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: $2,754 in Toronto versus $2,293 in Windsor, NS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,090 in Toronto versus $3,247 in Windsor, NS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,427 in Toronto versus $4,202 in Windsor, NS.

Living in Toronto is roughly 20% more expensive than Windsor, NS, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 105% above, Windsor, NS 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.93 CA$26.43

$14.84 CA$20.72

27.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$37.49 CA$52.4

118.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.55

$9.04 CA$12.62

23.12%

Cappuccino

$4.00 CA$5.59

$3.63 CA$5.08

10.19%

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

$2.18 CA$3.05

$1.66 CA$2.32

31.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.36

$1.26 CA$1.76

34.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.28

$5.97 CA$8.34

-0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.18

$5.85 CA$8.17

12.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 CA$3.96

$2.04 CA$2.84

38.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$2.80 CA$3.91

-2.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.09

$4.04 CA$5.64

-9.65%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.94

$3.98 CA$5.56

-11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 CA$18.84

$12.76 CA$17.82

5.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.06 CA$18.24

$14.27 CA$19.93

-8.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 CA$23.05

$16.77 CA$23.42

-1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.57

$4.07 CA$5.68

-1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.62 CA$2.27

-27.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.49

$3.72 CA$5.20

-13.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$5.37 CA$7.50

-24.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$2.14 CA$2.99

18.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.92

$2.17 CA$3.03

29.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.43

$2.64 CA$3.69

-6.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.68

$1.86 CA$2.59

3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.85 CA$20.74

$18.49 CA$25.83

-19.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.22 CA$19.86

$11.30 CA$15.77

25.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$3.42 CA$4.78

-21.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.57

$3.31 CA$4.62

-1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.35

$2.32 CA$3.24

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$63.0 CA$87.9

79.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 CA$5.18

$7.64 CA$10.67

-51.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.97

$1.44 CA$2.01

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.65

$29.91 CA$41.77

-14.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.23 CA$1.72

-7.32%

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

$24.7K CA$34.4K

$24.9K CA$34.7K

-0.87%

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

$21.6K CA$30.2K

$20.7K CA$28.9K

4.49%

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

$120 CA$168

$133 CA$185

-9.47%

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

$36.76 CA$51.3

$32.51 CA$45.40

13.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 CA$76.7

$36.26 CA$50.6

51.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 CA$79.8

$42.05 CA$58.7

35.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 CA$29.40

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 CA$16.40

$10.88 CA$15.20

7.90%

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

$1,142 CA$1,595

$165 CA$230

593.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.1K

$12.0K CA$16.8K

49.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 CA$79.2

$40.58 CA$56.7

39.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$55.6

$35.09 CA$49.00

13.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 CA$124

$85.2 CA$119

4.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$137 CA$192

-15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CA$2,556

$1,314 CA$1,834

39.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 CA$2,207

$1,162 CA$1,623

35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,989 CA$4,174

$1,976 CA$2,759

51.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 CA$3,506

$1,848 CA$2,581

35.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,084 CA$12.7K

$4,551 CA$6,355

99.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,885 CA$9,614

$3,841 CA$5,364

79.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,555 CA$4,964

$918 CA$1,282

287.36%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Windsor, NS: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,830 in Toronto and $1,314 in Windsor, NS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 287% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $37.00 in Windsor, NS. Groceries flip the comparison at $394 vs $402, 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Toronto pays 287% more on average, 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: $1,830 in Toronto versus $1,314 in Windsor, NS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 2% 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 $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,293 in Windsor, NS versus $2,754 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 20% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.