Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and New Westminster Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and New Westminster

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,668 per month in Toronto vs $2,598 in New Westminster, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Toronto vs $4,053 in New Westminster, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,934 per month in Toronto vs $5,507 in New Westminster, rent included.

Toronto costs about 3% more than New Westminster, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toronto and New Westminster sit above the global median – Toronto by 95%, New Westminster by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.46

$20.14 CA$27.99

-9.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 CA$112

$57.0 CA$79.3

40.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.75

$10.59 CA$14.72

0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.55

$3.53 CA$4.91

13.03%

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

$2.16 CA$3.00

$2.00 CA$2.78

8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$1.60 CA$2.22

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 CA$9.24

$6.22 CA$8.64

6.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.01

$5.78 CA$8.04

24.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$1.83 CA$2.55

55.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.82

$2.40 CA$3.33

14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$3.50 CA$4.86

-28.29%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.16 CA$4.40

21.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 CA$13.91

$11.04 CA$15.34

-9.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.62

$15.94 CA$22.15

-24.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.73

$26.99 CA$37.52

-42.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.11

$3.73 CA$5.19

-1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.25 CA$1.73

1.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.38

$3.69 CA$5.13

4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.88

$3.77 CA$5.23

12.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$2.37 CA$3.29

-21.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$2.29 CA$3.18

-33.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.20

$2.31 CA$3.21

-0.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.91 CA$2.65

-24.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.62

$15.94 CA$22.15

-11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.20

$10.83 CA$15.05

34.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.07 CA$2.87

7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.54

$2.96 CA$4.12

-13.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.44

$2.48 CA$3.45

-0.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$157

$92.5 CA$129

21.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.14 CA$2.97

44.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$1.83 CA$2.55

-30.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.41

$22.74 CA$31.61

-3.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.26 CA$1.75

-2.38%

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

$27.2K CA$37.8K

$24.1K CA$33.5K

12.95%

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

$20.3K CA$28.3K

$19.2K CA$26.7K

5.77%

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

$122 CA$170

$140 CA$195

-12.53%

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

$33.21 CA$46.17

$44.79 CA$62.3

-25.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 CA$68.6

$65.1 CA$90.5

-24.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 CA$55.7

$34.08 CA$47.38

17.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 CA$33.05

$17.72 CA$24.64

34.20%

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$17.65

$12.38 CA$17.20

2.58%

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

$772 CA$1,073

$789 CA$1,097

-2.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.1K

$7,840 CA$10.9K

204.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.3

$53.2 CA$74.0

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.6

$34.86 CA$48.45

20.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$79.8 CA$111

24.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$171

$101 CA$140

22.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,220

$1,572 CA$2,186

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,000

$1,363 CA$1,895

5.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 CA$3,806

$2,911 CA$4,047

-5.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,007

$2,643 CA$3,674

-18.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,246 CA$11.5K

$4,777 CA$6,641

72.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 CA$9,307

$4,094 CA$5,692

63.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 CA$5,324

$3,141 CA$4,366

21.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.72

-5.30%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Last update for New Westminster: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Toronto versus $1,572 in New Westminster. 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 22% 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 $80.0 in Toronto versus $57.0 in New Westminster. Groceries tell a different story – $361 in Toronto vs $404 in New Westminster – so Toronto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 New Westminster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto costs about 3% more than New Westminster, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,002 per month in Toronto and $3,898 in New Westminster. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $772 per month in Toronto and $789 in New Westminster. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Toronto – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,668 in Toronto and $2,598 in New Westminster. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward New Westminster – 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 New Westminster. 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.