Transportation

Transportation costs: London vs Toronto

Transportation is the category where London most often costs more than Toronto. It's not that anything is pricier per kilometre. It's that most London households drive more, and many add a second car. For some movers, this is the line item that eats into the housing savings.

Last reviewed October 30, 2026

The fundamental difference

The cost of a car

The full cost of owning a car is more than gas. It includes depreciation, financing, insurance, maintenance, tires, licence renewal and parking. The CAA Driving Costs Calculator estimates annual ownership costs by vehicle and distance. For many vehicles the total runs to many thousands of dollars a year. So if moving to London means going from zero cars to one, or one to two, that's a major new expense to set against your housing savings.

Transit

London Transit (LTC) fares are generally lower than Toronto's, and LTC offers monthly passes and discounted options for students, seniors and low-income riders. But the network is less extensive, and service is thinner in outer suburbs and evenings. Whether transit can replace a car depends almost entirely on where you live and work. Downtown, near Western University, and along the busiest corridors are the best bets. The City's rapid transit projects are adding dedicated lanes on key routes.

Parking

Parking is one area where London is clearly cheaper. Monthly downtown parking, residential permits and parking at workplaces cost less, and most London homes include a driveway. Toronto condo parking spaces can sell for tens of thousands of dollars or rent for a significant monthly fee. Note that London restricts overnight on-street parking in many areas, so make sure a home has enough driveway space for your household.

Commuting back to the GTA

If you keep a Toronto job on a hybrid schedule, the commute is a real cost:

• Driving: about 190 km each way to downtown Toronto. That's fuel, wear and parking, and possibly 407 ETR tolls if you use it to bypass the 401 in the GTA. Multiply by your expected office days.
• VIA Rail: London to Union Station takes a little over two hours. Fares vary by booking time and class, and VIA sells multi-trip passes. Check viarail.ca.
• GO Transit: there's currently no regular GO service to London (a pilot ran 2021–2023). Some people drive to Kitchener GO.
• Time: often the largest hidden cost. Four or five hours round trip, one or two days a week, adds up.

A worked comparison (your numbers)

Electric vehicles

If you're considering an EV, London's detached homes with driveways and garages make home charging much easier than in many Toronto condos. Overnight charging on Ontario's ultra-low overnight electricity rate can keep running costs low. Check the panel capacity of any home you're buying.

How to keep transport costs down in London

• Choose location carefully. Living near your work, or on a strong bus route, can let a two-adult household manage with one car.
• Use the river paths. The Thames Valley Parkway makes cycling commutes realistic from several neighbourhoods in warmer months.
• Batch GTA trips. If you're hybrid, negotiate consecutive office days and stay overnight occasionally rather than doing two return trips.
• Re-shop insurance after the move, since rates often change with your address. See insurance.