Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Zanjan

For one person, living is cheaper in Zanjan: $425 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $25,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Zanjan
🇮🇷 Iran
$425
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Zanjan

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 Zanjan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,561 in Toronto versus $425 in Zanjan.

  • Toronto $2,561
  • Zanjan $425

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,694 in Toronto versus $764 in Zanjan.

  • Toronto $3,694
  • Zanjan $764

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,826 in Toronto versus $1,103 in Zanjan.

  • Toronto $4,826
  • Zanjan $1,103

Living in Toronto is roughly 502% more expensive than in Zanjan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toronto is 90% above, Zanjan is 69% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.18 CA$24.29
$2.91 $2.91
490.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.0 CA$107
$13.05 $13.05
482.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 CA$14.89
$3.02 $3.02
249.01%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.69 $0.69
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.01 $1.01
-
Cappuccino
$4.02 CA$5.68
$0.94 $0.94
327.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 CA$3.00
$0.49 $0.49
332.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 CA$2.48
$1.13 $1.13
54.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.24 CA$8.83
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.09 CA$10.02
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$0.71 $0.71
243.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 CA$3.78
$0.53 $0.53
405.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 CA$3.17
$3.18 $3.18
-29.56%
Eggs
$3.56 CA$5.03
$1.24 $1.24
187.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.09 CA$12.85
$4.47 $4.47
103.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.33 CA$16.01
$3.30 $3.30
243.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.53 CA$20.55
$8.86 $8.86
64.00%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 CA$5.12
$1.03 $1.03
251.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$1.54 $1.54
-21.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.60 CA$5.09
$0.80 $0.80
350.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.96
$0.46 $0.46
815.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.53
$0.53 $0.53
237.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 CA$2.25
$0.51 $0.51
211.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$0.44 $0.44
415.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 CA$1.77
$0.26 $0.26
380.77%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.72 $0.72
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.51 $0.51
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.54 $1.54
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 CA$19.53
$1.79 $1.79
672.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.27 CA$20.18
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 CA$3.10
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 CA$3.44
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.39 CA$3.38
$0.19 $0.19
1157.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$111 CA$157
$10.09 $10.09
999.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 CA$4.12
$0.29 $0.29
903.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 CA$1.69
$0.29 $0.29
313.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.38 CA$30.23
$0.97 $0.97
2104.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.71
$0.03 $0.03
3933.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$50.9K $50.9K
-44.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.6K
$44.9K $44.9K
-54.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$170
$13.12 $13.12
817.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.26 CA$45.60
$1.57 $1.57
1954.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.93 CA$67.8
$3.77 $3.77
1171.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.48 CA$54.4
$12.38 $12.38
210.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.96 CA$32.46
$12.44 $12.44
84.57%
Cinema Ticket
$12.38 CA$17.50
$1.98 $1.98
525.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$830 CA$1,173
$107 $107
678.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K CA$32.6K
$2,578 $2,578
795.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.7 CA$71.7
$26.26 $26.26
93.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.02 CA$56.6
$37.86 $37.86
5.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 CA$139
$118 $118
-16.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 CA$171
$75.3 $75.3
60.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,592 CA$2,251
$132 $132
1102.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,410 CA$1,994
$98.1 $98.1
1338.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,670 CA$3,775
$389 $389
586.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,152 CA$3,042
$315 $315
584.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,945 CA$11.2K
$803 $803
889.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,542 CA$9,249
$464 $464
1310.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
Zanjan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,727 CA$5,269
$292 $292
1178.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
23
-80.57%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Zanjan: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
Zanjan
$98 93% $1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$340
Zanjan
$114 66.5% $226
Eating Out
Toronto
$278
Zanjan
$50 82% $228
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$201
Zanjan
$18 90.8% $182
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$139
Zanjan
$116 16.9% $24
Getting Around
Toronto
$129
Zanjan
$13 90.3% $117
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$63
Zanjan
$16 74.2% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Toronto and $132 in Zanjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 1178% 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: $76.0 in Toronto vs $13.00 in Zanjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $114 per month, with Zanjan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇮🇷 Zanjan
🕒 Local time
11:54 11:54 AM
19:24 7:24 PM
7 h 30 min ahead of Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
386,851
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto Zanjan 9,650 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Toronto
  • Zanjan

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 Zanjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zanjan cheaper than Toronto?
Zanjan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 502% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Toronto or Zanjan?
Average pay runs 1178% higher in Toronto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Toronto and Zanjan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,592 in Toronto versus $132 in Zanjan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Toronto and in Zanjan?
Supermarket bills run roughly 198% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Toronto or in Zanjan?
Dining out is cheaper in Zanjan – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $76.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Toronto or in Zanjan?
At $425 in Zanjan versus $2,561 in Toronto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zanjan but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Zanjan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Toronto or in Zanjan?
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.
Which city is safer, Toronto or Zanjan?
Safety-wise, Toronto and Zanjan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Zanjan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 502% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Toronto vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?