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: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,481 in Quesnel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,496 in Quesnel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,512 in Quesnel.

Living in Toronto is roughly 12% more expensive than in Quesnel, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Quesnel 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$18.27 CA$25.61

1.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$47.12 CA$66.1

77.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$11.25 CA$15.77

-2.49%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$4.21 CA$5.90

-5.23%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.13 CA$2.99

-0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.63 CA$2.28

3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$4.53 CA$6.35

30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$5.92 CA$8.30

9.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.98 CA$4.18

-9.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.74 CA$3.85

4.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$5.05 CA$7.08

-29.50%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$4.03 CA$5.65

-12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$6.88 CA$9.65

92.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$9.09 CA$12.74

43.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$11.20 CA$15.70

49.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$4.73 CA$6.63

-13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.42 CA$1.98

-19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$4.63 CA$6.49

-26.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$3.99 CA$5.59

0.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$4.39 CA$6.16

-44.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$3.40 CA$4.77

-13.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$3.32 CA$4.66

-25.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.68 CA$2.35

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$12.38 CA$17.36

21.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$10.40 CA$14.59

37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.79 CA$3.91

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$4.70 CA$6.59

-33.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$1.80 CA$2.52

36.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$63.4 CA$88.9

77.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$2.69 CA$3.77

34.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$2.09 CA$2.93

-35.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$43.73 CA$61.3

-41.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.20 CA$1.68

-7.50%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

-0.55%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$18.2K CA$25.5K

19.66%

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

$117 CA$164

$220 CA$308

-46.91%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$44.12 CA$61.9

-14.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$67.6 CA$94.8

-20.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$74.4 CA$104

-23.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$9.78 CA$13.71

18.20%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$558 CA$782

101.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$11.9K CA$16.6K

55.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$37.91 CA$53.2

51.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$58.3 CA$81.7

-33.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$80.6 CA$113

8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$110 CA$155

3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$953 CA$1,336

93.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$1,196 CA$1,677

27.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$1,987 CA$2,786

47.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$1,798 CA$2,521

39.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$4,466 CA$6,261

95.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$3,200 CA$4,486

114.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$2,446 CA$3,429

41.20%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $953 in Quesnel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 41% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $47.00 in Quesnel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $361 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 12% 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 41% 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $953 in Quesnel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 $47.00 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,481 in Quesnel versus $2,788 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 12% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.