Photo: Martin St-Amant · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

🇨🇦 Canadá

Toronto

The most diverse city on the planet: half its residents were born abroad. Pricey with serious winters, but safe, orderly and home to a booming tech scene.

6.5Zabel scoreHow we score →

€2,400-3,300/monthFibre 1 Gbps, CAD60-90/monthContinental, -8-27 °C, harsh winters

Score breakdown

Cost of living

4.0

Pricey, housing above all

Weight 25%

Internet & work

9.0

Excellent fibre

Weight 15%

Safety

9.0

Very safe

Weight 15%

Nomad community

8.0

International and techy

Weight 15%

Weather

4.0

Long, cold winters

Weight 10%

Paperwork & visa

6.0

Clear residency paths

Weight 20%

What it really costs

Prices checked on the ground by Zabelers. Each line shows when it was last verified.

Central studio

2.150 CAD/mes

Downtown, portal average

2026-09 · Rentals.ca

Coffee

4,75 CAD

Specialty cafés

2026-09 · Cartas en barra

Local meal

18 CAD

Food hall or diner

2026-09 · Cartas en barra

Monthly transport

156 CAD

Adult monthly pass

2026-09 · TTC

Coworking month

375 CAD

Hot desk, average

2026-09 · Webs de espacios

Where to live

Queen West

Tiendas, galerías y brunch

Good for: Creative scene

The catch: Rising prices

The Annex

Universitario junto a U of T

Good for: Neighbourhood life

The catch: Quiet nights

Leslieville

Residencial con cafés

Good for: Long stays

The catch: Far from downtown

Liberty Village

Moderno junto al lago

Good for: Tech workers

The catch: Somewhat soulless

Where to work

Coworkings

East RoomCoworking boutique en Riverside
The prettiest in town; a small, solid creative community.

Cafés with wifi

Dineen Coffee Co.Café histórico en el Financial District
High ceilings and good wifi; quiet off-peak.

Time zone: EST (UTC-5), EDT in summer

What living here is really like

Editorial synthesis of public experiences

What residents keep repeating

Síntesis editorial · 2026 roundup

Best part:: Nomads praise the safety, the diversity (100 countries of food on one street) and the real residency paths, and complain about housing costs and the five months of serious cold.
Worst part:: The underground PATH and skyscraper food courts make winter bearable.

Sources: Reddit r/toronto · Numbeo coste de vida

Day to day

Internet: Fast fibre; wide 5G
Safety: Very safe for its size
Healthcare: OHIP for residents; visitors need private insurance
SIM / eSIM: Fido or Public Mobile SIM from CAD30/month
Best season: May to October; winter is serious
Community: Booming tech scene; constant meetups and a very international community

Living here legally

Visa

6-month eTA (Spanish nationals); work requires a permit (IEC, Express Entry for residency)

Check your visa →

Tax

Federal + Ontario taxes; combined mid-high rate

Flights & connections

From Spain €450-650 return, one stop or direct

Lisbon vs. similar cities

City	Zabel score	Monthly budget	In short
Nueva York	5.9	3.500-5.000 €/mes	Pricier, more intense
Berlín	7.4	1.300-1.900 €/mes	Cheaper, more of a nomad scene

Transparency

Last checked: 2026-09-22

Official sources

Prices are checked against the dated sources shown. Editorial experience summaries cite their public sources; verified Zabeler accounts are identified separately. Official procedures always take precedence.