Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and San Rafael, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,530 a month against $4,955 in San Rafael, CA, rent and utilities included – about $29,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
237

Cost of Living Index in San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,530

/mo nomad

San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,955

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in San Rafael, CA

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 San Rafael, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,530 in Toronto versus $4,955 in San Rafael, CA.

Toronto $2,530
San Rafael, CA $4,955

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Toronto versus $6,421 in San Rafael, CA.

Toronto $3,646
San Rafael, CA $6,421

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Toronto versus $7,886 in San Rafael, CA.

Toronto $4,761
San Rafael, CA $7,886

Living in Toronto costs roughly 49% less than in San Rafael, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 89% above, San Rafael, CA 270% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 CA$25.19

$25.06 $25.06

-29.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 CA$110

$120 $120

-35.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 CA$14.93

$12.07 $12.07

-13.26%

Cappuccino

$4.08 CA$5.82

$4.67 $4.67

-12.63%

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

$2.12 CA$3.02

$2.97 $2.97

-28.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.51

$2.98 $2.98

-40.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 CA$8.80

$5.40 $5.40

14.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 CA$9.83

$6.96 $6.96

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 CA$3.47

$1.50 $1.50

62.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.92

$4.43 $4.43

-37.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.18

$9.69 $9.69

-76.99%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.91

$5.52 $5.52

-37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 CA$12.74

$22.55 $22.55

-60.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.31

$15.37 $15.37

-25.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 CA$20.83

$18.20 $18.20

-19.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.34

$7.34 $7.34

-48.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.64

$2.93 $2.93

-60.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$5.06

$6.65 $6.65

-46.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.11

$8.27 $8.27

-48.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.63

$5.78 $5.78

-67.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.38

$5.44 $5.44

-69.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.16

$3.20 $3.20

-30.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$3.87 $3.87

-68.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 CA$19.79

$10.79 $10.79

28.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$20.32

$12.81 $12.81

11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.13

$2.22 $2.22

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.45

$3.08 $3.08

-21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.45

$1.99 $1.99

21.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$158

$64.5 $64.5

71.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.13

$4.10 $4.10

-29.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.80

$4.29 $4.29

-70.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.03 CA$31.41

$28.62 $28.62

-23.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.74

$1.44 $1.44

-15.28%

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

$27.6K CA$39.4K

$32.2K $32.2K

-14.16%

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

$19.8K CA$28.3K

$27.3K $27.3K

-27.40%

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

$122 CA$174

$259 $259

-52.98%

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

$32.03 CA$45.67

$84.3 $84.3

-62.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 CA$68.3

$61.8 $61.8

-22.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 CA$55.5

$124 $124

-68.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.24 CA$33.13

$29.76 $29.76

-21.91%

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 CA$17.98

$12.97 $12.97

-2.78%

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

$834 CA$1,189

$2,128 $2,128

-60.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K CA$33.3K

$24.6K $24.6K

-5.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 CA$75.0

$59.2 $59.2

-11.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 CA$57.4

$42.66 $42.66

-5.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 CA$137

$94.0 $94.0

2.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$175

$128 $128

-3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,279

$3,079 $3,079

-48.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 CA$2,046

$3,143 $3,143

-54.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 CA$3,788

$4,230 $4,230

-37.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 CA$2,989

$3,789 $3,789

-44.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,033 CA$11.5K

$7,545 $7,545

6.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,557 CA$9,350

$5,372 $5,372

22.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,743 CA$5,337

$7,047 $7,047

-46.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.62

-32.48%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 4, 2026

Last update for San Rafael, CA: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.4%

San Rafael, CA

$3.1K 64.5% 119% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.1%

San Rafael, CA

$572 11.7% 68.1% $232

Eating Out

Toronto

$282 10.9%

San Rafael, CA

$357 7.3% 26.8% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$202 7.8%

San Rafael, CA

$405 8.3% 101% $203

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$140 5.4%

San Rafael, CA

$146 3% 3.7% $5.2

Getting Around

Toronto

$130 5%

San Rafael, CA

$98 2% 24.4% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$64 2.5%

San Rafael, CA

$150 3.1% 134% $86

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,598 in Toronto and $3,079 in San Rafael, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 88% 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: $77.0 in Toronto vs $120 in San Rafael, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $572 per month, with Toronto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🕒 Local time

00:46 12:46 AM

21:46 9:46 PM

3 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

58,704

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.701 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 12, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.701 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toronto San Rafael, CA 3,640 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
San Rafael, CA

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 San Rafael, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in San Rafael, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Toronto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in San Rafael, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,598 in Toronto versus $3,079 in San Rafael, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,530 per month in Toronto versus $4,955 in San Rafael, CA – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Toronto runs roughly 72% less than in San Rafael, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Safety-wise, Toronto and San Rafael, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.