Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Stratford, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Stratford, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,066 in Stratford, ON.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,207 in Stratford, ON.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,348 in Stratford, ON.

Living in Toronto is roughly 36% more expensive than Stratford, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Stratford, ON 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$15.69 CA$21.73

19.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$71.2 CA$98.6

14.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$11.69 CA$16.18

-7.36%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.67 CA$5.08

5.99%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$1.85 CA$2.57

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.44 CA$1.99

14.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$5.30 CA$7.34

14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$2.87 CA$3.97

129.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$1.86 CA$2.58

46.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$1.84 CA$2.55

47.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$3.26 CA$4.52

8.59%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$2.02 CA$2.80

73.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$5.00 CA$6.92

170.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$7.54 CA$10.44

73.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$26.04 CA$36.05

-34.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$4.07 CA$5.63

2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$0.90 CA$1.25

31.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$3.16 CA$4.38

2.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$2.30 CA$3.19

79.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.88 CA$3.98

-13.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$2.64 CA$3.65

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.31 CA$3.20

1.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.42 CA$1.97

40.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$10.77 CA$14.91

35.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$11.31 CA$15.66

25.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$2.72 CA$3.76

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$2.79 CA$3.86

16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$2.18 CA$3.02

10.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$51.7 CA$71.6

120.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$2.43 CA$3.36

54.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.71 CA$2.36

-17.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$32.91 CA$45.56

-22.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

1.99%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$21.6K CA$29.9K

-2.28%

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

$120 CA$166

$135 CA$187

-11.21%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$54.2 CA$75.0

-30.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$58.4 CA$80.8

-6.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$44.28 CA$61.3

25.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

$19.89 CA$27.54

6.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$10.66 CA$14.76

8.44%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$948 CA$1,313

19.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$11.2K CA$15.6K

59.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$47.89 CA$66.3

18.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$38.41 CA$53.2

4.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$83.0 CA$115

8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$127 CA$176

-10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$1,337 CA$1,851

38.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$959 CA$1,327

62.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$2,227 CA$3,083

31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$1,909 CA$2,643

29.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$4,574 CA$6,334

98.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

$3,547 CA$4,911

98.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

$2,740 CA$3,793

30.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.55

-21.22%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stratford, ON: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,337 in Stratford, ON. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 30% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $71.0 in Stratford, ON for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $321 per month, with Stratford, ON cheaper across the board.

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 Stratford, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto and Stratford, ON differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($2,811 vs $2,066 including rent). Stratford, ON is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Toronto pays 30% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,337 in Stratford, ON. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,811 per month in Toronto versus $2,066 in Stratford, ON – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stratford, ON runs roughly 121% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,066 in Stratford, ON versus $2,811 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Stratford, ON but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Stratford, ON the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Stratford, ON gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.