Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Peterborough Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Peterborough

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,372 in Peterborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,227 in Peterborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,083 in Peterborough.

Living in Toronto is roughly 19% more expensive than Peterborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Peterborough 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$14.79 CA$20.57

26.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$74.5 CA$104

9.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$11.18 CA$15.55

-3.13%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$4.18 CA$5.82

-6.94%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.63 CA$2.27

36.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.48 CA$2.05

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.87 CA$8.17

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.06 CA$8.43

8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.41 CA$3.35

13.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$2.48 CA$3.45

9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$2.78 CA$3.86

27.34%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.32 CA$4.62

5.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$9.84 CA$13.69

37.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$11.24 CA$15.63

16.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$14.69 CA$20.43

15.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$3.50 CA$4.87

18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.23 CA$1.71

-4.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$2.86 CA$3.97

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$3.47 CA$4.82

18.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$1.64 CA$2.28

52.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.54 CA$3.53

13.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$1.89 CA$2.63

24.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.58 CA$2.20

26.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$12.17 CA$16.93

19.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$12.82 CA$17.83

10.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.44 CA$3.39

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$1.82 CA$2.53

78.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$1.99 CA$2.77

20.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$53.3 CA$74.1

114.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.05 CA$4.25

23.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$0.69 CA$0.96

104.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$21.68 CA$30.15

17.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.09 CA$1.51

0.92%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

1.12%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$21.1K CA$29.4K

-0.35%

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

$120 CA$166

$178 CA$247

-32.68%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$41.81 CA$58.1

-10.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$53.9 CA$74.9

1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$46.48 CA$64.6

19.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$14.65 CA$20.38

44.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$13.90 CA$19.33

-16.83%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$419 CA$583

169.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$11.0K CA$15.3K

63.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$46.20 CA$64.3

23.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$29.13 CA$40.51

37.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$83.8 CA$116

7.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$85.2 CA$118

34.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,436 CA$1,997

28.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,234 CA$1,717

26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$1,634 CA$2,272

79.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$1,664 CA$2,314

48.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$6,693 CA$9,307

35.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$6,355 CA$8,837

10.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$3,033 CA$4,219

17.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.08

-15.13%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Peterborough: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,436 in Peterborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 18% 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 $74.0 in Peterborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $335 per month, with Peterborough 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 Peterborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peterborough is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Toronto pays 18% 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 $1,436 in Peterborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Peterborough runs roughly 114% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,129 in Toronto versus $419 in Peterborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,372 in Peterborough versus $2,811 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Peterborough but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Peterborough the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Peterborough is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Toronto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Peterborough gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.