Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Oakville Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Oakville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,650 in Oakville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,843 in Oakville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $5,036 in Oakville.

Living in Toronto is roughly 5% more expensive than in Oakville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Oakville 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$18.43 CA$25.93

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$76.9 CA$108

9.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$11.08 CA$15.59

-0.99%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.01 CA$5.64

-0.50%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.18 CA$3.07

-3.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.72 CA$2.43

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.75 CA$8.10

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$6.45 CA$9.07

0.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.26 CA$3.18

19.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.78 CA$3.91

2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$3.51 CA$4.94

1.42%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.36 CA$4.72

5.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$13.53 CA$19.03

-2.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.46 CA$16.13

13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$14.42 CA$20.29

16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.81 CA$5.36

7.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.30 CA$1.83

-12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.33 CA$4.68

2.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$4.19 CA$5.90

-4.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.52 CA$3.55

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.91 CA$4.10

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.13 CA$3.00

15.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.99 CA$2.80

-3.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$13.48 CA$18.96

11.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$13.85 CA$19.49

3.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.45 CA$3.44

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.00 CA$4.23

4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.93 CA$4.12

-16.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$102 CA$144

10.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.68 CA$5.18

-1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.40 CA$1.97

-4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$23.93 CA$33.67

6.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.15 CA$1.62

-3.48%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$24.8K CA$34.9K

1.77%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$21.6K CA$30.3K

1.01%

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

$117 CA$164

$123 CA$173

-4.95%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$39.32 CA$55.3

-4.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$54.3 CA$76.4

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$44.49 CA$62.6

28.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$11.73 CA$16.50

-1.45%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$1,097 CA$1,543

2.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$18.3K CA$25.7K

0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$57.7 CA$81.2

-0.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$38.98 CA$54.9

0.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$98.9 CA$139

-11.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$115 CA$162

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,708 CA$2,403

7.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,372 CA$1,931

11.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$2,577 CA$3,626

13.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$2,338 CA$3,289

7.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$4,146 CA$5,834

110.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$6,990 CA$9,835

-1.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,159 CA$4,446

9.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.62

-22.05%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Oakville: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,708 in Oakville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 9% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $77.0 in Oakville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $372 per month, with Oakville cheaper across the board.

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 Oakville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oakville wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oakville the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,708 in Oakville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Oakville runs roughly 11% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,125 in Toronto versus $1,097 in Oakville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Oakville is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Oakville delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,650 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oakville hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Toronto and Oakville are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Oakville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.