Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Winston-Salem, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in Winston-Salem, NC: $2,428 a month against $2,589 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Toronto outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Toronto
Learn more

Toronto Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Winston-Salem, NC
Learn more

Winston-Salem, NC Living Index

Jump to prices

Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,589

/mo nomad

Winston-Salem, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Winston-Salem, NC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toronto and in Winston-Salem, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,589 in Toronto versus $2,428 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Toronto $2,589
Winston-Salem, NC $2,428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,710 in Toronto versus $3,722 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Toronto $3,710
Winston-Salem, NC $3,722

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,831 in Toronto versus $5,016 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Toronto $4,831
Winston-Salem, NC $5,016

Living in Toronto is roughly 7% more expensive than in Winston-Salem, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Winston-Salem, NC 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 CA$24.59

$22.94 $22.94

-23.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$109

$79.2 $79.2

-1.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 CA$14.79

$10.19 $10.19

3.93%

Cappuccino

$4.16 CA$5.81

$5.36 $5.36

-22.39%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$2.87 $2.87

-28.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.95 $1.95

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 CA$9.19

$5.14 $5.14

28.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 CA$9.94

$6.13 $6.13

15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$1.45 $1.45

74.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.78

$4.75 $4.75

-43.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.13

$9.80 $9.80

-77.14%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.87

$5.46 $5.46

-36.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 CA$13.10

$18.33 $18.33

-48.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 CA$16.20

$13.95 $13.95

-16.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 CA$20.51

$26.68 $26.68

-44.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.23

$7.78 $7.78

-51.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$3.11 $3.11

-60.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.86

$7.03 $7.03

-50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.04

$7.42 $7.42

-41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.59

$4.91 $4.91

-62.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.36

$6.04 $6.04

-72.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 CA$3.11

$2.76 $2.76

-19.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$3.54 $3.54

-63.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.04 CA$19.62

$8.95 $8.95

56.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.16

$14.82 $14.82

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CA$3.01

$1.61 $1.61

34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.53

$4.60 $4.60

-45.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 CA$3.31

$1.02 $1.02

132.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$157

$29.70 $29.70

278.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 CA$4.25

$6.85 $6.85

-55.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.73

$2.24 $2.24

-44.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.55 CA$31.51

$14.85 $14.85

51.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.74

$0.94 $0.94

31.91%

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

$26.9K CA$37.6K

$29.7K $29.7K

-9.38%

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

$21.4K CA$29.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-18.28%

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

$125 CA$174

$176 $176

-29.03%

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

$33.05 CA$46.18

$51.7 $51.7

-36.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.96 CA$67.0

$62.9 $62.9

-23.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.69 CA$51.3

$35.52 $35.52

3.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.67 CA$33.07

$15.77 $15.77

50.10%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 CA$18.27

$11.79 $11.79

10.94%

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

$759 CA$1,060

$1,279 $1,279

-40.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.2K

$9,829 $9,829

141.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$74.8

$38.64 $38.64

38.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.44 CA$56.5

$31.00 $31.00

30.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 CA$140

$84.4 $84.4

19.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$175

$95.5 $95.5

31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 CA$2,277

$1,501 $1,501

8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,978

$1,001 $1,001

41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 CA$3,764

$2,667 $2,667

1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 CA$2,935

$1,761 $1,761

19.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,551 CA$10.5K

$5,103 $5,103

47.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,674 CA$9,324

$2,693 $2,693

147.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,543 CA$4,950

$3,714 $3,714

-4.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

6.68

-33.38%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 26, 2026

Last update for Winston-Salem, NC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 54.7%

Winston-Salem, NC

$1K 41.2% 29.3% $415

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$345 13.3%

Winston-Salem, NC

$578 23.8% 67.5% $233

Eating Out

Toronto

$285 11%

Winston-Salem, NC

$336 13.8% 17.9% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$206 7.9%

Winston-Salem, NC

$290 12% 41.1% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$144 5.6%

Winston-Salem, NC

$112 4.6% 21.9% $32

Getting Around

Toronto

$131 5.1%

Winston-Salem, NC

$52 2.1% 60.5% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$63 2.4%

Winston-Salem, NC

$59 2.4% 6% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,630 in Toronto and $1,501 in Winston-Salem, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Winston-Salem, NC pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78 in Toronto vs $79 in Winston-Salem, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $578 per month, with Toronto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇺🇸 Winston-Salem, NC

🕒 Local time

05:36 5:36 AM

Same time as Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

241,218

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.641 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Toronto Winston-Salem, NC 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
Winston-Salem, NC

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Winston-Salem, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Winston-Salem, NC is about 6% cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Toronto. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,630 in Toronto versus $1,501 in Winston-Salem, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $759 in Toronto versus $1,279 in Winston-Salem, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Winston-Salem, NC runs roughly 74% less than in Toronto. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Winston-Salem, NC gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.