Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Oakville

For one person, living costs are similar in Toronto and in Oakville: $2,610 and $2,641 a month, rent and utilities included.

Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,610
/mo nomad
Oakville
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,641
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Oakville

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 Oakville actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,610 in Toronto versus $2,641 in Oakville.

  • Toronto $2,610
  • Oakville $2,641

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,727 in Toronto versus $3,848 in Oakville.

  • Toronto $3,727
  • Oakville $3,848

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,844 in Toronto versus $5,054 in Oakville.

  • Toronto $4,844
  • Oakville $5,054

Living in Toronto costs roughly 1% less than in Oakville, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 93% above, Oakville 95% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 CA$24.87
$14.43 CA$20.39
21.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.8 CA$111
$71.8 CA$102
9.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 CA$15.16
$9.34 CA$13.20
14.88%
Cappuccino
$4.09 CA$5.78
$3.84 CA$5.42
6.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 CA$2.97
$2.20 CA$3.10
-4.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 CA$2.43
$1.74 CA$2.45
-1.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.36 CA$8.99
$5.83 CA$8.24
9.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.08 CA$10.01
$6.48 CA$9.17
9.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.54 CA$3.59
$2.56 CA$3.62
-0.78%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 CA$3.85
$3.30 CA$4.67
-17.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 CA$3.09
$3.50 CA$4.94
-37.71%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.13
$4.18 CA$5.91
-13.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.46 CA$13.37
$10.42 CA$14.74
-9.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.32
$11.95 CA$16.90
-3.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.37 CA$20.32
$19.22 CA$27.17
-25.23%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 CA$5.23
$3.34 CA$4.72
10.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 CA$1.68
$1.93 CA$2.72
-38.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.46 CA$4.90
$3.28 CA$4.64
5.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.22 CA$5.97
$2.93 CA$4.14
44.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.52
$2.34 CA$3.31
-23.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.65 CA$2.33
$2.60 CA$3.68
-36.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.20 CA$3.11
$2.25 CA$3.18
-2.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 CA$1.78
$1.73 CA$2.45
-27.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.97 CA$19.75
$14.25 CA$20.14
-1.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.20 CA$20.07
$13.23 CA$18.71
7.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 CA$3.18
$3.20 CA$4.52
-29.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 CA$3.58
$2.41 CA$3.41
4.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 CA$3.28
$2.77 CA$3.92
-16.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$112 CA$158
$97.2 CA$137
14.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 CA$4.33
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 CA$1.72
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.69 CA$30.66
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$1.16 CA$1.64
4.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K CA$37.0K
$28.1K CA$39.7K
-6.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.9K
$21.3K CA$30.1K
-0.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$169
$91.0 CA$129
31.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.21 CA$45.54
$28.41 CA$40.16
13.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.88 CA$69.1
$45.95 CA$65.0
6.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.34 CA$55.6
$42.03 CA$59.4
-6.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.58 CA$33.34
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.58 CA$17.79
$9.76 CA$13.80
28.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$832 CA$1,176
$1,154 CA$1,632
-27.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.6K CA$33.4K
$16.6K CA$23.5K
41.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.3 CA$73.9
$68.2 CA$96.3
-23.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.44 CA$55.8
$93.2 CA$132
-57.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.0 CA$140
$128 CA$181
-22.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 CA$172
$107 CA$152
13.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,631 CA$2,306
$1,859 CA$2,628
-12.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,448 CA$2,048
$1,497 CA$2,116
-3.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,737 CA$3,869
$3,590 CA$5,075
-23.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,129 CA$3,010
$2,384 CA$3,371
-10.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,206 CA$11.6K
$4,866 CA$6,879
68.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,838 CA$9,666
$6,100 CA$8,623
12.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
Oakville
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,520 CA$4,976
$3,090 CA$4,369
13.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
5.26
-15.02%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 18, 2026

Last update for Oakville: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
Oakville
$1.5K 3.4% $49
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$343
Oakville
$383 11.8% $40
Eating Out
Toronto
$283
Oakville
$247 12.7% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$201
Oakville
$165 17.6% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$141
Oakville
$178 26.8% $38
Getting Around
Toronto
$130
Oakville
$108 * 16.7% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$65
Oakville
$62 4.6% $3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Toronto and $1,859 in Oakville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Toronto vs $72.0 in Oakville. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $383, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇨🇦 Oakville
🕒 Local time
10:17 10:17 AM
10:17 10:17 AM
Same time as Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
193,832
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto Oakville 32 km
From you
  • Toronto
  • Oakville

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 Oakville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Toronto or Oakville?
Toronto wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Oakville. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Toronto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Toronto or in Oakville?
Average pay runs 14% higher in Toronto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Toronto compared to Oakville?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,631 in Toronto versus $1,859 in Oakville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Toronto compared to Oakville?
A monthly transit pass in Toronto runs roughly 15% less than in Oakville. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Toronto and in Oakville?
Childcare runs $832 in Toronto versus $1,154 in Oakville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Toronto or in Oakville?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Toronto or Oakville?
Both work as nomad bases, but Toronto delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,610 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Toronto hard to pass up.
How safe is Toronto compared to Oakville?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Oakville. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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