Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Pickering, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Pickering, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $2,734 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $3,804 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $4,875 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

Toronto costs about 3% more than Pickering, ON, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Pickering, ON sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, Pickering, ON by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$18.56 CA$25.69

0.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$72.5 CA$100

12.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$11.21 CA$15.52

-3.39%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$2.29 CA$3.17

69.87%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$1.68 CA$2.32

32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.43 CA$1.97

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$4.79 CA$6.64

26.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$4.98 CA$6.90

32.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$2.12 CA$2.94

28.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$2.24 CA$3.10

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$4.43 CA$6.13

-20.09%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$3.36 CA$4.66

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$11.10 CA$15.38

21.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$15.55 CA$21.53

-15.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$14.54 CA$20.13

16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$4.11 CA$5.69

1.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.00 CA$1.39

18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$4.28 CA$5.93

-24.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$5.20 CA$7.19

-20.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.98 CA$4.13

-16.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$3.53 CA$4.89

-18.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.63 CA$3.64

-10.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.13 CA$1.56

76.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$8.61 CA$11.93

69.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$13.17 CA$18.23

7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$2.60 CA$3.60

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.03 CA$4.20

7.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$2.78 CA$3.85

-13.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$62.7 CA$86.9

81.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$2.86 CA$3.96

31.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.21 CA$1.68

16.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$22.93 CA$31.75

11.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

0.27%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$22.2K CA$30.8K

-5.19%

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

$120 CA$166

$163 CA$226

-26.63%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$36.22 CA$50.2

3.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$66.8 CA$92.5

-18.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$62.3 CA$86.3

-10.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$12.00 CA$16.61

-3.67%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$757 CA$1,048

49.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$11.7K CA$16.2K

53.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$76.3 CA$106

-25.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$54.8 CA$75.8

-27.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$75.2 CA$104

19.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$85.8 CA$119

33.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$1,654 CA$2,290

11.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$1,547 CA$2,143

0.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$2,209 CA$3,058

32.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$2,093 CA$2,898

18.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$6,474 CA$8,964

40.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

$5,110 CA$7,075

37.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

$3,099 CA$4,290

15.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.57

-21.46%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pickering, ON: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,654 in Pickering, ON. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Toronto, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Toronto versus $73.0 in Pickering, ON. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $385 – making Pickering, ON the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pickering, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,811 in Toronto, $2,734 in Pickering, ON – roughly 3% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,216 per month in Toronto and $4,101 in Pickering, ON. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pickering, ON, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,811 in Toronto and $2,734 in Pickering, ON. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% less in Pickering, ON. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,811 in Toronto and $2,734 in Pickering, ON. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pickering, ON – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pickering, ON. 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.