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: $2,754 in Toronto versus $2,557 in Oshawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,024 in Toronto versus $3,795 in Oshawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,294 in Toronto versus $5,032 in Oshawa.

Living in Toronto is roughly 8% more expensive than Oshawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 106% above, Oshawa 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.87 CA$25.86

$18.21 CA$24.95

3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.6 CA$113

$72.8 CA$99.7

13.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 CA$15.33

$10.45 CA$14.32

7.08%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.25

$3.83 CA$5.24

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

$2.19 CA$3.00

$1.88 CA$2.57

16.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.24

$1.55 CA$2.13

5.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$7.85

$5.29 CA$7.24

8.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.01

$6.14 CA$8.41

7.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 CA$3.83

$2.68 CA$3.67

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CA$3.80

$2.59 CA$3.55

6.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.86

$3.66 CA$5.01

-3.01%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.75

$3.40 CA$4.66

1.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.35

$12.26 CA$16.79

9.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 CA$17.64

$11.44 CA$15.67

12.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.36 CA$22.42

$16.29 CA$22.31

0.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.67

$3.59 CA$4.92

15.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.56

$1.16 CA$1.59

-1.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.65

$3.86 CA$5.29

-12.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.55

$5.07 CA$6.94

-20.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.47

$4.55 CA$6.23

-44.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.87

$3.30 CA$4.52

-14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.38

$3.02 CA$4.14

-18.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.70

$1.34 CA$1.83

47.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.78 CA$20.25

$15.01 CA$20.57

-1.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.57 CA$19.96

$12.89 CA$17.66

13.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$3.07 CA$4.20

-13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.37

$3.00 CA$4.11

6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$2.73 CA$3.74

-11.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$154

$87.9 CA$120

28.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.92

$3.60 CA$4.93

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.84

$2.20 CA$3.02

-38.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.88 CA$35.45

$22.25 CA$30.48

16.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.51

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

-0.01%

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

$21.7K CA$29.7K

$20.6K CA$28.2K

5.30%

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

$116 CA$159

$236 CA$323

-50.61%

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

$37.49 CA$51.4

$57.9 CA$79.4

-35.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 CA$75.4

$74.9 CA$103

-26.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 CA$78.1

$41.84 CA$57.3

36.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 CA$28.01

$37.03 CA$50.7

-44.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.83 CA$16.20

$12.34 CA$16.90

-4.13%

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

$1,121 CA$1,536

$1,346 CA$1,845

-16.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$25.3K

$12.0K CA$16.4K

54.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$77.8

$59.0 CA$80.9

-3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.87 CA$53.3

$57.6 CA$79.0

-32.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 CA$123

$117 CA$160

-23.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$157

$158 CA$217

-27.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 CA$2,526

$1,303 CA$1,785

41.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 CA$2,133

$1,186 CA$1,625

31.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,940 CA$4,027

$1,991 CA$2,727

47.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,432 CA$3,332

$1,941 CA$2,659

25.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,557 CA$11.7K

$5,248 CA$7,189

63.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,919 CA$9,479

$10.6K CA$14.5K

-34.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,596 CA$4,927

$3,106 CA$4,255

15.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.21

-16.91%

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

Last update for Toronto: April 27, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,844 in Toronto and $1,303 in Oshawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 16% 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: $83.0 in Toronto vs $73.0 in Oshawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $385 per month, with Oshawa 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 Oshawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oshawa wins on cost – living expenses run 8% 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.

Toronto pays 16% more on average, 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: $1,844 in Toronto versus $1,303 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 $73.0 versus $83.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,754 per month in Toronto versus $2,557 in Oshawa – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,557 in Oshawa versus $2,754 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 8% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.