Cost of Living

What Torontonians make and how they spend it

“i spend $150 a month on uber when it’s cold out”

KaRtiKey BhaRgava, 31 What he Does Digital marketing manager What he makes $70,000 a year Where he lives

A two-bedroom Distillery District condo that he shares with a roommate RegulaR expenses

Rent $1,650 a month. Home supplies $50. “My roommate and I split whatever we need for the condo.” Cleaning seRviCe $25 a month. CRedit CaRd debt $500 a month. tRanspoRtation $300 a month, for a Metropass and Uber rides. “I moved to Toronto from India 19 months ago. When it’s really cold, I take an Uber to work.” linkedin pRemium $30 a month. “I use it for Lynda, its online learning platform. I like knowing about trends in technology, e-commerce and finance.” eating out $500 a month. “I work on Queen West and buy lunch every day. My favourite spots are the Drake Hotel, Bolt Fresh Bar and Lao Thai.” gRoCeRies $250 a month. “I had a prominent food blog in India, but I’m not the best cook. I buy easy-to-prepare meals like sausages and vegetables for stir-fry.”

Recent spluRges

tRavel $2,700, for a flight home to India, plus vacations in New York, Ottawa and Montreal. dinneR $150, for a meal at Indian Accent in N.Y.C. “It’s rated one of the best Indian restaurants in the world, and I know the chef from when I lived in Delhi.” smaRt ligHts $300, for a Philips Hue system from Amazon. “It allows me to control my lights at home with my phone, and it cuts down on wasted energy.” ClotHing $400, for Ralph Lauren polo shirts and Calvin Klein shoes from the Bay. XboX one $350. “I play one game: FIFA.”