Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Saguenay Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Saguenay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $1,332 in Saguenay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $2,353 in Saguenay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $3,374 in Saguenay.

Living in Toronto is roughly 109% more expensive than in Saguenay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Saguenay 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$13.01 CA$18.31

42.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$44.95 CA$63.3

86.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$11.22 CA$15.79

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.91 CA$5.50

2.05%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.52 CA$2.13

38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.27 CA$1.79

33.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.59 CA$7.86

5.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$5.09 CA$7.16

27.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.18 CA$3.07

24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.98 CA$4.19

-4.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$4.45 CA$6.27

-20.00%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$2.60 CA$3.66

36.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$12.81 CA$18.02

3.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$8.59 CA$12.08

51.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$13.73 CA$19.32

22.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.99 CA$5.61

3.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.25 CA$1.76

-8.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.95 CA$5.56

-13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.96 CA$5.57

1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$1.96 CA$2.75

23.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$1.59 CA$2.24

84.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.59 CA$3.64

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$0.82 CA$1.16

134.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$11.92 CA$16.77

25.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$11.24 CA$15.82

27.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$3.07 CA$4.32

-11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.00 CA$2.81

56.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.82 CA$3.97

-13.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$56.8 CA$79.9

98.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.66 CA$5.15

-0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.95 CA$2.75

-31.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$31.28 CA$44.02

-18.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.15 CA$1.62

-3.48%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

0.90%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

7.19%

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

$117 CA$164

$87.2 CA$123

33.80%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$38.88 CA$54.7

-3.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$43.25 CA$60.9

24.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$33.57 CA$47.24

70.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$14.11 CA$19.85

47.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$9.74 CA$13.70

18.69%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$613 CA$863

83.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$6,342 CA$8,923

190.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$60.2 CA$84.6

-4.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$53.1 CA$74.8

-26.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$96.1 CA$135

-8.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$128 CA$180

-11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$613 CA$862

200.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$300 CA$422

409.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$1,299 CA$1,827

125.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,065 CA$1,498

135.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$5,707 CA$8,031

52.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$3,425 CA$4,820

100.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$2,588 CA$3,642

33.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.87

-24.89%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Saguenay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $613 in Saguenay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 33% 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 $45.00 in Saguenay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $337 per month, with Saguenay 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 Saguenay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto and Saguenay differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($2,788 vs $1,332 including rent). Saguenay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% 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 $613 in Saguenay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,125 in Toronto versus $613 in Saguenay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,332 in Saguenay versus $2,788 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saguenay but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Saguenay 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 Saguenay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.