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: $2,768 in Toronto versus $2,345 in Windsor, NS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,066 in Toronto versus $3,293 in Windsor, NS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,364 in Toronto versus $4,241 in Windsor, NS.

Living in Toronto is roughly 18% more expensive than Windsor, NS, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 106% above, Windsor, NS 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 CA$25.20

$14.66 CA$20.09

25.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 CA$111

$37.46 CA$51.3

117.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$14.97

$8.95 CA$12.27

22.01%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.25

$3.64 CA$4.98

5.22%

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

$2.19 CA$3.01

$1.70 CA$2.33

28.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.25

$1.33 CA$1.83

23.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.05

$5.72 CA$7.83

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.24

$5.87 CA$8.04

14.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.68

$2.02 CA$2.76

33.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.90 CA$3.97

-4.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.81

$4.06 CA$5.57

-13.55%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.76

$3.97 CA$5.44

-12.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 CA$18.15

$12.29 CA$16.84

7.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.70

$14.66 CA$20.08

-11.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 CA$22.44

$16.77 CA$22.97

-2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.52

$4.11 CA$5.63

-1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.56 CA$2.14

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$3.84 CA$5.26

-12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$5.38 CA$7.37

-25.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$2.14 CA$2.93

14.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.90

$2.20 CA$3.01

29.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 CA$3.27

$2.69 CA$3.68

-11.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.93 CA$2.64

2.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.31

$18.53 CA$25.39

-20.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 CA$19.68

$11.58 CA$15.87

24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.79

$3.36 CA$4.60

-17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.52

$3.27 CA$4.48

0.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.35

$2.34 CA$3.21

4.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$155

$63.4 CA$86.8

79.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 CA$4.95

$7.71 CA$10.57

-53.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.94

$1.44 CA$1.98

-1.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$35.48

$29.62 CA$40.57

-12.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.50

$1.21 CA$1.65

-9.09%

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

$25.5K CA$35.0K

$25.0K CA$34.3K

2.12%

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

$21.0K CA$28.7K

$20.6K CA$28.3K

1.60%

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

$119 CA$163

$131 CA$179

-9.37%

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

$37.69 CA$51.6

$33.19 CA$45.47

13.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 CA$74.7

$36.46 CA$49.95

49.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$78.5

$42.45 CA$58.2

34.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 CA$28.33

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$15.92

$11.14 CA$15.27

4.31%

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

$1,118 CA$1,531

$167 CA$228

570.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K CA$25.0K

$11.7K CA$16.0K

56.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$78.6

$40.75 CA$55.8

40.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$54.5

$34.60 CA$47.40

15.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$84.9 CA$116

4.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$137 CA$188

-15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 CA$2,516

$1,299 CA$1,780

41.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 CA$2,124

$1,164 CA$1,595

33.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,991 CA$4,097

$1,996 CA$2,734

49.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 CA$3,415

$1,816 CA$2,487

37.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,566 CA$11.7K

$4,281 CA$5,865

100.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,905 CA$9,460

$3,174 CA$4,348

117.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,697 CA$5,064

$948 CA$1,299

289.91%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Windsor, NS: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,836 in Toronto and $1,299 in Windsor, NS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 290% 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: $81 in Toronto vs $37 in Windsor, NS. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $405, 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Toronto pays 290% 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: $1,836 in Toronto versus $1,299 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 $81.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,345 in Windsor, NS versus $2,768 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 18% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.