CostTrek

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Melbourne vs Toronto

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Melbourne, AU vs Toronto, CA at a glance — Toronto, CA is 1% more expensive than Melbourne, AU overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,900/mo versus $1,800/mo. Top income tax: 33% vs 45%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Toronto, CA, you'd need

$75,597 / year

Toronto, CA is 1% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Toronto, CA vs Melbourne, AU)

  • Housing+10%
  • Food & groceries-4%
  • Transport0%
  • Utilities-3%
  • Healthcare-11%
  • Goods & services-5%

◎ How Melbourne, AU and Toronto, CA compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Melbourne, AUToronto, CA

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Melbourne, AUToronto, CA
Cost of living
Overall cost index118119
Housing138152
Food112108
Transport100100
Utilities108105
Healthcare9585
Goods & services116110
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,800/mo$1,900/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,350/mo$1,500/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$3,400/mo$3,800/mo
Buy price / m² centre$9,000$9,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$847$840
Inexpensive meal$17$18
Monthly transit pass$110$115
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%33%
VAT / sales tax10%5%
Corporate tax30%26.5%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$3,900/mo$3,300/mo
Minimum wage$2,600/mo$1,900/mo
GDP per capita$65,130✓$55,698✓
Inflation (annual)2.9%✓2.1%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyNativeNative
Coworking spaces7090
Time zoneUTC+10UTC-5
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)7372
Safety index6870
Healthcare index8582
Pollution index3040
Internet speed90 Mbps180 Mbps
Walkability7880
Public transport8078
Family-friendly7472
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy83 yr✓82 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+20 °C-4 °C
July avg+10 °C+22 °C
Sunny days / year180100
Rainfall / year600 mm830 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Australia vs Canada. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Melbourne vs Toronto — in your currency

MelbourneToronto
1-bed rent, city centre$1,800$1,900
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,350$1,500
Inexpensive meal$17$18
Monthly transit pass$110$115
Utilities (monthly)$150$150

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Melbourne

Coffee, laneways and a famously liveable city — cheaper than Sydney, with famously changeable weather.

Currency
Australian dollar ($ AUD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC+10
Internet
90 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
68/100
Climate
❄ 20°C · ☀ 10°C · 180 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
I · 230V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Fitzroy · St Kilda · Carlton

Good to know before you move to Toronto

Canada's diverse economic engine — a smooth immigration path and strong salaries, weighed against steep rents and long winters.

Currency
Canadian dollar ($ CAD)
Languages
English, French
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
180 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
70/100
Climate
❄ -4°C · ☀ 22°C · 100 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Downtown · Leslieville · West End

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Melbourne to Toronto: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Melbourne to Toronto, your cost of living will be roughly 1% more expensive. Toronto’s cost-of-living index is 119 versus 118 for Melbourne (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Melbourne cheaper than Toronto?

Toronto is about 1% more expensive than Melbourne overall — its cost-of-living index is 119 versus 118 for Melbourne.

Which is more expensive, Melbourne or Toronto?

Toronto is more expensive than Melbourne. Its cost-of-living index is 119 vs 118 (US = 100) — about 1% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Melbourne or Toronto?

Rent is cheaper in Melbourne — about $1,800/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,900 in Toronto.

How much do you need to earn in Toronto to live like in Melbourne?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Melbourne is worth about $75,597 in Toronto. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Melbourne or Toronto?

Canada has the lower top income-tax rate — 33% versus 45% in Australia.

◷ More comparisons from Melbourne

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.