Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Oshawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Oshawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,668 in Toronto versus $2,357 in Oshawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,801 in Toronto versus $3,382 in Oshawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,934 in Toronto versus $4,407 in Oshawa.

Living in Toronto is roughly 13% more expensive than in Oshawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 95% above, Oshawa 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.62

$14.23 CA$19.90

28.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 CA$112

$64.1 CA$89.7

25.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.84

$8.44 CA$11.81

25.71%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.50 CA$4.90

14.00%

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

$2.16 CA$3.02

$1.73 CA$2.42

24.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.43 CA$2.00

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 CA$9.30

$5.17 CA$7.23

28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.07

$6.14 CA$8.59

17.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.91 CA$4.08

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.89 CA$4.04

-4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.50

$4.09 CA$5.72

-38.63%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.35

$3.01 CA$4.20

27.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 CA$14.00

$9.96 CA$13.94

0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.73

$14.31 CA$20.02

-16.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.87

$16.65 CA$23.29

-6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.14

$4.33 CA$6.06

-15.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.20 CA$1.68

5.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.41

$2.82 CA$3.95

37.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.91

$3.84 CA$5.37

10.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$3.53 CA$4.94

-47.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$2.62 CA$3.66

-41.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.36 CA$3.31

-2.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.70 CA$2.38

-15.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.75

$14.46 CA$20.24

-2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.33

$12.63 CA$17.67

15.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$3.55 CA$4.96

-37.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$3.59 CA$5.02

-28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.57 CA$3.60

-3.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$69.3 CA$97.0

62.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.34

$3.50 CA$4.90

-11.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$0.70 CA$0.97

82.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.60

$18.03 CA$25.23

21.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.12 CA$1.56

9.82%

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

$27.2K CA$38.1K

$28.2K CA$39.5K

-3.50%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$20.1K CA$28.2K

0.97%

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

$122 CA$171

$138 CA$193

-11.14%

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

$33.21 CA$46.46

$38.91 CA$54.4

-14.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 CA$69.1

$53.0 CA$74.1

-6.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 CA$56.0

$29.31 CA$41.01

36.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 CA$33.27

$28.67 CA$40.11

-17.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$17.76

$10.99 CA$15.37

15.56%

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

$772 CA$1,080

$1,202 CA$1,682

-35.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.8

$56.5 CA$79.0

-5.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.9

$56.8 CA$79.4

-25.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$105 CA$147

-5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$172

$133 CA$185

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,234

$1,379 CA$1,929

15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,013

$1,238 CA$1,732

16.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 CA$3,830

$1,970 CA$2,757

38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,027

$1,822 CA$2,549

18.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,246 CA$11.5K

$5,258 CA$7,357

56.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 CA$9,367

$10.4K CA$14.6K

-35.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 CA$5,359

$3,044 CA$4,259

25.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.53

-1.32%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,597 in Toronto and $1,379 in Oshawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 26% 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: $80.0 in Toronto vs $64.0 in Oshawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $361 vs $393, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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 Oshawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oshawa wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oshawa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $1,597 in Toronto versus $1,379 in Oshawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Oshawa – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $80.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,668 per month in Toronto versus $2,357 in Oshawa – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,357 in Oshawa versus $2,668 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oshawa but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Oshawa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Oshawa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.