Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and St.Catharines Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and St.Catharines

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $2,280 in St.Catharines, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $3,194 in St.Catharines, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $4,107 in St.Catharines, rent included.

Toronto costs about 23% more than St.Catharines, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toronto and St.Catharines sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, St.Catharines by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$15.10 CA$21.00

23.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$43.62 CA$60.7

87.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$11.08 CA$15.40

-2.26%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$3.49 CA$4.85

11.46%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.71 CA$2.38

29.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.27 CA$1.76

29.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$4.80 CA$6.68

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$5.27 CA$7.33

24.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.12 CA$2.95

28.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$2.14 CA$2.98

27.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$2.92 CA$4.06

21.23%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.80 CA$5.28

-7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$8.23 CA$11.45

64.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$9.30 CA$12.93

40.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$14.54 CA$20.22

16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$4.09 CA$5.69

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.02 CA$1.41

15.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.35 CA$4.66

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$3.43 CA$4.77

20.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.13 CA$2.96

17.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.19 CA$3.04

31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$1.88 CA$2.61

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.13 CA$1.57

76.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$13.18 CA$18.32

10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$13.21 CA$18.37

7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.68 CA$3.73

4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$2.93 CA$4.08

10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.16 CA$3.00

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$65.8 CA$91.5

73.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$2.87 CA$3.99

31.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.26 CA$1.76

11.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$22.42 CA$31.18

13.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.09 CA$1.51

0.92%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.2K CA$35.0K

0.22%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$20.4K CA$28.3K

3.43%

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

$120 CA$166

$171 CA$237

-29.87%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$34.34 CA$47.76

9.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$52.3 CA$72.8

4.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$29.98 CA$41.69

85.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$43.76 CA$60.9

-51.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$11.99 CA$16.67

-3.59%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$752 CA$1,046

50.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

55.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$62.6 CA$87.0

-9.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$44.68 CA$62.1

-10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$74.3 CA$103

20.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$87.3 CA$121

30.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,157 CA$1,610

59.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,252 CA$1,742

24.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$1,852 CA$2,575

57.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$1,699 CA$2,363

45.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$3,111 CA$4,326

192.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$2,729 CA$3,795

157.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$3,059 CA$4,254

16.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.51

-20.74%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for St.Catharines: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,157 in St.Catharines. 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 $44.00 in St.Catharines. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $319 – making St.Catharines 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 St.Catharines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,216 per month in Toronto and $3,420 in St.Catharines. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 73% less in St.Catharines. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,129 per month in Toronto and $752 in St.Catharines. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in St.Catharines, where all-in costs run around $2,280, than in Toronto at $2,811. In St.Catharines it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St.Catharines – 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 St.Catharines. 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.