Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Popayan

For one person, living is cheaper in Popayan: $1,340 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Popayan
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,340
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Popayan

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

A single person spends $2,561 per month in Toronto vs $1,340 in Popayan, rent included.

  • Toronto $2,561
  • Popayan $1,340

A couple spends around $3,694 per month in Toronto vs $2,023 in Popayan, rent included.

  • Toronto $3,694
  • Popayan $2,023

A family of three spends $4,826 per month in Toronto vs $2,706 in Popayan, rent included.

  • Toronto $4,826
  • Popayan $2,706

Toronto costs about 91% more than Popayan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Toronto sits 90% above the global median, while Popayan is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.18 CA$24.29
$6.55 COP 20.8K
162.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.0 CA$107
$45.13 COP 143.1K
68.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 CA$14.89
$8.71 COP 27.6K
21.01%
Cappuccino
$4.02 CA$5.68
$2.80 COP 8,877
43.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 CA$3.00
$1.20 COP 3,793
76.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 CA$2.48
$1.02 COP 3,234
71.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.24 CA$8.83
$3.45 COP 10.9K
80.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.09 CA$10.02
$4.02 COP 12.8K
76.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$1.65 COP 5,224
47.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 CA$3.78
$2.49 COP 7,898
7.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 CA$3.17
$1.68 COP 5,338
33.33%
Eggs
$3.56 CA$5.03
$3.13 COP 9,927
13.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.09 CA$12.85
$6.94 COP 22.0K
30.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.33 CA$16.01
$11.05 COP 35.0K
2.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.53 CA$20.55
$10.39 COP 32.9K
39.85%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 CA$5.12
$3.49 COP 11.1K
3.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$1.64 COP 5,209
-26.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.60 CA$5.09
$1.83 COP 5,805
96.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.96
$1.59 COP 5,031
164.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.53
$1.33 COP 4,232
34.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 CA$2.25
$1.49 COP 4,714
6.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$1.13 COP 3,572
100.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 CA$1.77
$1.00 COP 3,183
25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 CA$19.53
$3.81 COP 12.1K
262.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.27 CA$20.18
$11.86 COP 37.6K
20.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 CA$3.10
$1.41 COP 4,485
56.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 CA$3.44
$2.62 COP 8,304
-7.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.39 CA$3.38
$1.05 COP 3,332
127.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$111 CA$157
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 CA$4.12
$1.71 COP 5,413
70.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 CA$1.69
$2.27 COP 7,194
-47.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.38 CA$30.23
$9.26 COP 29.4K
130.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.71
$1.29 COP 4,091
-6.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$25.7K COP 81.4M
9.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.6K
$35.5K COP 112.5M
-42.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$170
$136 COP 431.3K
-11.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.26 CA$45.60
$11.34 COP 35.9K
184.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.93 CA$67.8
$26.78 COP 84.9K
78.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.48 CA$54.4
$34.41 COP 109.1K
11.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.96 CA$32.46
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.38 CA$17.50
$5.91 COP 18.8K
109.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$830 CA$1,173
$539 COP 1.7M
53.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K CA$32.6K
$7,384 COP 23.4M
212.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.7 CA$71.7
$78.9 COP 250.1K
-35.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.02 CA$56.6
$59.9 COP 189.8K
-33.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 CA$139
$131 COP 414.9K
-25.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 CA$171
$115 COP 363.3K
5.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,592 CA$2,251
$554 COP 1.8M
187.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,410 CA$1,994
$513 COP 1.6M
174.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,670 CA$3,775
$903 COP 2.9M
195.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,152 CA$3,042
$874 COP 2.8M
146.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,945 CA$11.2K
$2,101 COP 6.7M
278.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,542 CA$9,249
$1,896 COP 6.0M
245.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
Popayan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,727 CA$5,269
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
11.58
-61.40%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Popayan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
Popayan
$513 63.6% $897
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$340
Popayan
$270 20.5% $70
Eating Out
Toronto
$278
Popayan
$146 47.4% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$201
Popayan
$174 13.2% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$139
Popayan
$173 24.2% $34
Getting Around
Toronto
$129
Popayan
$17 * 86.7% $112
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$63
Popayan
$46 26.9% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Toronto versus $554 in Popayan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Toronto versus $45.00 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $270 – making Popayan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇨🇴 Popayan
🕒 Local time
23:57 11:57 PM
22:57 10:57 PM
1 h behind Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
318,059
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto Popayan 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Toronto
  • Popayan

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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Toronto and in Popayan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,561 in Toronto, $1,340 in Popayan – roughly 91% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Toronto compared to Popayan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,841 per month in Toronto and $2,009 in Popayan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Toronto and Popayan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Popayan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Toronto and $45.00 in Popayan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Toronto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $1,340, than in Toronto at $2,561. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Toronto or Popayan?
Families tend to lean toward Popayan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Toronto and Popayan?
If budget matters most, go with Popayan. 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.

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