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: $2,843 in Toronto versus $2,599 in Oshawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,122 in Toronto versus $3,728 in Oshawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,402 in Toronto versus $4,858 in Oshawa.

Living in Toronto is roughly 9% more expensive than in Oshawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 114% above, Oshawa 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.86 CA$26.47

$18.23 CA$25.59

3.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 CA$118

$74.5 CA$105

12.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 CA$15.72

$10.26 CA$14.41

9.16%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.52

$3.82 CA$5.35

2.88%

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

$2.15 CA$3.01

$1.97 CA$2.77

9.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.22

$5.27 CA$7.39

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 CA$9.48

$6.08 CA$8.53

11.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$2.68 CA$3.76

0.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.73 CA$3.83

0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$3.75 CA$5.26

-5.60%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.88

$3.55 CA$4.99

-1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 CA$19.01

$12.08 CA$16.95

12.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 CA$18.43

$11.16 CA$15.67

17.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.52 CA$23.19

$16.02 CA$22.48

3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.45 CA$4.85

19.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.21 CA$1.69

-6.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.75

$3.93 CA$5.52

-13.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$4.99 CA$7.00

-19.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$4.76 CA$6.68

-46.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$3.34 CA$4.69

-15.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.91 CA$4.09

-15.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.33 CA$1.86

44.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.58

$14.79 CA$20.76

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 CA$19.50

$12.57 CA$17.65

10.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$3.17 CA$4.45

-14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$2.99 CA$4.20

6.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.70 CA$3.80

-8.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$160

$87.5 CA$123

30.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.60 CA$5.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$2.09 CA$2.94

-34.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.82 CA$36.24

$21.74 CA$30.51

18.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.14 CA$1.60

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$24.6K CA$34.6K

0.11%

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

$21.2K CA$29.8K

$20.5K CA$28.7K

3.77%

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

$119 CA$167

$233 CA$327

-49.09%

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

$36.98 CA$51.9

$58.8 CA$82.5

-37.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 CA$76.2

$74.7 CA$105

-27.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 CA$78.6

$41.59 CA$58.4

34.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.56 CA$28.86

$36.70 CA$51.5

-43.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.26

$12.38 CA$17.38

-6.38%

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

$1,155 CA$1,621

$1,305 CA$1,832

-11.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K CA$25.1K

$12.0K CA$16.8K

49.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.8

$60.5 CA$85.0

-3.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 CA$55.0

$59.1 CA$83.0

-33.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$123

$118 CA$165

-25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$158 CA$221

-26.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,505

$1,272 CA$1,786

40.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 CA$2,165

$1,188 CA$1,667

29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,918 CA$4,096

$2,015 CA$2,829

44.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,471 CA$3,468

$1,889 CA$2,652

30.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$5,145 CA$7,222

69.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,800 CA$9,544

$10.4K CA$14.6K

-34.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,476 CA$4,879

$2,997 CA$4,207

15.98%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,785 in Toronto and $1,272 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $74.0 in Oshawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $384 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 9% 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 16% 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: $1,785 in Toronto versus $1,272 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 $74.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,843 per month in Toronto versus $2,599 in Oshawa – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,599 in Oshawa versus $2,843 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 9% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.