Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Quesnel Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Quesnel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,628 in Toronto versus $2,440 in Quesnel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Toronto versus $3,444 in Quesnel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,067 in Toronto versus $4,447 in Quesnel.

Living in Toronto is roughly 8% more expensive than in Quesnel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 91% above, Quesnel 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 CA$24.66

$16.70 CA$23.02

7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 CA$121

$46.70 CA$64.4

88.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.08

$11.19 CA$15.43

-2.32%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.60

$4.32 CA$5.95

-6.02%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$2.56 CA$3.53

-14.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.34

$2.12 CA$2.93

-19.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.22

$4.78 CA$6.60

39.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CA$10.13

$5.68 CA$7.84

29.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.83

$2.35 CA$3.24

18.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$3.99

$2.45 CA$3.38

17.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$4.27 CA$5.89

-40.05%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.22

$5.03 CA$6.94

-24.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.02

$12.49 CA$17.23

-18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.48

$16.98 CA$23.42

-29.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 CA$22.23

$17.22 CA$23.74

-6.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

$4.19 CA$5.77

-7.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.32 CA$1.82

-3.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.35

$4.71 CA$6.49

-17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$5.97

$4.34 CA$5.98

-0.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.52

$3.23 CA$4.46

-43.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.06

$3.71 CA$5.11

-59.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.14

$2.59 CA$3.57

-11.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.98

$1.76 CA$2.43

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.58

$11.94 CA$16.47

18.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 CA$19.64

$10.67 CA$14.72

33.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.10

$2.66 CA$3.67

-15.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.49

$3.45 CA$4.76

-26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$2.39 CA$3.30

3.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$154

$58.5 CA$80.6

91.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.20

$2.55 CA$3.52

19.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$2.21 CA$3.05

-43.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.44 CA$30.94

$43.38 CA$59.8

-48.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$1.20 CA$1.65

3.33%

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

$27.5K CA$37.9K

$29.3K CA$40.5K

-6.23%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$23.4K CA$32.3K

-9.76%

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

$128 CA$176

$179 CA$247

-28.73%

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

$33.79 CA$46.59

$39.51 CA$54.5

-14.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.25 CA$67.9

$73.4 CA$101

-32.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 CA$56.5

$41.02 CA$56.6

-0.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$33.95

$18.43 CA$25.42

33.59%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 CA$18.15

$7.71 CA$10.63

70.69%

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

$792 CA$1,093

$783 CA$1,080

1.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K CA$33.3K

$14.3K CA$19.7K

68.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.2

$37.51 CA$51.7

45.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 CA$59.5

$46.80 CA$64.5

-7.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$79.3 CA$109

28.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$170

$106 CA$147

15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 CA$2,279

$800 CA$1,104

106.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 CA$2,002

$1,155 CA$1,593

25.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 CA$3,716

$1,999 CA$2,756

34.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CA$2,964

$1,744 CA$2,405

23.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,347 CA$11.5K

$4,846 CA$6,683

72.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 CA$9,399

$3,186 CA$4,393

113.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,614 CA$4,984

$2,490 CA$3,433

45.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

5.35

-16.07%

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

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Toronto and $800 in Quesnel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 45% 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: $88.0 in Toronto vs $47.00 in Quesnel. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $419, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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 Quesnel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quesnel wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quesnel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $1,653 in Toronto versus $800 in Quesnel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Quesnel – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $88.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,440 in Quesnel versus $2,628 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quesnel but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Quesnel 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 Quesnel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.