Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Saint Paul, MN

For one person, living costs are similar in Toronto and in Saint Paul, MN: $2,530 and $2,438 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
Learn more

Toronto Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Saint Paul, MN
Learn more

Saint Paul, MN Living Index

Jump to prices

Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,530

/mo nomad

Saint Paul, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,438

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Saint Paul, MN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toronto and in Saint Paul, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,530 per month in Toronto vs $2,438 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

Toronto $2,530
Saint Paul, MN $2,438

A couple spends around $3,646 per month in Toronto vs $3,743 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

Toronto $3,646
Saint Paul, MN $3,743

A family of three spends $4,761 per month in Toronto vs $5,048 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

Toronto $4,761
Saint Paul, MN $5,048

Toronto costs about 4% more than Saint Paul, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Toronto and Saint Paul, MN sit above the global median – Toronto by 89%, Saint Paul, MN by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 CA$25.19

$15.75 $15.75

12.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 CA$110

$68.6 $68.6

12.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 CA$14.93

$10.11 $10.11

3.56%

Cappuccino

$4.08 CA$5.81

$5.26 $5.26

-22.43%

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

$2.12 CA$3.02

$2.98 $2.98

-28.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.51

$2.68 $2.68

-34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 CA$8.80

$6.14 $6.14

0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 CA$9.82

$7.65 $7.65

-9.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 CA$3.46

$0.97 $0.97

150.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.92

$3.95 $3.95

-30.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.18

$3.30 $3.30

-32.42%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.91

$3.06 $3.06

12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 CA$12.73

$9.41 $9.41

-5.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.31

$9.71 $9.71

17.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 CA$20.83

$13.16 $13.16

11.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.34

$4.91 $4.91

-23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.64

$1.16 $1.16

-0.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$5.06

$5.94 $5.94

-40.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.10

$4.89 $4.89

-12.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.63

$3.90 $3.90

-52.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.38

$3.56 $3.56

-53.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.16

$2.07 $2.07

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$1.75 $1.75

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 CA$19.78

$12.21 $12.21

13.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$20.31

$14.34 $14.34

-0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.13

$1.68 $1.68

30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.45

$3.43 $3.43

-29.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.44

$2.19 $2.19

10.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$158

$122 $122

-9.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.13

$2.52 $2.52

15.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.80

$1.60 $1.60

-21.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.03 CA$31.40

$30.97 $30.97

-28.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.74

$0.98 $0.98

24.49%

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

$27.6K CA$39.4K

$36.2K $36.2K

-23.63%

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

$19.8K CA$28.3K

$25.5K $25.5K

-22.34%

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

$122 CA$174

$226 $226

-46.00%

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

$32.03 CA$45.66

$51.4 $51.4

-37.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 CA$68.3

$65.9 $65.9

-27.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 CA$55.5

$33.79 $33.79

15.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.24 CA$33.12

$8.29 $8.29

180.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 CA$17.97

$12.96 $12.96

-2.70%

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

$834 CA$1,189

$1,499 $1,499

-44.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K CA$33.3K

$28.1K $28.1K

-16.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 CA$75.0

$40.97 $40.97

28.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 CA$57.4

$40.24 $40.24

0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 CA$137

$79.5 $79.5

21.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$175

$109 $109

12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,278

$1,355 $1,355

17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 CA$2,045

$1,100 $1,100

30.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 CA$3,787

$2,529 $2,529

5.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 CA$2,988

$2,265 $2,265

-7.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,033 CA$11.5K

$2,903 $2,903

176.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,557 CA$9,347

$2,195 $2,195

198.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,743 CA$5,335

$4,120 $4,120

-9.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.31

-29.16%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 4, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.4%

Saint Paul, MN

$1.1K 45.5% 23.3% $335

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.1%

Saint Paul, MN

$363 15% 6.6% $23

Eating Out

Toronto

$282 10.9%

Saint Paul, MN

$288 11.9% 2.2% $6.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$202 7.8%

Saint Paul, MN

$343 14.2% 69.9% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$140 5.4%

Saint Paul, MN

$122 5% 13.4% $19

Getting Around

Toronto

$130 5%

Saint Paul, MN

$141 5.9% 9.1% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$64 2.5%

Saint Paul, MN

$60 2.5% 6.9% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,598 in Toronto versus $1,355 in Saint Paul, MN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Saint Paul, MN, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Toronto versus $69.0 in Saint Paul, MN. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Toronto vs $363 in Saint Paul, MN – so Toronto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN

🕒 Local time

04:36 4:36 AM

03:36 3:36 AM

1 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

285,068

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Toronto Saint Paul, MN 1,100 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Saint Paul, MN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Saint Paul, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,795 per month in Toronto and $3,657 in Saint Paul, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Paul, MN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $834 per month in Toronto and $1,499 in Saint Paul, MN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Toronto – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint Paul, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,438, than in Toronto at $2,530. In Saint Paul, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Paul, MN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Paul, MN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.