Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Santa Monica, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Toronto: $2,561 a month against $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA, rent and utilities included – about $22,400 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
214

Cost of Living Index in Santa Monica, CA
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Santa Monica, CA Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,561

/mo nomad

Santa Monica, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,561 per month in Toronto vs $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA, rent included.

Toronto $2,561
Santa Monica, CA $4,430

A couple spends around $3,694 per month in Toronto vs $6,581 in Santa Monica, CA, rent included.

Toronto $3,694
Santa Monica, CA $6,581

A family of three spends $4,826 per month in Toronto vs $8,732 in Santa Monica, CA, rent included.

Toronto $4,826
Santa Monica, CA $8,732

Toronto is about 42% cheaper than Santa Monica, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Toronto and Santa Monica, CA sit above the global median – Toronto by 90%, Santa Monica, CA by 228%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.29

$26.77 $26.77

-35.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 CA$107

$118 $118

-35.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.89

$14.88 $14.88

-29.17%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.68

$5.93 $5.93

-32.21%

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

$2.12 CA$3.00

$3.26 $3.26

-34.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.48

$2.40 $2.40

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 CA$8.83

$8.13 $8.13

-23.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 CA$10.02

$9.95 $9.95

-28.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.45

$1.34 $1.34

82.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.78

$4.57 $4.57

-41.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.17

$4.65 $4.65

-51.83%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$5.03

$5.73 $5.73

-37.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.85

$15.77 $15.77

-42.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 CA$16.01

$14.21 $14.21

-20.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 CA$20.55

$19.80 $19.80

-26.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.12

$4.76 $4.76

-23.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$2.29 $2.29

-47.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.09

$3.95 $3.95

-8.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.96

$5.45 $5.45

-22.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.53

$3.31 $3.31

-45.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.25

$2.83 $2.83

-43.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$2.14 $2.14

6.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.77

$2.48 $2.48

-49.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 CA$19.53

$11.56 $11.56

19.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 CA$20.18

$15.25 $15.25

-6.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$2.43 $2.43

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.44

$3.06 $3.06

-20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.38

$2.52 $2.52

-5.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$157

$67.0 $67.0

65.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$3.15 $3.15

-7.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.90 $1.90

-36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.38 CA$30.23

$32.68 $32.68

-34.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$1.45 $1.45

-16.55%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$36.8K $36.8K

-23.44%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

-20.78%

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

$120 CA$170

$218 $218

-44.74%

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

$32.26 CA$45.60

$46.37 $46.37

-30.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 CA$67.8

$65.1 $65.1

-26.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.48 CA$54.4

$70.7 $70.7

-45.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 CA$32.46

$44.11 $44.11

-47.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.50

$19.36 $19.36

-36.05%

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

$830 CA$1,173

$1,694 $1,694

-51.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K CA$32.6K

$32.5K $32.5K

-28.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 CA$71.7

$88.9 $88.9

-42.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 CA$56.6

$54.8 $54.8

-26.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$139

$104 $104

-5.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$171

$121 $121

-0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 CA$2,251

$3,328 $3,328

-52.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,994

$2,860 $2,860

-50.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 CA$3,775

$5,804 $5,804

-54.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 CA$3,042

$5,048 $5,048

-57.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,945 CA$11.2K

$10.9K $10.9K

-26.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,542 CA$9,249

$7,924 $7,924

-17.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,727 CA$5,269

$6,900 $6,900

-45.99%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Monica, CA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.1%

Santa Monica, CA

$2.9K 64.6% 103% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.3%

Santa Monica, CA

$462 10.4% 35.9% $122

Eating Out

Toronto

$278 10.9%

Santa Monica, CA

$413 9.3% 48.5% $135

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$201 7.8%

Santa Monica, CA

$329 7.4% 64.2% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$139 5.4%

Santa Monica, CA

$166 3.8% 19.3% $27

Getting Around

Toronto

$129 5.1%

Santa Monica, CA

$90 2% 30.6% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$63 2.5%

Santa Monica, CA

$109 2.5% 73% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Toronto versus $3,328 in Santa Monica, CA. 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 85% higher in Santa Monica, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Toronto versus $118 in Santa Monica, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $462 – making Toronto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 Santa Monica, CA

🕒 Local time

21:28 9:28 PM

18:28 6:28 PM

3 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

89,736

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toronto Santa Monica, CA 3,520 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Monica, CA is pricier by about 73%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,841 per month in Toronto and $6,645 in Santa Monica, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $830 per month in Toronto and $1,694 in Santa Monica, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Santa Monica, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,561 in Toronto and $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Toronto – 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 Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Monica, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.