Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Phoenix, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,530 a month against $2,970 in Phoenix, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Phoenix, AZ
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Phoenix, AZ Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,530

/mo nomad

Phoenix, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,970

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Phoenix, AZ

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 Phoenix, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,530 in Toronto versus $2,970 in Phoenix, AZ.

Toronto $2,530
Phoenix, AZ $2,970

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Toronto versus $4,233 in Phoenix, AZ.

Toronto $3,646
Phoenix, AZ $4,233

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Toronto versus $5,495 in Phoenix, AZ.

Toronto $4,761
Phoenix, AZ $5,495

Living in Toronto costs roughly 15% less than in Phoenix, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 89% above, Phoenix, AZ 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 CA$25.13

$20.10 $20.10

-12.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 CA$110

$84.1 $84.1

-7.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 CA$14.90

$14.67 $14.67

-28.63%

Cappuccino

$4.08 CA$5.80

$6.01 $6.01

-32.11%

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

$2.12 CA$3.01

$3.15 $3.15

-32.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.50

$2.37 $2.37

-25.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 CA$8.78

$6.12 $6.12

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 CA$9.80

$8.20 $8.20

-15.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 CA$3.46

$0.86 $0.86

182.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.91

$4.10 $4.10

-32.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.17

$6.40 $6.40

-65.16%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.90

$4.31 $4.31

-19.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 CA$12.71

$14.05 $14.05

-36.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.27

$13.69 $13.69

-16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 CA$20.78

$14.54 $14.54

0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.33

$5.43 $5.43

-30.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.63

$1.96 $1.96

-41.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$5.05

$4.13 $4.13

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.09

$5.98 $5.98

-28.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.62

$3.62 $3.62

-48.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.37

$3.04 $3.04

-45.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.15

$2.30 $2.30

-3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$2.54 $2.54

-52.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 CA$19.74

$10.64 $10.64

30.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$20.27

$14.61 $14.61

-2.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.12

$2.38 $2.38

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.44

$3.14 $3.14

-22.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.44

$1.95 $1.95

24.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$158

$63.5 $63.5

74.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.12

$2.72 $2.72

6.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.79

$1.40 $1.40

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.03 CA$31.33

$35.78 $35.78

-38.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.74

$1.19 $1.19

2.52%

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

$27.6K CA$39.3K

$36.7K $36.7K

-24.62%

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

$19.8K CA$28.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

-24.41%

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

$122 CA$173

$233 $233

-47.70%

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

$32.03 CA$45.56

$78.9 $78.9

-59.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 CA$68.2

$76.4 $76.4

-37.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 CA$55.3

$66.0 $66.0

-41.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.24 CA$33.05

$19.36 $19.36

20.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 CA$17.94

$13.81 $13.81

-8.69%

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

$834 CA$1,186

$1,830 $1,830

-54.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K CA$33.2K

$22.8K $22.8K

2.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 CA$74.8

$62.9 $62.9

-16.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 CA$57.3

$43.12 $43.12

-6.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 CA$137

$110 $110

-12.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$175

$134 $134

-8.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,273

$1,785 $1,785

-10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 CA$2,041

$1,421 $1,421

0.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 CA$3,779

$3,257 $3,257

-18.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 CA$2,981

$2,126 $2,126

-1.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,033 CA$11.4K

$4,706 $4,706

70.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,557 CA$9,327

$3,074 $3,074

113.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,743 CA$5,324

$4,189 $4,189

-10.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.63

-32.58%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 4, 2026

Last update for Phoenix, AZ: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.4%

Phoenix, AZ

$1.4K 48.6% 1% $14

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.1%

Phoenix, AZ

$436 14.9% 28.2% $96

Eating Out

Toronto

$282 10.9%

Phoenix, AZ

$346 11.8% 22.8% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$202 7.8%

Phoenix, AZ

$388 13.3% 92.4% $186

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$140 5.4%

Phoenix, AZ

$158 5.4% 12.2% $17

Getting Around

Toronto

$130 5%

Phoenix, AZ

$81 2.8% 37.5% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$64 2.5%

Phoenix, AZ

$94 3.2% 45.9% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,598 in Toronto and $1,785 in Phoenix, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phoenix, AZ pays 12% 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: $77.0 in Toronto vs $84.0 in Phoenix, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $436 per month, with Toronto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 Phoenix, AZ

🕒 Local time

02:20 2:20 AM

23:20 11:20 PM

3 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

1,608,139

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.627 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toronto Phoenix, AZ 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Phoenix, AZ

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 Phoenix, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Phoenix, AZ. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,598 in Toronto versus $1,785 in Phoenix, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,530 per month in Toronto versus $2,970 in Phoenix, AZ – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Toronto runs roughly 74% less than in Phoenix, AZ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Phoenix, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.