Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Sydney Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Sydney

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Toronto vs $3,352 in Sydney, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,866 per month in Toronto vs $4,870 in Sydney, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,111 per month in Toronto vs $6,389 in Sydney, rent included.

Toronto is about 22% cheaper than Sydney, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Toronto and Sydney sit above the global median – Toronto by 90%, Sydney by 143%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$18.19 A$25.36

-1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$95.0 A$132

-8.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$12.37 A$17.24

-11.56%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$4.07 A$5.67

-1.47%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.82 A$3.93

-22.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$2.21 A$3.08

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$8.13 A$11.33

-20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$7.38 A$10.29

-4.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$1.85 A$2.58

46.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.85 A$3.97

2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$2.45 A$3.42

1.22%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$5.67 A$7.90

-32.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$12.92 A$18.01

-21.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$9.63 A$13.42

24.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$17.07 A$23.80

-8.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$3.80 A$5.29

2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$3.23 A$4.50

-61.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$3.37 A$4.70

12.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$4.72 A$6.58

-7.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$3.25 A$4.54

-40.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.56 A$3.57

-41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$2.48 A$3.46

-8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.32 A$1.84

10.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$46.98 A$65.5

-69.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$14.62 A$20.38

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$4.20 A$5.86

-46.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$4.05 A$5.65

-36.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$3.21 A$4.48

-26.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$157 A$219

-27.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$3.69 A$5.15

-14.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.61 A$2.24

-21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$40.67 A$56.7

-44.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.46 A$2.03

-15.07%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$30.6K A$42.7K

-10.77%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$30.4K A$42.5K

-31.86%

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

$124 CA$172

$224 A$313

-44.85%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$27.89 A$38.88

17.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$59.4 A$82.9

-17.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$79.3 A$111

-49.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$24.63 A$34.34

-3.21%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$18.37 A$25.62

-30.21%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$2,288 A$3,191

-65.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$29.5K A$41.2K

-16.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$83.3 A$116

-34.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$76.1 A$106

-43.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$112 A$156

-12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$136 A$190

-7.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$2,637 A$3,676

-37.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$1,808 A$2,521

-17.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$5,114 A$7,129

-45.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$3,057 A$4,262

-29.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$13.6K A$18.9K

-38.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

$8,504 A$11.9K

-19.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$4,239 A$5,911

-10.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

5.84

-23.46%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sydney: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,660 in Toronto versus $2,637 in Sydney. 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 12% higher in Sydney, 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 $95.0 in Sydney. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $392 – making Toronto 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 Sydney: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,620 in Toronto, $3,352 in Sydney – roughly 28% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,930 per month in Toronto and $5,027 in Sydney. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toronto, 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 $95.0 in Sydney. 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 $3,352 in Sydney. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,620 in Toronto and $3,352 in Sydney. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Toronto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sydney makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.