Pollution Score
#38
of 124 cities
37.5/100
Current value (lower is better)
#45 of 124
North America
Toronto
Canada
Salary & Cost of Living
How do salaries and expenses in Toronto compare to Riyadh?
Purchasing Power Comparison
An engineer in Toronto is 21% worse off vs in Riyadh
This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Toronto compared to Riyadh, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.
Net Salary
$68,476
+$8K (+14%) vs Riyadh
Tax Rate: 30%
Community Insights
NewToronto presents a polarized reality for software engineers: it offers a top-tier urban lifestyle with great food and diversity, but at a severe financial cost. While it remains Canada's undisputed tech capital with a median SWE salary around $98k, the purchasing power ranks low (#46) due to an aggressive cost of living. The city is safer and cleaner than many of its North American counterparts, but the housing affordability crisis (requiring ~8.6 years of net salary to buy a flat) looms large over almost every discussion.
The sentiment is clear: Toronto is a fantastic place to live if you have the money, but a difficult place to build wealth compared to the US. For senior engineers at top-tier companies, the city offers a balanced, vibrant life. For juniors or those at average local companies, the math often doesn't add up, leading to a "grind" just to maintain a baseline standard of living.
Resident Sentiment
The mood among residents is bittersweet. There is a genuine love for the city's vibe, food, and culture, but it is frequently overshadowed by financial anxiety. A common phrase seen is "Toronto is great, but..." followed by complaints about rent and grocery prices. Many transplants from the US or Europe feel the quality of life is good but question if it's worth the financial trade-off. There is a noticeable trend of engineers using Toronto as a stepping stone to gain experience before trying to move to the US for better pay, while others accept the "sunshine tax" (or rather, "culture tax") for the safety and stability Canada provides.
Rankings
Top 31%
Purchasing Power
#45
of 124 cities
Net Income
#46
of 124 cities
$68,476/yr
Current value
Housing Affordability
How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Toronto compared to Riyadh?
Avg. Property Price
$7,815 / m²
227% more expensive than Riyadh
Salary Converter
Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Toronto to maintain the same standard of living.
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