Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Victoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Victoria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,695 in Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $4,049 in Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $5,403 in Victoria.

Living in Toronto is roughly 3% more expensive than in Victoria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Victoria 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$18.14 CA$25.52

2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$81.6 CA$115

2.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$10.97 CA$15.43

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.04 CA$5.68

-1.24%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.42 CA$3.41

-12.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$2.05 CA$2.88

-17.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.05 CA$7.10

17.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$6.50 CA$9.15

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$3.06 CA$4.30

-11.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$3.14 CA$4.42

-9.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$5.08 CA$7.15

-29.92%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$4.40 CA$6.19

-19.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$13.25 CA$18.64

0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$14.69 CA$20.67

-11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$15.32 CA$21.55

9.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$4.38 CA$6.17

-6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.67 CA$2.34

-31.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$4.38 CA$6.16

-22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$4.97 CA$6.99

-19.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$3.79 CA$5.33

-35.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$3.13 CA$4.40

-6.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.64 CA$3.72

-6.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$2.67 CA$3.76

-28.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$15.42 CA$21.70

-2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$17.95 CA$25.26

-20.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$3.79 CA$5.33

-28.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$4.35 CA$6.12

-28.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$1.89 CA$2.66

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$63.6 CA$89.4

77.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$2.68 CA$3.77

35.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.39 CA$1.96

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$33.79 CA$47.55

-24.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.33 CA$1.88

-16.54%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$24.6K CA$34.6K

2.75%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$21.0K CA$29.6K

3.52%

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

$117 CA$164

$137 CA$193

-14.84%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$53.2 CA$74.9

-29.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$71.0 CA$99.9

-24.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$44.61 CA$62.8

28.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$16.67 CA$23.46

25.13%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$11.88 CA$16.72

-2.69%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$630 CA$887

78.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$14.2K CA$19.9K

30.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$58.2 CA$81.8

-1.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$44.98 CA$63.3

-13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$93.7 CA$132

-6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$112 CA$157

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,592 CA$2,240

15.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,378 CA$1,938

11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$2,700 CA$3,799

8.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$2,446 CA$3,442

2.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$5,539 CA$7,794

57.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$4,491 CA$6,319

52.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,060 CA$4,305

12.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.38

-19.12%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Victoria: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,592 in Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 13% 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 $82.0 in Victoria. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $457, 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 Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% 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 $1,592 in Victoria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Victoria – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Victoria is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Victoria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.