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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,788 per month in Toronto vs $2,824 in Sydney, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,110 per month in Toronto vs $4,241 in Sydney, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Toronto vs $5,658 in Sydney, rent included.

Toronto is about 1% cheaper than Sydney, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toronto and Sydney sit above the global median – Toronto by 109%, Sydney by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$16.22 A$23.24

14.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$79.3 A$114

5.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$9.59 A$13.74

14.39%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.29 A$4.72

21.28%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.46 A$3.53

-14.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.97 A$2.82

-14.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$6.63 A$9.50

-10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$7.12 A$10.21

-8.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.65 A$2.36

64.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.67 A$3.82

6.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$2.34 A$3.35

52.14%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$5.03 A$7.21

-29.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$8.59 A$12.31

54.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$8.37 A$11.99

55.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$14.03 A$20.10

19.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.23 A$4.63

27.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$2.75 A$3.94

-58.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$3.18 A$4.56

6.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$4.36 A$6.25

-7.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.45 A$3.51

-0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.36 A$3.38

24.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.16 A$3.10

14.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.29 A$1.84

48.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$32.49 A$46.55

-53.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$13.96 A$20.00

2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$4.62 A$6.62

-41.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$5.30 A$7.60

-41.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$3.18 A$4.56

-22.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$143 A$205

-20.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.82 A$5.48

-4.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$3.03 A$4.35

-55.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$52.3 A$75.0

-51.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.20 A$1.71

-7.50%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$28.4K A$40.7K

-10.96%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$22.4K A$32.1K

-2.75%

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

$117 CA$164

$198 A$284

-41.13%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$24.17 A$34.62

55.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$51.8 A$74.2

3.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$60.4 A$86.5

-5.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

$21.22 A$30.40

-1.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$15.72 A$22.52

-26.46%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$2,085 A$2,988

-46.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$18.8K A$27.0K

-2.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$75.1 A$108

-23.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$59.3 A$85.0

-34.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$106 A$152

-17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$131 A$188

-13.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$2,182 A$3,126

-15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$1,506 A$2,157

1.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$4,461 A$6,391

-34.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$2,698 A$3,865

-7.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$12.8K A$18.4K

-31.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$7,341 A$10.5K

-6.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$4,217 A$6,042

-18.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.34

-18.61%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Toronto versus $2,182 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 22% 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 $84.0 in Toronto versus $79.0 in Sydney. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $347 – making Sydney 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: $2,788 in Toronto, $2,824 in Sydney – roughly 1% apart. Sydney costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,181 per month in Toronto and $4,235 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 $84.0 in Toronto and $79.0 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 $2,788 in Toronto and $2,824 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 $2,788 in Toronto and $2,824 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.