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: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,077 in Stratford, ON.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,265 in Stratford, ON.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,452 in Stratford, ON.

Living in Toronto is roughly 34% more expensive than in Stratford, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Stratford, ON 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$15.73 CA$22.06

17.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$72.3 CA$101

15.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$11.92 CA$16.71

-7.97%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.69 CA$5.18

8.13%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$1.79 CA$2.51

17.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.43 CA$2.00

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$5.26 CA$7.38

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$3.00 CA$4.20

116.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.86 CA$2.61

45.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$1.85 CA$2.59

54.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.23 CA$4.53

10.22%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$2.11 CA$2.96

67.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$5.11 CA$7.16

159.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$7.46 CA$10.47

74.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$25.70 CA$36.04

-34.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$4.07 CA$5.71

0.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$0.84 CA$1.18

35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$3.31 CA$4.64

2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$2.28 CA$3.19

76.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.86 CA$4.01

-15.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.65 CA$3.72

10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.38 CA$3.33

3.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.44 CA$2.02

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$11.03 CA$15.46

35.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$11.07 CA$15.52

29.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.74 CA$3.84

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$2.80 CA$3.93

11.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.16 CA$3.03

13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$50.8 CA$71.2

122.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$2.34 CA$3.28

55.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.75 CA$2.45

-23.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$32.86 CA$46.07

-22.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.1K CA$35.3K

0.50%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$21.6K CA$30.2K

0.98%

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

$117 CA$164

$134 CA$188

-12.85%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$54.2 CA$75.9

-30.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$57.4 CA$80.5

-6.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$43.75 CA$61.3

30.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

$20.40 CA$28.59

2.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$10.60 CA$14.86

9.06%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$932 CA$1,307

20.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$10.9K CA$15.3K

68.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$47.64 CA$66.8

20.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$38.10 CA$53.4

2.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$83.4 CA$117

5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$129 CA$181

-11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,358 CA$1,904

35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$944 CA$1,323

62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$2,187 CA$3,066

33.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$1,923 CA$2,696

30.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$3,672 CA$5,148

137.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$2,760 CA$3,869

25.15%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Stratford, ON: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,358 in Stratford, ON. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 25% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $72.0 in Stratford, ON for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $320 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 34% in total monthly costs ($2,788 vs $2,077 including rent). Stratford, ON is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Toronto, 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,358 in Stratford, ON. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,788 per month in Toronto versus $2,077 in Stratford, ON – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stratford, ON runs roughly 122% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,077 in Stratford, ON versus $2,788 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 34% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.