Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Sarnia Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Sarnia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Toronto vs $2,049 in Sarnia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,866 per month in Toronto vs $2,869 in Sarnia, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,111 per month in Toronto vs $3,690 in Sarnia, rent included.

Toronto costs about 28% more than Sarnia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Toronto and Sarnia sit above the global median – Toronto by 90%, Sarnia by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$14.02 CA$19.44

27.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$47.45 CA$65.8

82.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$10.26 CA$14.23

6.63%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$2.93 CA$4.07

36.86%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.98 CA$2.75

10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.33 CA$1.85

27.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$4.44 CA$6.16

45.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$5.73 CA$7.95

23.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.09 CA$2.90

29.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.41 CA$3.35

21.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$2.47 CA$3.42

0.40%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$2.84 CA$3.94

35.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$11.18 CA$15.51

-9.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$11.62 CA$16.11

3.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$14.40 CA$19.98

8.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$3.64 CA$5.05

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.16 CA$1.61

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$3.60 CA$5.00

5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$3.67 CA$5.09

19.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$1.41 CA$1.95

36.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.93 CA$2.68

-22.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$1.75 CA$2.42

30.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.24 CA$1.72

17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$12.58 CA$17.45

15.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$10.30 CA$14.29

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$2.48 CA$3.44

-8.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$2.79 CA$3.87

-7.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$2.33 CA$3.23

1.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$57.7 CA$80.0

98.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$2.58 CA$3.58

22.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.86 CA$2.57

-32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$28.44 CA$39.45

-20.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.16 CA$1.60

6.90%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$28.5K CA$39.5K

-4.05%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$19.5K CA$27.1K

6.28%

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

$124 CA$172

$143 CA$198

-13.26%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$30.39 CA$42.14

7.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$47.48 CA$65.9

2.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$23.94 CA$33.20

68.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$18.00 CA$24.97

32.44%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$11.95 CA$16.57

7.28%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$359 CA$498

119.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$16.7K CA$23.1K

47.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$57.3 CA$79.5

-5.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$31.00 CA$43.00

39.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$75.8 CA$105

29.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$75.0 CA$104

67.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$1,394 CA$1,933

19.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$1,045 CA$1,450

41.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$2,562 CA$3,553

9.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$1,520 CA$2,108

41.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$3,069 CA$4,257

23.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

5.09

-12.18%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sarnia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,394 in Sarnia. 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 24% higher in Toronto, 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 $87.0 in Toronto versus $47.00 in Sarnia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $328 – making Sarnia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sarnia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,620 in Toronto, $2,049 in Sarnia – roughly 28% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,930 per month in Toronto and $3,073 in Sarnia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Toronto and $47.00 in Sarnia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,620 in Toronto and $2,049 in Sarnia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarnia, where all-in costs run around $2,049, than in Toronto at $2,620. In Sarnia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Sarnia. 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.