

8.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$123

$74.8 CA$105

17.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$141 CA$197

-18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,505

$1,314 CA$1,844

35.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 CA$2,165

$1,175 CA$1,649

31.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,918 CA$4,096

$2,016 CA$2,830

44.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,471 CA$3,468

$1,844 CA$2,589

33.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$4,228 CA$5,934

106.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,800 CA$9,544

$3,583 CA$5,029

89.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,476 CA$4,879

$1,791 CA$2,514

94.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.19

-16.64%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 26, 2026

Last update for Marathon: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,785 in Toronto versus $1,314 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 94% 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 $59.0 in Marathon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $359 – 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 18%, 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 $4,265 per month in Toronto and $3,620 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 $1,155 per month in Toronto and $737 in Marathon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $2,413, than in Toronto at $2,843. 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.