# cost of living in Toronto



## FABIO & KIKI (May 24, 2010)

Hello!
we are thinking of moving to Toronto. Can anybody give us some info on the cost of living ?
Thanx

:ranger:


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

FABIO & KIKI said:


> Hello!
> we are thinking of moving to Toronto. Can anybody give us some info on the cost of living ?
> Thanx
> 
> :ranger:


You may as well ask how long's a piece of string. Toronto covers a huge area and living costs would differ greatly between the city centre and the suburbs. Also they're much influenced by what lifestyle you intend to follow. Can you be more specific as to the type/quality of housing you would need, the size of your family, your entertainment/dining out desires, need for a car etc, etc.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Relative to Italy you'll pay more for

Car insurance will be much higher. Don't be surprised to spend almost 3K a year since you'll be considered a new driver.

Utilities will be higher. You won't be able to run the heat a few hours a day. It'll go on in Sept and likely be on 24 hours a day until the end of April. Then you'll have the A/C on the rest of the year. Add the fact the average appliance will be less efficient.

Property tax (Like the old ICI in Italy) will be a big chunk. Easily over 3K a year and likely more.

Grocery bills will be about the same. Meat less. Cheese more. 

Clothing will vary. Some things are much less. Some things much more. Depending on your size you may have trouble finding small enough stuff. OTOH if you're bigger it'll be easier.

Gasoline will cost less per litre but your car will use much more so it's possible you'll spend the same or even more for fuel.


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## Samzar (Jun 24, 2008)

*Depends...*

....but here's the average cost. I made this a while ago for some friends who wanted to come to Canada but didn't know how much should they be earning to manage the average cost of living. So here is a little insight for Toronto, and if it helps you, I'd be glad!

*Concept* *Average Annual Cost*
Personal taxes based on Salary of $36k per Year	$8,000.00
Personal insurance payments and pension contributions	$3,000.00
Shelter based on 1 Bedroom Apt/Basement	$10,800.00
Transportation - Public - From Home to Work & Back Only (Other traveling extra)	$1,464.00
Food, based on two adults	$5,000.00
Phone (Cell Phone only) no national/international calls, just a cell phone for emergency.	$250.00
Recreation - Depending on outings, could be more or less but this is average	$1,000.00
Household operation (Maintenance and Kitchenware, Washroomware etc. excl. furniture)	$500.00
Health care (Depending on your situation, the regular medicine for Flu, Cold, Fever, Aches etc., wont cost much)	

*TOTAL	$30,014.00*

_P.S. The cost of Internet, Landline, Cable TV and other related stuff is not included,	as they are deemed not necessary items.	
The cost is based on only two adults. (Only one incurring Transportation, taxes, insurance/Pension contributions and Cell Phone costs) for working spouse, such costs will double. 
Kids and other dependents are not included and costs such as food, recreation, household operations will increase per extra Dependent and per the needs of the dependents.	_


*ADDITIONAL COSTS IF FANCIED* 

Transportation - Car Owned (inclusive of Insurance, Maintenance & Gas)	$6,000.00

Transportation - Car Leased (inclusive of above + monthly payments for $20k Car)	$9,000.00

Internet	$300
Cable TV	$600
Home Tel	$500

Education (Free until 12th Grade, after that, College costs from $5000/year. General Masters Degree cost is $10,000+, & Bachelors $5000+ per year)

Courtesy, Samzar Khan


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## FABIO & KIKI (May 24, 2010)

Auld Yin said:


> You may as well ask how long's a piece of string. Toronto covers a huge area and living costs would differ greatly between the city centre and the suburbs. Also they're much influenced by what lifestyle you intend to follow. Can you be more specific as to the type/quality of housing you would need, the size of your family, your entertainment/dining out desires, need for a car etc, etc.


we are thinking about a 1 bd apt in the suburbs. we are just two no family no car at first.
about our lifestyle, well , not many fancies 
thanx for your reply


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

If you're in the suburbs you'll almost certainly want a car.


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## FABIO & KIKI (May 24, 2010)

NickZ said:


> If you're in the suburbs you'll almost certainly want a car.


oh, what about public transports? or do we definitely need a car?


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## Chrisd (Feb 15, 2010)

european cities have very good public transport with Toronto there is the Go train and Go buses which run into centre of Toronto, on my visit last year there wasn't much more transport other than that, which i saw (i'm sure others will give more specific information). I know in the UK you can live with out a car and get public transport pretty much anywhere, that isn't the case in Canada especially if you move out of any population centres where housing is cheaper.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

If you're in Toronto proper you can manage with the TTC. If you cross the border it becomes painful to live without one. 

If you want to manage without a car I'd suggest an apartment on the subway lines (metro) Check the TTC website I'm sure they have a route map. OTOH you'll pay more in rent.


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

FABIO & KIKI said:


> oh, what about public transports? or do we definitely need a car?


By North American standards, Toronto has decent public transportation. You won't need a car if you're somewhere along the subway line. Yonge/Eglinton is a great area in "Midtown" - lots of shops, bars, restaurants. There's a subway station at the Yonge/Eglinton intersection. My wife and I lived in an apartment in that area for 4 years before we bought a car (when our first child arrived.)

Check out:

toronto apts/housing for rent classifieds - craigslist


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

Chrisd said:


> european cities have very good public transport with Toronto there is the Go train and Go buses which run into centre of Toronto, on my visit last year there wasn't much more transport other than that, which i saw (i'm sure others will give more specific information). I know in the UK you can live with out a car and get public transport pretty much anywhere, that isn't the case in Canada especially if you move out of any population centres where housing is cheaper.


Toronto has a subway (underground train) system. It also has an extensive bus system. It also has streetcars.

The Toronto Transit Commission - TTC


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## the drifter (May 21, 2010)

Toronto has a subway (underground train) system. It also has an extensive bus system. It also has streetcars.

Yep....I'd be surprised if the transport system wasn't top-notch!!


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## MyklB (Jun 11, 2010)

Where in Toronto are you looking?
The Greater Toronto Area or GTA is also something to possibly look into.
Cost of living is a little different - I don't know numbers.
Transit in Toronto is available but tricky compared to other big cities.
Again I don't have much details, but it might be worth looking into if you are still searching.


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## MyklB (Jun 11, 2010)

*Subway*



MarylandNed said:


> Toronto has a subway (underground train) system. It also has an extensive bus system. It also has streetcars.


The TTC and subway options are not as convenient as it is in England or New York,
also the streetcars are very limited to where they go as I understand it. They only stay in the Downtown area..

Make sure that the places you want to be match up with an existing route


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## sslkumar (Jul 12, 2010)

basically rent in yonge and eg - 1200 for one bed room(it will be cheaper if you go north or are away from the subway station )
transit monthly pass - 121 for one person
grocery - $50 per week


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

MyklB said:


> The TTC and subway options are not as convenient as it is in England or New York,
> also the streetcars are very limited to where they go as I understand it. They only stay in the Downtown area..
> 
> Make sure that the places you want to be match up with an existing route


London is the only English (or even UK) city with an extensive subway system. There are a few much smaller systems in other UK cities (e.g. Glasgow, Newcastle). I've also lived in London but I was a 20 min walk away from the nearest subway station simply because of where my house was located. The bus service wasn't convenient so I always walked. 

In Toronto, I was a 10 min walk away from the Yonge/Eglinton subway station and I could catch the 97 bus on Yonge St which had a stop outside my apartment building and another at the subway station (I could also quickly get to the Yonge/Lawrence station). So things really depend on where you live and work. It was very convenient in Toronto for me (more convenient than in London) simply because of where I chose to live in Toronto.


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## jejann (Sep 9, 2010)

*Moving to Toronto vs. the suburbs*

Perhaps this will help. This is our experience of life in Toronto and in the suburbs. I guess I could paste, but it's a fairly long discussion, so it is probably better if I just include a link.

Ok, I just realized I am not allowed to post URLs. So, you will have to find the blog on blogspot and it's called "out of the big city". outofthebigcity blogspot


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