Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Waterloo 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Waterloo is 16.2% lower than in Toronto (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Waterloo is 17.0% lower than in Toronto | |
| Rent Prices in Waterloo are 18.7% lower than in Toronto | |
| Restaurant Prices in Waterloo are 23.5% lower than in Toronto | |
| Groceries Prices in Waterloo are 11.8% lower than in Toronto | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Waterloo is 11.7% higher than in Toronto | |
Restaurants | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 C$ | 20.00 C$ | -20.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 120.00 C$ | 80.00 C$ | -33.3 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 15.00 C$ | 14.00 C$ | -6.7 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 9.00 C$ | 7.25 C$ | -19.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 10.00 C$ | 8.00 C$ | -20.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.45 C$ | 3.98 C$ | -27.0 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.77 C$ | 2.17 C$ | -21.9 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.29 C$ | 2.17 C$ | -5.6 % |
Markets | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 3.92 C$ | 2.99 C$ | -23.6 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 3.41 C$ | 2.80 C$ | -18.0 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 2.43 C$ | 1.50 C$ | -38.4 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 4.80 C$ | 4.08 C$ | -14.8 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 8.85 C$ | 5.86 C$ | -33.8 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 7.88 C$ | 9.18 C$ | +16.6 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 10.49 C$ | 8.84 C$ | -15.7 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.54 C$ | 2.15 C$ | -15.4 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.75 C$ | 0.81 C$ | +7.9 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.30 C$ | 2.03 C$ | -12.0 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2.35 C$ | 2.26 C$ | -3.7 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.48 C$ | 1.27 C$ | -14.6 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.54 C$ | 1.46 C$ | -5.6 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 3.41 C$ | 2.41 C$ | -29.2 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.58 C$ | 2.34 C$ | -9.4 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 18.00 C$ | 15.00 C$ | -16.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 3.45 C$ | 3.51 C$ | +1.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 4.26 C$ | 4.12 C$ | -3.4 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 20.40 C$ | 20.00 C$ | -2.0 % |
Transportation | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.30 C$ | 3.75 C$ | +13.6 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 156.00 C$ | 93.50 C$ | -40.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 5.00 C$ | 3.50 C$ | -30.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 3.22 C$ | 4.02 C$ | +25.0 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 35.00 C$ | 40.00 C$ | +14.3 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.42 C$ | 1.48 C$ | +4.3 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 33,978.00 C$ | 33,978.00 C$ | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 29,578.80 C$ | 27,382.58 C$ | -7.4 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 179.68 C$ | 230.48 C$ | +28.3 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 52.82 C$ | 45.90 C$ | -13.1 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 71.33 C$ | 72.22 C$ | +1.2 % |
Sports And Leisure | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 77.59 C$ | 49.17 C$ | -36.6 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 29.33 C$ | 21.00 C$ | -28.4 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 16.00 C$ | 15.75 C$ | -1.6 % |
Childcare | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,446.58 C$ | 760.50 C$ | -47.4 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 24,974.54 C$ | 24,000.00 C$ | -3.9 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 80.34 C$ | 69.00 C$ | -14.1 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 54.00 C$ | 37.50 C$ | -30.5 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 116.69 C$ | 91.00 C$ | -22.0 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 154.13 C$ | 119.50 C$ | -22.5 % |
Rent Per Month | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,369.65 C$ | 1,892.86 C$ | -20.1 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,089.90 C$ | 1,683.33 C$ | -19.5 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,856.93 C$ | 3,166.67 C$ | -17.9 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 3,294.81 C$ | 2,700.00 C$ | -18.1 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,108.83 C$ | 730.64 C$ | -34.1 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 940.94 C$ | 571.02 C$ | -39.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | Toronto Edit |
Waterloo Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 4,865.46 C$ | 4,511.52 C$ | -7.3 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 4.40 | 6.26 | +42.3 % |
| Last update: | 11 November 2025 | 9 November 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 512 | 38 |
Moving to Toronto? Explore:
Moving to Waterloo? Explore:
Cities near Toronto: | Cost of Living in Vaughan | 16.10 miles |
| Cost of Living in Richmond Hill | 22.87 miles |
| Cost of Living in Oakville | 25.57 miles |
| Cost of Living in Brampton | 27.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Whitby, ON | 33.84 miles |
| Cost of Living in Burlington | 34.94 miles |
| Cost of Living in Oshawa | 35.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hamilton | 44.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in Georgina | 57.04 miles |
| Cost of Living in Guelph | 58.38 miles |
Cities near Waterloo: | Cost of Living in Kitchener | 5.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cambridge | 14.40 miles |
| Cost of Living in Guelph | 17.92 miles |
| Cost of Living in Stratford, ON | 26.89 miles |
| Cost of Living in Milton | 31.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in Brantford | 32.44 miles |
| Cost of Living in Woodstock | 37.86 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hamilton | 43.61 miles |
| Cost of Living in Burlington | 46.51 miles |
| Cost of Living in Simcoe, ON | 48.15 miles |