Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Quebec City Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Quebec City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,668 in Toronto versus $1,886 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,801 in Toronto versus $2,916 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,934 in Toronto versus $3,947 in Quebec City.

Living in Toronto is roughly 41% more expensive than in Quebec City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 95% above, Quebec City 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.62

$20.07 CA$28.08

-8.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 CA$112

$67.0 CA$93.7

20.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.84

$11.45 CA$16.02

-7.34%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.80 CA$5.32

5.00%

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

$2.16 CA$3.02

$2.17 CA$3.04

-0.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.50 CA$2.10

17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 CA$9.30

$5.85 CA$8.18

13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.07

$5.79 CA$8.10

24.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.17 CA$3.04

30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.88 CA$4.03

-4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.50

$4.11 CA$5.75

-38.93%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.35

$3.18 CA$4.45

20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 CA$14.00

$9.15 CA$12.80

9.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.73

$10.88 CA$15.22

9.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.87

$10.48 CA$14.66

49.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.14

$4.35 CA$6.08

-15.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.54 CA$2.15

-17.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.41

$3.77 CA$5.27

2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.91

$4.06 CA$5.68

4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$2.99 CA$4.19

-37.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$2.92 CA$4.08

-47.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.84 CA$3.97

-19.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.46 CA$2.05

-1.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.75

$15.16 CA$21.21

-6.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.33

$11.73 CA$16.41

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$3.17 CA$4.43

-29.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$3.49 CA$4.88

-26.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.94 CA$4.11

-15.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$72.3 CA$101

56.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.34

$2.92 CA$4.09

6.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.45 CA$2.03

-11.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.60

$35.17 CA$49.19

-37.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.30 CA$1.82

-5.38%

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

$27.2K CA$38.1K

$28.9K CA$40.4K

-5.69%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-6.34%

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

$122 CA$171

$102 CA$142

20.60%

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

$33.21 CA$46.46

$32.20 CA$45.05

3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 CA$69.1

$45.88 CA$64.2

7.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 CA$56.0

$36.94 CA$51.7

8.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 CA$33.26

$15.28 CA$21.38

55.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$17.76

$11.10 CA$15.53

14.41%

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

$772 CA$1,080

$707 CA$990

9.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.3K

$9,276 CA$13.0K

156.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.7

$61.2 CA$85.6

-12.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.9

$52.5 CA$73.4

-19.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$91.7 CA$128

8.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$172

$110 CA$154

11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,234

$1,030 CA$1,440

55.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,013

$773 CA$1,081

86.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 CA$3,830

$1,591 CA$2,226

72.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,026

$1,287 CA$1,800

68.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,246 CA$11.5K

$5,225 CA$7,309

57.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 CA$9,366

$2,758 CA$3,859

142.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 CA$5,358

$3,054 CA$4,272

25.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.45

0.45%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,597 in Toronto and $1,030 in Quebec City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 25% 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 $67.0 in Quebec City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $349 per month, with Quebec City 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 Quebec City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quebec City wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quebec City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 25% 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 $1,030 in Quebec City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,668 per month in Toronto versus $1,886 in Quebec City – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Quebec City runs roughly 56% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,886 in Quebec City versus $2,668 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quebec City but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Quebec City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Quebec City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.