Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,591 in Victoria versus $2,668 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,901 in Victoria versus $3,801 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,211 in Victoria versus $4,934 in Toronto.

Living in Victoria costs roughly 3% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Victoria 89% above, Toronto 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.36

$18.31 CA$25.62

-0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$99.7

$80.4 CA$112

-11.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.33

$10.61 CA$14.84

3.30%

Cappuccino

$4.34 CA$6.07

$3.99 CA$5.59

8.77%

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

$2.33 CA$3.26

$2.16 CA$3.02

7.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.55

$1.76 CA$2.46

3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.29

$6.65 CA$9.30

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.11

$7.20 CA$10.07

-9.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$2.84 CA$3.97

2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.50

$2.75 CA$3.85

17.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.93

$2.51 CA$3.50

68.92%

Eggs

$4.28 CA$5.99

$3.83 CA$5.35

11.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.09 CA$39.29

$10.01 CA$14.00

180.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 CA$17.52

$11.96 CA$16.73

4.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 CA$20.85

$15.63 CA$21.87

-4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.78

$3.67 CA$5.14

12.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.27 CA$1.78

16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.51

$3.87 CA$5.41

1.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.93

$4.23 CA$5.91

0.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.85

$1.86 CA$2.60

86.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.07

$1.53 CA$2.15

90.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.16 CA$4.42

$2.30 CA$3.22

37.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$1.44 CA$2.01

75.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.39 CA$21.53

$14.12 CA$19.75

8.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.07 CA$25.28

$14.53 CA$20.33

24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.62

$2.22 CA$3.11

81.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 CA$4.92

$2.55 CA$3.57

38.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$2.47 CA$3.46

-13.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 CA$85.6

$113 CA$158

-45.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.79

$3.10 CA$4.34

-12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.20

$1.28 CA$1.78

22.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 CA$47.93

$21.87 CA$30.60

56.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CA$1.94

$1.23 CA$1.72

13.01%

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

$28.7K CA$40.2K

$27.2K CA$38.1K

5.48%

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

$18.8K CA$26.3K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

-7.51%

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

$113 CA$158

$122 CA$171

-7.94%

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

$45.84 CA$64.1

$33.21 CA$46.46

38.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 CA$89.6

$49.37 CA$69.1

29.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 CA$58.4

$40.05 CA$56.0

4.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.99 CA$25.17

$23.78 CA$33.26

-24.35%

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 CA$15.31

$12.70 CA$17.76

-13.86%

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

$930 CA$1,301

$772 CA$1,080

20.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K CA$32.4K

$23.8K CA$33.3K

-2.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$75.5

$53.4 CA$74.7

0.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.08 CA$61.7

$42.13 CA$58.9

4.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$127

$99.7 CA$139

-9.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$149

$123 CA$172

-13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,235

$1,597 CA$2,234

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 CA$1,862

$1,439 CA$2,013

-7.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,733 CA$3,823

$2,738 CA$3,830

-0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 CA$3,277

$2,163 CA$3,026

8.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,353 CA$7,488

$8,246 CA$11.5K

-35.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 CA$6,136

$6,695 CA$9,366

-34.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,358 CA$4,697

$3,830 CA$5,358

-12.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.47

-3.36%

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

Last update for Victoria: September 14, 2026

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,598 in Victoria and $1,597 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 14% 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: $71.0 in Victoria vs $80.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $476 vs $361, 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

Victoria vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 14% 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: $1,598 in Victoria versus $1,597 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Victoria – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $80.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Victoria is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Victoria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.