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: $2,628 in Toronto versus $2,269 in Thunder Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Toronto versus $3,424 in Thunder Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,067 in Toronto versus $4,579 in Thunder Bay.

Living in Toronto is roughly 16% more expensive than in Thunder Bay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 91% above, Thunder Bay 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 CA$24.75

$17.82 CA$24.66

0.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 CA$122

$60.3 CA$83.5

45.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.13

$12.45 CA$17.23

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.62

$3.47 CA$4.80

17.00%

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

$2.18 CA$3.02

$1.99 CA$2.75

9.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.35

$1.57 CA$2.17

8.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.25

$5.34 CA$7.39

25.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CA$10.16

$5.16 CA$7.14

42.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$2.28 CA$3.15

21.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.00

$2.67 CA$3.70

8.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.55

$3.29 CA$4.55

-22.19%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.24

$3.87 CA$5.36

-2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.07

$17.32 CA$23.96

-41.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.53

$16.47 CA$22.79

-27.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 CA$22.31

$16.82 CA$23.27

-4.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.39

$3.36 CA$4.64

15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.23 CA$1.70

3.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.37

$3.87 CA$5.35

0.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$5.99

$3.53 CA$4.88

22.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.53

$2.44 CA$3.38

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$2.08 CA$2.88

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$3.01 CA$4.17

-24.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.99

$2.33 CA$3.22

-38.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.64

$11.03 CA$15.26

28.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 CA$19.71

$8.94 CA$12.36

59.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$2.00 CA$2.77

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.50

$3.06 CA$4.23

-17.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$2.38 CA$3.29

3.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$155

$64.2 CA$88.8

74.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$5.37 CA$7.44

-43.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.71

$2.10 CA$2.91

-40.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.44 CA$31.05

$35.67 CA$49.36

-37.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.71

$1.12 CA$1.54

10.71%

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

$27.5K CA$38.1K

$28.0K CA$38.7K

-1.77%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$19.4K CA$26.9K

8.76%

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

$128 CA$177

$160 CA$221

-20.14%

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

$33.79 CA$46.75

$58.2 CA$80.5

-41.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.25 CA$68.2

$81.0 CA$112

-39.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 CA$56.6

$29.68 CA$41.07

37.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$34.07

$17.98 CA$24.88

36.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 CA$18.21

$17.72 CA$24.53

-25.73%

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

$792 CA$1,097

$692 CA$958

14.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K CA$33.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.4

$77.7 CA$107

-29.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 CA$59.7

$35.80 CA$49.53

20.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$77.9 CA$108

30.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$171

$135 CA$187

-8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 CA$2,287

$1,079 CA$1,492

53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 CA$2,009

$951 CA$1,316

52.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 CA$3,728

$1,930 CA$2,670

39.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CA$2,974

$1,705 CA$2,360

26.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,347 CA$11.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 CA$9,431

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,614 CA$5,001

$2,743 CA$3,796

31.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.58

-1.97%

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

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Toronto and $1,079 in Thunder Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 32% 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: $88.0 in Toronto vs $60.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $406, 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% 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: $1,653 in Toronto versus $1,079 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 $88.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,628 per month in Toronto versus $2,269 in Thunder Bay – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,269 in Thunder Bay versus $2,628 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 16% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.