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: $2,668 in Toronto versus $2,277 in Peterborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,801 in Toronto versus $3,258 in Peterborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,934 in Toronto versus $4,238 in Peterborough.

Living in Toronto is roughly 17% more expensive than in Peterborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 95% above, Peterborough 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.62

$13.41 CA$18.76

36.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 CA$112

$72.4 CA$101

11.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.84

$10.69 CA$14.95

-0.75%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.71 CA$5.18

7.55%

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

$2.16 CA$3.02

$1.80 CA$2.52

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.46 CA$2.04

20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 CA$9.30

$5.88 CA$8.23

13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.07

$5.69 CA$7.95

26.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.58 CA$3.61

10.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.39 CA$3.34

15.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.50

$2.48 CA$3.46

1.21%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.35

$3.24 CA$4.53

18.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 CA$14.00

$11.36 CA$15.90

-11.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.73

$11.43 CA$15.99

4.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.87

$13.85 CA$19.38

12.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.14

$3.35 CA$4.69

9.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.46 CA$2.04

-13.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.41

$3.39 CA$4.75

14.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.91

$4.12 CA$5.76

2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$1.89 CA$2.64

-1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$2.30 CA$3.21

-33.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.29 CA$3.20

0.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.50 CA$2.10

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.75

$11.43 CA$15.99

23.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.33

$13.13 CA$18.37

10.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.34 CA$3.27

-5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$1.58 CA$2.20

61.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.40 CA$3.36

2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$46.75 CA$65.4

141.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.34

$3.11 CA$4.35

-0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.25 CA$1.75

2.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.60

$21.52 CA$30.11

1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.13 CA$1.58

8.85%

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

$27.2K CA$38.1K

$28.6K CA$40.0K

-4.73%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$19.7K CA$27.5K

3.44%

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

$122 CA$171

$144 CA$201

-14.68%

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

$33.21 CA$46.46

$35.09 CA$49.09

-5.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 CA$69.1

$46.90 CA$65.6

5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 CA$56.0

$45.78 CA$64.1

-12.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 CA$33.26

$14.43 CA$20.18

64.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$17.76

$11.64 CA$16.29

9.11%

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

$772 CA$1,080

$354 CA$495

118.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.3K

$10.7K CA$15.0K

122.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.7

$42.75 CA$59.8

24.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.9

$39.24 CA$54.9

7.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$86.7 CA$121

14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$172

$74.6 CA$104

64.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,234

$1,414 CA$1,977

12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,013

$1,235 CA$1,727

16.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 CA$3,830

$2,085 CA$2,916

31.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,026

$1,833 CA$2,564

18.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,246 CA$11.5K

$6,705 CA$9,379

22.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 CA$9,366

$6,380 CA$8,924

4.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 CA$5,358

$2,990 CA$4,183

28.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.51

-0.89%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Last update for Peterborough: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,597 in Toronto and $1,414 in Peterborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 28% 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: $80.0 in Toronto vs $72.0 in Peterborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $344 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $1,597 in Toronto versus $1,414 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 141% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $772 in Toronto versus $354 in Peterborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,277 in Peterborough versus $2,668 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 17% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.