Cost of Living Comparison Between Windsor and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Windsor and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,353 in Windsor versus $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Windsor versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,964 in Windsor versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Living in Windsor costs roughly 10% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Windsor 71% above, Toronto 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 CA$19.77

$17.88 CA$24.66

-19.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 CA$91.3

$87.9 CA$121

-24.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 CA$14.68

$10.93 CA$15.08

-2.65%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.09

$4.06 CA$5.60

-9.11%

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

$2.62 CA$3.61

$2.18 CA$3.01

20.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.55

$1.70 CA$2.34

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 CA$6.87

$6.69 CA$9.22

-25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 CA$8.22

$7.35 CA$10.13

-18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.54

$2.78 CA$3.83

-33.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 CA$2.95

$2.89 CA$3.99

-25.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.29

$2.56 CA$3.54

21.48%

Eggs

$3.02 CA$4.16

$3.79 CA$5.22

-20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 CA$14.09

$10.17 CA$14.02

0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 CA$14.41

$11.95 CA$16.48

-12.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 CA$19.70

$16.12 CA$22.23

-11.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.56

$3.89 CA$5.37

3.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 CA$1.38

$1.27 CA$1.76

-21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.29

$3.88 CA$5.35

-19.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.06

$4.33 CA$5.97

-15.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.70

$1.83 CA$2.52

7.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CA$2.97

$1.50 CA$2.06

43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$2.28 CA$3.14

-1.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$1.44 CA$1.98

-7.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.23 CA$18.25

$14.20 CA$19.58

-6.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 CA$16.39

$14.24 CA$19.64

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.60

$2.25 CA$3.10

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.60

$2.53 CA$3.49

32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.72

$2.47 CA$3.41

9.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.2 CA$123

$112 CA$154

-20.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 CA$3.32

$3.05 CA$4.20

-20.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 CA$1.41

$1.24 CA$1.70

-16.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 CA$20.18

$22.44 CA$30.94

-34.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.70

$1.24 CA$1.70

-0.81%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$27.5K CA$37.9K

2.94%

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

$19.2K CA$26.5K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

-9.01%

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

$186 CA$256

$128 CA$176

45.45%

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

$39.67 CA$54.7

$33.79 CA$46.59

17.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 CA$78.9

$49.25 CA$67.9

16.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.19 CA$62.3

$40.93 CA$56.5

10.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.71 CA$39.59

$24.62 CA$33.95

16.61%

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 CA$15.01

$13.16 CA$18.15

-17.25%

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

$511 CA$705

$792 CA$1,093

-35.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,298 CA$5,926

$24.1K CA$33.3K

-82.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.44 CA$61.3

$54.5 CA$75.2

-18.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.29 CA$47.29

$43.11 CA$59.5

-20.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 CA$112

$102 CA$140

-20.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 CA$116

$123 CA$170

-31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 CA$1,630

$1,653 CA$2,279

-28.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,664

$1,452 CA$2,002

-16.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 CA$2,470

$2,694 CA$3,716

-33.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 CA$2,129

$2,149 CA$2,964

-28.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,021 CA$4,166

$8,347 CA$11.5K

-63.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,018 CA$4,162

$6,816 CA$9,399

-55.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,078 CA$4,244

$3,614 CA$4,984

-14.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

4.49

4.90%

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

Last update for Windsor: August 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,182 in Windsor and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 17% 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: $66.0 in Windsor vs $88.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $365 per month, with Windsor cheaper across the board.

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

Windsor vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windsor is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% 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: $1,182 in Windsor versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Windsor – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $88.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,353 in Windsor versus $2,628 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Windsor but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Windsor 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 gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.