Cost of Living - Toronto vs Chicago (appointed, real estate)

[kkgg7]

I came across this cost of living comparison website and choose Toronto vs Chicago. The results are kind of surprising., althought I am not sure about the accuracy of the data.

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Restaurants: similar in general.
Grocery: Toronto is somewhat more expensive
Transportation: Toronto more expensive when using public transit, cheaper on taxi
Utilities: Toronto more expensive on internet and cheaper on gas/electricity
Rent: similar, Toronto a bit pricier.

Then it comes to the shocking part:
Sports & leisure: Toronto more expensive. Gym membership 150% higher!
Clothing: Toronto 2-3 times more expensive (except leather shoes)
Apartment price: downtown Toronto apartment 250% the price of downtown Chicago!

On the good side, Torontonians seem to make more money than Chicagoans, on average.

[ThroatGuzzler]

Yup.. simple supply and demand Mr kkgg.

[MiD310]

Originally Posted by kkgg7

Transportation: Toronto more expensive when using public transit, cheaper on taxi

Wow. I would hate to take a taxi in Chicago then. I find the taxi rates in Toronto to be a little ridiculous.

[emathias]

I don't trust thought numbers at all. Especially since their Chicago source seemingly doesn't know what oranges or lettuce are. And transit here is $2.25, not $2.28.

If you can find more than a couple mid-range restaurants in Chicago where I can get dinner for two for $40, including tax and tip, I'd be amazed (and appreciative). And if you're not including tax and tip, how woudl it be a fair comparison to Toronto?

And where on earth are they getting a cappachino in Chicago for under $2? 7-11 coffee does not count.

I think you misread the taxi stats. Chicago is clearly, by a very wide margin, cheaper than Toronto for taxis.

And where do they get the mortgage rate. The current rates in Illinois are about 4.25% or lower for prime borrowers.

[eastwestman]

Compare auto insurance rates too. You'll find that insuring your car in Ontario, even with an excellent driving record, is highway robbery.

[Stay By The Phone]

I have lived in Chicago before and Toronto. Chicago's condo market seemed to be more expensive and their suburb housing prices are similar to Toronto's. If push came to shove, I would pick Chicago over Toronto in a second, such a better city in everyway.

[cali3448893]

Wow Toronto must be really expensive to live in going by what the op says

[callmemaybe]

It would be worth the extra to live in Toronto.

[travis3000]

Toronto is a better city. Not saying Chicago is bad, but even with the higher cost of living I would take TO over Chicago any day of the week.

[johnathanc]

Originally Posted by travis3000

Toronto is a better city. Not saying Chicago is bad, but even with the higher cost of living I would take TO over Chicago any day of the week.

Why would you pick Chicago over Toronto hands down?


I find Toronto has the edge in terms of having a funkier vibe and is more multicultural with more ethnic cheap eats. But Chicago seems better for its cost of living (real estate, taxes, all consumer goods/services), beautiful architecture and city design (downtown, waterfront, and suburbs), history, cultural amenities (world class museums, art galleries, symphonies), sports scene, fine dining (not cheap eat places but top end places), career opportunities (bigger economy/population) and general friendliness of the people. Weather isn’t nothing to write home about in either places and if you don’t go to the South Side or Jane/Finch, crime stats won’t matter much in your daily life. I also think It’s a wash with nightlife, you should not be disappointed in either place unless you are coming from NYC or Miami. Toronto seems to have more dance clubs but Chicago has real deal Blues Clubs.


Both are good cities and there’s probably nothing you can’t find in either place in some form, so I’m curious as to why you would unequivocally choose Toronto, using an objective analysis? Seems like for a lower cost of living (somewhat widened nowadays due to overvalued condos in Toronto), you get a lot more in Chicago than Toronto. They even have an original 6 hockey team!