Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Thunder Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Thunder Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,377 in Thunder Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,506 in Thunder Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,634 in Thunder Bay.

Living in Toronto is roughly 17% more expensive than in Thunder Bay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Thunder Bay 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$18.58 CA$26.15

-0.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$59.9 CA$84.3

39.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$12.47 CA$17.55

-12.03%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.73 CA$5.25

6.97%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.79 CA$2.53

17.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.52 CA$2.14

11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.33 CA$7.50

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$5.26 CA$7.41

23.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.55 CA$3.58

6.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.54 CA$3.58

12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$3.50 CA$4.92

1.71%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.57 CA$5.02

-0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$17.42 CA$24.51

-23.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$16.40 CA$23.08

-20.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$18.17 CA$25.57

-7.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.48 CA$4.89

18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.29 CA$1.81

-11.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.95 CA$5.55

-13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.75 CA$5.28

7.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.61 CA$3.67

-6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.22 CA$3.12

32.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$3.10 CA$4.37

-20.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$2.21 CA$3.11

-13.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$11.15 CA$15.69

34.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$8.91 CA$12.54

60.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.12 CA$2.99

27.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.85 CA$4.01

9.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.46 CA$3.46

-0.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$63.7 CA$89.7

77.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.24 CA$4.57

12.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.98 CA$2.78

-32.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$25.49 CA$35.87

0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.17 CA$1.65

-5.13%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

-0.82%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$20.5K CA$28.8K

6.30%

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

$117 CA$164

$201 CA$283

-41.93%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$59.8 CA$84.1

-37.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$99.9 CA$141

-46.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$30.65 CA$43.13

86.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$18.19 CA$25.59

14.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$13.50 CA$19.00

-14.37%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$738 CA$1,038

52.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$11.7K CA$16.5K

57.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$60.3 CA$84.8

-4.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$36.01 CA$50.7

8.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$74.9 CA$105

16.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$139 CA$196

-18.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,045 CA$1,470

76.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,034 CA$1,455

48.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$1,863 CA$2,622

57.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,820 CA$2,561

37.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$2,854 CA$4,015

21.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.19

-16.64%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,045 in Thunder Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 21% 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 $60.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $413, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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 Thunder Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thunder Bay is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% 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 $1,045 in Thunder Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thunder Bay – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,788 per month in Toronto versus $2,377 in Thunder Bay – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,377 in Thunder Bay versus $2,788 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Thunder Bay but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Thunder Bay 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 Thunder Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.