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: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,360 in Peterborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,270 in Peterborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,180 in Peterborough.

Living in Toronto is roughly 18% more expensive than in Peterborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Peterborough 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$14.88 CA$20.93

24.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$74.7 CA$105

12.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$11.22 CA$15.78

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.05 CA$5.69

-1.48%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.72 CA$2.42

22.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.45 CA$2.04

16.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.84 CA$8.22

1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$6.02 CA$8.47

7.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.28 CA$3.21

18.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.40 CA$3.37

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$2.66 CA$3.75

33.83%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.17 CA$4.46

11.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$9.99 CA$14.06

32.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.32 CA$15.92

15.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$14.65 CA$20.62

14.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.60 CA$5.06

14.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.24 CA$1.75

-8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$2.88 CA$4.05

18.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.51 CA$4.93

14.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$1.58 CA$2.23

53.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.59 CA$3.64

13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$1.91 CA$2.69

29.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.62 CA$2.28

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$12.26 CA$17.25

22.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$12.93 CA$18.20

10.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.56 CA$3.60

5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$1.80 CA$2.53

73.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$1.96 CA$2.76

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$53.4 CA$75.2

111.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.17 CA$4.47

14.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$0.69 CA$0.97

94.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$21.88 CA$30.79

16.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.09 CA$1.54

1.83%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$24.5K CA$34.5K

2.98%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$21.1K CA$29.6K

3.33%

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

$117 CA$164

$177 CA$248

-33.89%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$42.05 CA$59.2

-10.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$52.6 CA$74.0

2.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$46.96 CA$66.1

21.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$14.48 CA$20.37

44.06%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$14.22 CA$20.01

-18.71%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$426 CA$599

164.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$11.0K CA$15.5K

67.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$46.29 CA$65.1

23.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$29.18 CA$41.06

33.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$82.5 CA$116

6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$84.1 CA$118

35.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,396 CA$1,964

31.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,241 CA$1,746

23.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$1,680 CA$2,364

74.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,670 CA$2,350

49.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$6,557 CA$9,226

33.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$6,244 CA$8,786

9.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$2,977 CA$4,189

16.01%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Peterborough: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,396 in Peterborough. 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 $75.0 in Peterborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $334 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,396 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 111% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,125 in Toronto versus $426 in Peterborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,360 in Peterborough versus $2,788 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 18% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.