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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $1,998 in Sarnia, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $2,894 in Sarnia, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $3,791 in Sarnia, rent included.

Toronto costs about 41% more than Sarnia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Toronto and Sarnia sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, Sarnia by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.99

$14.76 CA$20.51

26.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$47.14 CA$65.5

73.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.04

$9.38 CA$13.04

15.46%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.40

$2.57 CA$3.58

51.36%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.55 CA$2.15

43.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.60 CA$2.22

3.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$4.77 CA$6.63

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$5.91 CA$8.22

11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.12 CA$2.94

28.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.35 CA$3.27

15.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.91

$2.58 CA$3.59

37.21%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.86

$3.16 CA$4.39

10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.80

$8.24 CA$11.44

64.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.19

$14.39 CA$20.00

-9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.57

$13.66 CA$18.98

24.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.78

$4.12 CA$5.73

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.27 CA$4.54

-0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.72

$3.70 CA$5.14

11.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.35 CA$3.27

6.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.81 CA$3.91

2.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.26

$1.95 CA$2.71

20.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.20 CA$1.67

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.26

$10.82 CA$15.03

34.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.70

$10.06 CA$13.98

40.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.44 CA$3.39

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$2.96 CA$4.11

9.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.19 CA$3.04

9.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$55.4 CA$77.0

105.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$2.55 CA$3.54

47.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.72 CA$2.38

-18.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.47

$29.94 CA$41.60

-14.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.08 CA$1.51

1.85%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

2.10%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$19.9K CA$27.7K

5.69%

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

$120 CA$166

$146 CA$203

-18.25%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$37.40 CA$52.0

0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.7

$55.0 CA$76.5

-0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.1

$22.45 CA$31.19

147.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.39

$18.49 CA$25.69

14.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.06

$12.07 CA$16.77

-4.23%

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

$1,129 CA$1,569

$293 CA$407

285.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$10.4K CA$14.5K

72.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.1

$54.2 CA$75.3

5.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.5

$25.82 CA$35.88

54.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$70.9 CA$98.5

26.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$86.6 CA$120

31.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,570

$1,284 CA$1,785

43.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,167

$949 CA$1,319

64.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,065

$2,415 CA$3,356

21.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,432

$1,501 CA$2,086

64.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,775

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,963

$3,053 CA$4,242

17.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.33

-18.48%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sarnia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,284 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 17% 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 $82.0 in Toronto versus $47.00 in Sarnia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $338 – 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: $2,811 in Toronto, $1,998 in Sarnia – roughly 41% apart. Toronto costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,216 per month in Toronto and $2,997 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 $82.0 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 $2,811 in Toronto and $1,998 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 $1,998, than in Toronto at $2,811. 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.