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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,843 in Toronto versus $2,322 in Windsor, NS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,122 in Toronto versus $3,286 in Windsor, NS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,402 in Toronto versus $4,250 in Windsor, NS.

Living in Toronto is roughly 22% more expensive than in Windsor, NS, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 114% above, Windsor, NS 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.86 CA$26.47

$14.80 CA$20.77

27.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 CA$118

$37.09 CA$52.1

126.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 CA$15.72

$8.66 CA$12.16

29.33%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.52

$3.59 CA$5.04

9.47%

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

$2.15 CA$3.01

$1.74 CA$2.44

23.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

$1.28 CA$1.80

25.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.22

$5.73 CA$8.04

2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 CA$9.48

$5.74 CA$8.05

17.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.95 CA$2.73

37.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.91 CA$4.09

-5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$4.05 CA$5.68

-12.59%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.88

$4.13 CA$5.79

-15.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 CA$19.01

$12.49 CA$17.54

8.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 CA$18.43

$14.21 CA$19.95

-7.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.52 CA$23.19

$16.43 CA$23.06

0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$4.08 CA$5.73

0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.56 CA$2.19

-27.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.75

$3.68 CA$5.17

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$5.33 CA$7.48

-24.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.06 CA$2.90

24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$2.21 CA$3.10

27.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.78 CA$3.90

-11.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.93 CA$2.71

-0.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.58

$18.26 CA$25.62

-19.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 CA$19.50

$14.32 CA$20.09

-3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$3.25 CA$4.57

-16.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$3.34 CA$4.69

-5.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.39 CA$3.36

2.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$160

$62.9 CA$88.3

81.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$7.70 CA$10.80

-53.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.50 CA$2.11

-9.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.82 CA$36.24

$29.11 CA$40.86

-11.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.20 CA$1.69

-5.00%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-3.19%

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

$21.2K CA$29.8K

$20.8K CA$29.2K

2.10%

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

$119 CA$167

$130 CA$183

-8.79%

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

$36.98 CA$51.9

$33.08 CA$46.43

11.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 CA$76.2

$36.22 CA$50.8

49.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 CA$78.6

$41.80 CA$58.7

33.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.56 CA$28.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.26

$11.14 CA$15.64

4.04%

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

$1,155 CA$1,621

$165 CA$231

600.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K CA$25.1K

$12.0K CA$16.8K

49.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.8

$40.81 CA$57.3

42.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 CA$55.0

$34.53 CA$48.47

13.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$123

$87.7 CA$123

-0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$139 CA$195

-17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,505

$1,329 CA$1,866

34.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 CA$2,165

$1,158 CA$1,625

33.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,918 CA$4,096

$2,045 CA$2,870

42.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,471 CA$3,468

$1,781 CA$2,500

38.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$4,193 CA$5,885

108.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,800 CA$9,544

$3,772 CA$5,294

80.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,476 CA$4,879

$923 CA$1,295

276.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.46

-20.12%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 26, 2026

Last update for Windsor, NS: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,785 in Toronto and $1,329 in Windsor, NS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 277% 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 $37.00 in Windsor, NS. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $407, 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 Windsor, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windsor, NS is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 277% 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: $1,785 in Toronto versus $1,329 in Windsor, NS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Windsor, NS – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,322 in Windsor, NS versus $2,843 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Windsor, NS but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Windsor, NS 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, NS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.