Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Owen Sound Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Owen Sound

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,095 in Owen Sound.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,157 in Owen Sound.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,218 in Owen Sound.

Living in Toronto is roughly 34% more expensive than Owen Sound, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Owen Sound 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$14.85 CA$20.56

25.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$54.7 CA$75.7

49.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$10.17 CA$14.09

6.49%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.13 CA$4.33

24.28%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.12 CA$2.93

4.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$4.38 CA$6.06

38.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$5.84 CA$8.09

12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$1.73 CA$2.39

57.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$2.87 CA$3.97

-5.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$4.69 CA$6.49

-24.52%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$3.39 CA$4.70

3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$6.82 CA$9.45

98.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$16.95 CA$23.47

-22.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$20.96 CA$29.02

-19.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$4.12 CA$5.71

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.74 CA$2.41

-32.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$2.85 CA$3.95

14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$4.12 CA$5.71

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.41 CA$3.34

3.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$2.91 CA$4.03

-1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$3.05 CA$4.22

-22.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.34 CA$1.85

49.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$13.49 CA$18.67

8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$16.68 CA$23.09

-14.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$5.01 CA$6.93

-44.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$2.26 CA$3.12

43.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$2.24 CA$3.10

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$50.3 CA$69.6

126.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$4.76 CA$6.59

-21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$2.19 CA$3.04

-35.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$14.70 CA$20.36

73.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.09 CA$1.51

0.92%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$28.0K CA$38.8K

-9.99%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$22.4K CA$31.0K

-6.02%

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

$120 CA$166

$144 CA$200

-17.07%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$43.61 CA$60.4

-13.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$59.7 CA$82.6

-8.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$84.7 CA$117

-34.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

$59.6 CA$82.5

-64.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$8.82 CA$12.21

31.07%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$587 CA$813

92.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$18.1K CA$25.1K

-0.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$43.40 CA$60.1

31.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$40.02 CA$55.4

-0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$80.2 CA$111

11.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$113 CA$157

0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$1,062 CA$1,471

74.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$869 CA$1,203

79.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$1,642 CA$2,273

78.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$1,593 CA$2,206

55.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

$3,068 CA$4,248

16.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.83

-24.45%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Owen Sound: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,062 in Owen Sound. 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $55.0 in Owen Sound. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $414, 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 Owen Sound: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Owen Sound is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,062 in Owen Sound. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Owen Sound – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,811 per month in Toronto versus $2,095 in Owen Sound – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,095 in Owen Sound versus $2,811 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Owen Sound but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Owen Sound 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.

Safety-wise, Toronto and Owen Sound are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Owen Sound gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.