Cost of Living Toronto (GTA)

[Gary van der Westhuizen 178]

Hi Everyone 

I haven't seen one of these for Toronto, or at least not recently, and I thought it could be of some assistance. I will qualify this by saying, I am sure these costs aren't absolute. This has been our experience. I am sure you can find some things, if not all, cheaper, and my numbers could be wrong. We have used No Frills( like Shoprite) and Food Basics ( Pick 'n Pay). This is just an indication of what we have experienced. With the HST indicator, this could also not be 100% accurate. One things that everyone tells you, but you don't realize it until you get here, is that everything is ex-HST (VAT) so it takes getting used to, as you end up paying more for some stuff. 

 

Description	$ Price	HST Charged
Big Bottle of Ketchup (750ml)	3,88	No HST
Big Bottle of Mayo (890 ml)	3,99	No HST
Fruit concentrate (makes about 1l)	0,89	HST
Mccain Oven bake chips (650g)	2,00	No HST
Male work shirt (wear with a tie ) - Old Navy	45,00	HST
Oral B floss  (2 x 50m)	7,00	HST
Zoo Admission	23,00	HST
Lysol disinfectant wipes	4,00	HST
Bounce - antistatic sheets (80's)	5,00	HST
Instant Oats - 500g (about)	2,75	No HST
12 Rolls 2 ply toilet paper	4,97	HST
Onions (3 LB)	1,28	No HST
Tomatoes per KG	2,82	No HST
Becel (basically Flora margerine) 454g	1,97	No HST
4l 2% milk	3,97	No HST
Loaf of brown bread	2,29	No HST
Famiy size Lays chips	2,50	HST
Strawberries 454g	1,88	No HST
12 Eggs - Large	2,27	No HST
Cucumber each	0,97	No HST
Frozen veggies 2KG	4,99	No HST
Pizza - Enough for 4	9,04	HST
Lipton tea bags (200)	5,99	No HST
Pasta - 500g	0,99	No HST
Foam hand soap ( about 250ml)	1,99	HST
6 Beers (Corona or similar)	15,00	HST
Bottle of Wine @ LCBO	15+	HST
Mcdonalds Meal	10,00	HST
Bottle of wine at a Restaurant	50+	HST
Medium Double double @ Tim Hortons	2,00	HST
Rent	1400+
Nice cell contract (Samsung S8) @ Rogers	100,00	Monthly
Movies - new release each	13,50
Womens shoes	40+
King size bed	1 200,00	HST
2 seater couch	610,00	HST

The list is by no means exhaustive, but I think it gives you a feel for what things cost, even if it is just ball park numbers. Where ever there is a number with a + it means that is the minimum price, and you can very easily go up, and probably will. 

We have found with the public transport, depending on your area, that the Presto cards with a monthly TTC pass loaded works out cheaper than paying the $3 per trip(presto $3 vs cash fare @ $3,25) , as with the monthly pass you have unlimited trips, which helps if you are not in downtown, and need to catch a bus, a subway and a bus on the other side again. We have experienced the GO system as rather expensive, but sometimes that is the only way to go. The only problem with the monthly TTC pass is if you need to go to, for example Mississauga, you get charged the $3 again when you get on the miway bus, irrespective of the 2 hour rule.  Long term you need a car, in my opinion, as well as the public transport works, it takes time. You can do something in a car that the buss will take 3 times longer, just because of the nature of the beast. 

Feel free to add or correct anything you don't agree with, or that I have missed. 

 

 

 

[Piper 254]

I love that we aren’t the only Saffas who insisted on having that King size bed! 😂

[FaithFUL 418]

Those prices really are not bad. That is more or less what we pay here. The bread & tea bags are rather pricey thought! Oh - the wine price is also not nice :-(

[Gary van der Westhuizen 178]

@FaithFUL Jip, and we are yet to find rooibos tea, although we know there is, somewhere. You can get bread a bit cheaper, we found some at the no frills for less than $2, but it is a bit further out, so cost vs benefit, not always worth it to go there, just for bread.  You can get a bottle of 2 Oceans, for about $10.... If you are that way inclined. :-) 

[LidiaS77 193]

4 hours ago, Gary van der Westhuizen said:

and we are yet to find rooibos tea

David's Tea has a wide range of interesting and delicious teas, including straight organic rooibos, flavoured teas with a rooibos base and many other types of tea. They have stores in the larger cities all over Canada and the US and they deliver as well. If you join their loyalty club you can collect points to get free tea.

[SunshineGirl 151]

@Gary van der Westhuizen & @LidiaS77, thank you so much for taking the time to share this info - it is very helpful for us on this side.  I can agree with @FaithFUL, that many of the prices are similar here, although a lot of the fresh products seems to be more expensive.  Also the wine :-(.  

[Nelline 2,265]

9 hours ago, Gary van der Westhuizen said:

@FaithFUL Jip, and we are yet to find rooibos tea, although we know there is, somewhere. You can get bread a bit cheaper, we found some at the no frills for less than $2, but it is a bit further out, so cost vs benefit, not always worth it to go there, just for bread.  You can get a bottle of 2 Oceans, for about $10.... If you are that way inclined. :-) 

Pleaaaase... NO 2 Oceans... I BEG YOU!!!

[MaryJane 2,816]

On 2017-11-08 at 9:13 AM, Gary van der Westhuizen said:

@FaithFUL Jip, and we are yet to find rooibos tea, although we know there is, somewhere. You can get bread a bit cheaper, we found some at the no frills for less than $2, but it is a bit further out, so cost vs benefit, not always worth it to go there, just for bread.  You can get a bottle of 2 Oceans, for about $10.... If you are that way inclined. :-) 

@Gary van der Westhuizen Go to Florence Meats in Oakville. They have Five Roses. 

I must be frank. Haven’t had Rooibos in a while. Somehow or other, Orange Pekoe is starting to smell and taste like it. I might be missing Rooibos now...

[MissFrowz 216]

On 11/8/2017 at 6:13 AM, Gary van der Westhuizen said:

@FaithFUL Jip, and we are yet to find rooibos tea, although we know there is, somewhere. You can get bread a bit cheaper, we found some at the no frills for less than $2, but it is a bit further out, so cost vs benefit, not always worth it to go there, just for bread.  You can get a bottle of 2 Oceans, for about $10.... If you are that way inclined. :-) 

I always find it strange when people say they can't find rooibos tea in Canada. I buy it from most local grocery stores here, and all specialty tea stores should have it and/or variations of it. If you can't find any in your local groceries, there's always amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B073FSH111/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b81UdKN_c_x_w/145-0062990-7384300?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=V39WXB1E481CYD89FXEE&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1128535c-dcb3-5825-8627-e127fed56508&pf_rd_i=7351140011

https://www.amazon.ca/Davidsons-Tea-Organic-African-16-Ounce/dp/B000SATIE6

https://www.amazon.ca/Freshpak-Rooibos-Tea-100g/dp/B0170F1UTW/ref=sr_1_16?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1510256182&sr=1-16&keywords=rooibos+tea

Serengeti SA stores also has rooibos for sale online and in store:

http://www.serengetionline.com/index.php?cPath=329&osCsid=219b3555ce3b42444285544751444f9b

 

[PaulD 50]

Is it just me or is wine super expensive in Canada?? why is this, all the taxes? I have stopped drinking wine since relocating because of the expense, even when earning dollars.  Were we just spoilt in SA?

Edited November 23, 2020 by PaulD

[Reibtseb 156]

On 11/23/2020 at 8:51 AM, PaulD said:

Is it just me or is wine super expensive in Canada?? why is this, all the taxes? I have stopped drinking wine since relocating because of the expense, even when earning dollars.  Were we just spoilt in SA?

What is expensive to you? Here in the Lower Mainland, cheap bottles are $14 to $20 before taxes. I don't know what it used to cost in SA, never drank wine there :D

[LidiaS77 193]

On 11/23/2020 at 8:51 AM, PaulD said:

Is it just me or is wine super expensive in Canada?? why is this, all the taxes? I have stopped drinking wine since relocating because of the expense, even when earning dollars.  Were we just spoilt in SA?

Here in Victoria you can get a bottle of wine for about $9 before tax (or as low as $3 for cooking wine). This is at Superstore, in liquor stores I think it's about $12 minimum.

[Jules 1,391]

Lots of taxes on wine which pushes the prices way up. 

[Gary van der Westhuizen 178]

Yup, taxes and more taxes. Minimum wage also plays a part.  I recently heard of som Saffas making their own Gin and Brandy. maybe that is the way to go...