Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Ontario, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,561 a month against $2,867 in Ontario, CA, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Ontario, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,867
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Ontario, CA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,561 in Toronto versus $2,867 in Ontario, CA.

  • Toronto $2,561
  • Ontario, CA $2,867

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,694 in Toronto versus $2,937 in Ontario, CA.

  • Toronto $3,694
  • Ontario, CA $2,937

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,826 in Toronto versus $3,007 in Ontario, CA.

  • Toronto $4,826
  • Ontario, CA $3,007

Living in Toronto costs roughly 11% less than in Ontario, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Ontario, CA 112% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.18 CA$24.29
$19.91 $19.91
-13.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.0 CA$107
$78.2 $78.2
-2.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 CA$14.89
$15.13 $15.13
-30.34%
Cappuccino
$4.02 CA$5.68
$5.64 $5.64
-28.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 CA$3.00
$3.09 $3.09
-31.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 CA$2.48
$2.31 $2.31
-24.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.24 CA$8.83
$7.26 $7.26
-14.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.09 CA$10.02
$9.37 $9.37
-24.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$1.04 $1.04
134.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 CA$3.78
$4.00 $4.00
-33.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 CA$3.17
$4.79 $4.79
-53.24%
Eggs
$3.56 CA$5.03
$4.57 $4.57
-22.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.09 CA$12.85
$12.97 $12.97
-29.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.33 CA$16.01
$8.85 $8.85
28.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.53 CA$20.55
$15.66 $15.66
-7.22%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 CA$5.12
$4.62 $4.62
-21.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$1.70 $1.70
-28.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.60 CA$5.09
$3.97 $3.97
-9.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.96
$5.54 $5.54
-24.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.53
$3.59 $3.59
-50.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 CA$2.25
$2.31 $2.31
-31.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$1.98 $1.98
14.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 CA$1.77
$1.92 $1.92
-34.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 CA$19.53
$11.56 $11.56
19.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.27 CA$20.18
$14.76 $14.76
-3.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 CA$3.10
$1.94 $1.94
13.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 CA$3.44
$4.13 $4.13
-41.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.39 CA$3.38
$1.54 $1.54
55.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$111 CA$157
$29.84 $29.84
271.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 CA$4.12
$6.08 $6.08
-52.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 CA$1.69
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.38 CA$30.23
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.71
$1.53 $1.53
-20.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$37.1K $37.1K
-23.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.6K
$26.9K $26.9K
-24.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$170
$222 $222
-45.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.26 CA$45.60
$68.7 $68.7
-53.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.93 CA$67.8
$61.8 $61.8
-22.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.48 CA$54.4
$64.0 $64.0
-39.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.96 CA$32.46
$28.79 $28.79
-20.25%
Cinema Ticket
$12.38 CA$17.50
$17.89 $17.89
-30.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$830 CA$1,173
$1,164 $1,164
-28.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K CA$32.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.7 CA$71.7
$58.3 $58.3
-13.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.02 CA$56.6
$40.76 $40.76
-1.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 CA$139
$91.3 $91.3
7.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 CA$171
$104 $104
15.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,592 CA$2,251
$1,900 $1,900
-16.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,410 CA$1,994
$1,503 $1,503
-6.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,670 CA$3,775
$2,646 $2,646
0.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,152 CA$3,042
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,945 CA$11.2K
$3,989 $3,989
99.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,542 CA$9,249
$3,666 $3,666
78.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
Ontario, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,727 CA$5,269
$3,613 $3,613
3.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
6.39
-30.05%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ontario, CA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
Ontario, CA
$1.5K 6.5% $92
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$340
Ontario, CA
$389 14.4% $49
Eating Out
Toronto
$278
Ontario, CA
$349 25.5% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$201
Ontario, CA
$352 75.6% $152
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$139
Ontario, CA
$133 4.8% $6.7
Getting Around
Toronto
$129
Ontario, CA
$42 * 67.5% $87
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$63
Ontario, CA
$100 57.8% $37

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 $1,592 in Toronto and $1,900 in Ontario, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Toronto vs $78.0 in Ontario, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $389 per month, with Toronto cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇺🇸 Ontario, CA
🕒 Local time
22:01 10:01 PM
19:01 7:01 PM
3 h behind Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
185,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto Ontario, CA 3,450 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Toronto
  • Ontario, CA

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 Ontario, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ontario, CA cheaper than Toronto?
Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Toronto or Ontario, CA?
Average pay runs 3% higher in Toronto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Toronto and Ontario, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,592 in Toronto versus $1,900 in Ontario, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $830 in Toronto versus $1,164 in Ontario, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Toronto and in Ontario, CA?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Ontario, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Toronto or in Ontario, CA?
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.
Is it better to live in Toronto or in Ontario, CA?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Ontario, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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