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: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,456 in Quesnel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,465 in Quesnel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,475 in Quesnel.

Living in Toronto is roughly 14% more expensive than Quesnel, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Quesnel 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.99

$18.78 CA$26.09

-0.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$48.30 CA$67.1

69.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.04

$11.29 CA$15.69

-4.07%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.40

$4.27 CA$5.93

-8.90%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.13 CA$2.96

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.68 CA$2.33

-1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$4.43 CA$6.16

36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.06 CA$8.41

8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.86 CA$3.97

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.82 CA$3.92

-3.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.91

$5.20 CA$7.22

-31.92%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.86

$4.13 CA$5.74

-15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.80

$6.91 CA$9.60

95.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.19

$8.62 CA$11.98

51.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.57

$10.90 CA$15.15

55.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.78

$4.54 CA$6.31

-8.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.37 CA$1.91

-13.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$4.58 CA$6.37

-29.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.72

$4.10 CA$5.69

0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$4.34 CA$6.02

-42.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$3.60 CA$5.00

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.26

$3.38 CA$4.69

-30.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.69 CA$2.35

18.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.26

$12.71 CA$17.66

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.70

$10.83 CA$15.04

30.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.91 CA$4.05

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$4.87 CA$6.77

-33.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.81 CA$2.52

32.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$63.7 CA$88.5

79.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$2.64 CA$3.66

42.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$2.06 CA$2.87

-31.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.47

$43.73 CA$60.8

-41.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.24 CA$1.72

-11.29%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.2K CA$35.0K

0.31%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$18.6K CA$25.9K

12.99%

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

$120 CA$166

$221 CA$307

-45.87%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$43.95 CA$61.1

-14.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.7

$67.8 CA$94.1

-19.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.1

$74.6 CA$104

-25.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.39

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.06

$10.21 CA$14.18

13.22%

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

$1,129 CA$1,569

$554 CA$770

103.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

54.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.1

$38.50 CA$53.5

47.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.5

$58.7 CA$81.6

-31.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$79.6 CA$111

12.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$111 CA$154

3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,570

$954 CA$1,325

93.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,167

$1,186 CA$1,647

31.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,065

$2,051 CA$2,850

42.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,432

$1,822 CA$2,532

35.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$4,391 CA$6,100

106.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,775

$3,722 CA$5,172

89.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,963

$2,426 CA$3,371

47.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.46

-20.12%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $954 in Quesnel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 47% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $48.00 in Quesnel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $360 per month, with Quesnel 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 Quesnel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quesnel wins on cost – living expenses run 14% 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.

Toronto pays 47% more on average, 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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $954 in Quesnel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Quesnel – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,456 in Quesnel versus $2,811 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 14% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.