Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Windsor Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Windsor

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,423 in Windsor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,467 in Windsor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,511 in Windsor.

Living in Toronto is roughly 15% more expensive than in Windsor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Windsor 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$11.12 CA$15.65

66.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$73.4 CA$103

14.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$11.19 CA$15.75

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$4.00 CA$5.62

-0.25%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.07 CA$2.92

1.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.89 CA$2.67

-10.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.00 CA$7.03

18.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$6.04 CA$8.51

7.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$1.86 CA$2.61

45.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.19 CA$3.08

30.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$3.86 CA$5.43

-7.77%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.18 CA$4.47

11.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$10.62 CA$14.95

24.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$10.95 CA$15.41

19.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$13.89 CA$19.54

20.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$4.08 CA$5.74

0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.03 CA$1.45

10.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.37 CA$4.75

0.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.78 CA$5.32

6.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$1.94 CA$2.73

25.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.03 CA$2.85

44.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.27 CA$3.19

8.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.50 CA$2.11

28.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$13.43 CA$18.90

11.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$11.68 CA$16.44

22.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.79 CA$3.92

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.88 CA$4.05

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.83 CA$3.98

-13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$92.7 CA$130

21.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.34 CA$4.70

8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.35 CA$1.90

-0.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$21.68 CA$30.50

17.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

0.01%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$24.5K CA$34.5K

-11.31%

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

$117 CA$164

$202 CA$284

-42.09%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$55.9 CA$78.6

-32.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$61.4 CA$86.4

-12.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$45.76 CA$64.4

24.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$25.46 CA$35.83

-18.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$9.70 CA$13.65

19.18%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$505 CA$711

122.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$4,360 CA$6,135

322.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$37.40 CA$52.6

53.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$35.00 CA$49.24

11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$81.4 CA$115

7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$78.9 CA$111

44.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,240 CA$1,745

48.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,250 CA$1,758

22.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$1,700 CA$2,393

72.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,894 CA$2,665

32.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$3,029 CA$4,263

188.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$2,982 CA$4,196

130.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,024 CA$4,256

14.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.66

-22.52%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Windsor: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,240 in Windsor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 14% 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 $73.0 in Windsor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $336 per month, with Windsor cheaper across the board.

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 Windsor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windsor is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% 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 $1,240 in Windsor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Windsor – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,423 in Windsor versus $2,788 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Windsor but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Windsor 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 Windsor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.