Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Topeka, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Topeka, KS: $1,922 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Topeka, KS
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Topeka, KS Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,561

/mo nomad

Topeka, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,922

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Topeka, KS

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toronto and in Topeka, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,561 in Toronto versus $1,922 in Topeka, KS.

Toronto $2,561
Topeka, KS $1,922

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,694 in Toronto versus $2,865 in Topeka, KS.

Toronto $3,694
Topeka, KS $2,865

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,826 in Toronto versus $3,807 in Topeka, KS.

Toronto $4,826
Topeka, KS $3,807

Living in Toronto is roughly 33% more expensive than in Topeka, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Topeka, KS 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.29

$13.47 $13.47

27.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 CA$107

$51.7 $51.7

46.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.89

$9.87 $9.87

6.79%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.68

$3.40 $3.40

18.24%

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

$2.12 CA$3.00

$2.26 $2.26

-6.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.48

$1.73 $1.73

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 CA$8.83

$4.51 $4.51

38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 CA$10.02

$8.82 $8.82

-19.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.45

$0.81 $0.81

201.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.78

$2.68 $2.68

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.17

$2.99 $2.99

-25.08%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$5.03

$3.97 $3.97

-10.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.85

$8.99 $8.99

1.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 CA$16.01

$8.24 $8.24

37.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 CA$20.55

$14.74 $14.74

-1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.12

$4.67 $4.67

-22.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.72

$1.57 $1.57

-22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.09

$5.14 $5.14

-29.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.96

$4.21 $4.21

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.53

$3.39 $3.39

-47.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.25

$2.53 $2.53

-37.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$1.84 $1.84

23.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.77

$0.84 $0.84

48.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 CA$19.53

$8.85 $8.85

56.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 CA$20.18

$12.23 $12.23

16.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$1.85 $1.85

18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.44

$1.64 $1.64

48.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.38

$4.02 $4.02

-40.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$157

$50.3 $50.3

120.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$2.76 $2.76

5.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.57 $1.57

-23.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.38 CA$30.23

$33.70 $33.70

-36.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$0.94 $0.94

28.72%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$24.0K $24.0K

17.41%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$25.0K $25.0K

-18.86%

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

$120 CA$170

$143 $143

-16.01%

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

$32.26 CA$45.60

$48.04 $48.04

-32.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 CA$67.8

$66.0 $66.0

-27.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.48 CA$54.4

$44.74 $44.74

-13.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 CA$32.46

$15.30 $15.30

50.07%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.50

$15.25 $15.25

-18.82%

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

$830 CA$1,173

$438 $438

89.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K CA$32.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 CA$71.7

$38.30 $38.30

32.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 CA$56.6

$28.87 $28.87

38.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$139

$88.8 $88.8

10.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$171

$80.8 $80.8

49.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 CA$2,251

$790 $790

101.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,994

$853 $853

65.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 CA$3,775

$1,302 $1,302

105.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 CA$3,042

$1,467 $1,467

46.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,945 CA$11.2K

$1,292 $1,292

514.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,542 CA$9,249

$1,342 $1,342

387.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,727 CA$5,269

$3,554 $3,554

4.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

6.24

-28.37%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 55.1%

Topeka, KS

$853 44.4% 39.5% $558

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$340 13.3%

Topeka, KS

$319 16.6% 6% $21

Eating Out

Toronto

$278 10.9%

Topeka, KS

$234 12.2% 15.8% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$201 7.8%

Topeka, KS

$257 13.4% 28.3% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$139 5.4%

Topeka, KS

$107 5.5% 23.5% $33

Getting Around

Toronto

$129 5.1%

Topeka, KS

$77 4% 40.5% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$63 2.5%

Topeka, KS

$75 3.9% 19% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Toronto and $790 in Topeka, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 5% 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: $76.0 in Toronto vs $52.0 in Topeka, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $319 per month, with Topeka, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 Topeka, KS

🕒 Local time

12:14 12:14 PM

11:14 11:14 AM

1 h behind Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

124,331

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Toronto Topeka, KS 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Topeka, KS

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Topeka, KS is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $1,592 in Toronto versus $790 in Topeka, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Topeka, KS – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $76.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,922 in Topeka, KS versus $2,561 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Topeka, KS but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Topeka, KS 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 Topeka, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.