Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Perez Zeledon

For one person, living is cheaper in Perez Zeledon: $1,328 a month against $2,610 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,610
/mo nomad
Perez Zeledon
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,328
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Perez Zeledon

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 Perez Zeledon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,610 per month in Toronto vs $1,328 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

  • Toronto $2,610
  • Perez Zeledon $1,328

A couple spends around $3,727 per month in Toronto vs $2,371 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

  • Toronto $3,727
  • Perez Zeledon $2,371

A family of three spends $4,844 per month in Toronto vs $3,414 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

  • Toronto $4,844
  • Perez Zeledon $3,414

Toronto costs about 97% more than Perez Zeledon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Toronto sits 93% above the global median, while Perez Zeledon is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 CA$24.87
$9.34 ₡4,188
88.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.8 CA$111
$36.62 ₡16.4K
115.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 CA$15.16
$8.23 ₡3,689
30.38%
Cappuccino
$4.09 CA$5.78
$2.70 ₡1,210
51.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 CA$2.97
$1.96 ₡880
7.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 CA$2.43
$1.71 ₡766
0.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.36 CA$8.99
$1.79 ₡804
255.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.08 CA$10.01
$3.08 ₡1,380
129.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.54 CA$3.59
$1.64 ₡735
54.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 CA$3.85
$3.03 ₡1,357
-10.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 CA$3.09
$2.47 ₡1,109
-11.74%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.13
$2.48 ₡1,113
46.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.46 CA$13.37
$10.62 ₡4,763
-10.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.32
$10.36 ₡4,646
11.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.37 CA$20.32
$13.82 ₡6,196
3.98%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 CA$5.23
$4.99 ₡2,238
-25.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 CA$1.68
$1.08 ₡483
10.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.46 CA$4.90
$4.85 ₡2,174
-28.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.22 CA$5.97
$3.96 ₡1,777
6.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.52
$3.86 ₡1,730
-53.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.65 CA$2.33
$3.78 ₡1,693
-56.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.20 CA$3.11
$0.46 ₡205
378.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 CA$1.78
$3.21 ₡1,441
-60.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.97 CA$19.75
$5.76 ₡2,582
142.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.20 CA$20.07
$19.78 ₡8,870
-28.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 CA$3.18
$2.77 ₡1,240
-18.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 CA$3.58
$3.50 ₡1,572
-27.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 CA$3.28
$0.77 ₡344
201.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$112 CA$158
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 CA$4.33
$2.51 ₡1,125
21.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 CA$1.72
$1.61 ₡720
-24.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.69 CA$30.66
$8.81 ₡3,952
146.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$1.54 ₡689
-21.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K CA$37.0K
$22.3K ₡10.0M
17.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.9K
$34.8K ₡15.6M
-39.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$169
$92.9 ₡41.7K
28.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.21 CA$45.54
$23.91 ₡10.7K
34.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.88 CA$69.1
$58.7 ₡26.3K
-16.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.34 CA$55.6
$72.4 ₡32.5K
-45.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.58 CA$33.34
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.58 CA$17.79
$7.46 ₡3,346
68.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$832 CA$1,176
$508 ₡227.7K
63.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.6K CA$33.4K
$16.9K ₡7.6M
39.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.3 CA$73.9
$72.9 ₡32.7K
-28.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.44 CA$55.8
$56.8 ₡25.5K
-30.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.0 CA$140
$129 ₡58.0K
-23.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 CA$172
$130 ₡58.1K
-5.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,631 CA$2,306
$401 ₡180.0K
306.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,448 CA$2,048
$333 ₡149.4K
334.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,737 CA$3,869
$1,898 ₡851.1K
44.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,129 CA$3,010
$1,258 ₡564.0K
69.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,206 CA$11.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,838 CA$9,666
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,520 CA$4,976
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
8.62
-48.14%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 18, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
Perez Zeledon
$333 77% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$343
Perez Zeledon
$382 11.4% $39
Eating Out
Toronto
$283
Perez Zeledon
$162 42.9% $122
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$201
Perez Zeledon
$176 12.6% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$141
Perez Zeledon
$175 24.3% $34
Getting Around
Toronto
$130
Perez Zeledon
$14 * 89.5% $116
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$65
Perez Zeledon
$87 35.4% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Toronto versus $401 in Perez Zeledon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Toronto versus $37.00 in Perez Zeledon. Groceries tell a different story – $343 in Toronto vs $382 in Perez Zeledon – so Toronto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇨🇷 Perez Zeledon
🕒 Local time
17:13 5:13 PM
15:13 3:13 PM
2 h behind Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
135,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto Perez Zeledon 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Toronto
  • Perez Zeledon

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 Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Perez Zeledon cheaper than Toronto?
Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 97%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,916 per month in Toronto and $1,992 in Perez Zeledon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Perez Zeledon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Toronto and in Perez Zeledon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,610 in Toronto and $1,328 in Perez Zeledon. That's a gap of about 97%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $832 per month in Toronto and $508 in Perez Zeledon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Toronto or in Perez Zeledon?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perez Zeledon, where all-in costs run around $1,328, than in Toronto at $2,610. In Perez Zeledon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Toronto or Perez Zeledon more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Perez Zeledon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Perez Zeledon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Toronto vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?