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Summary

Here's How Much You Need To Make To Afford A Basic Life In Ontario's Cheapest Regions

It might be time to ask your boss for that raise!

Here's How Much You Need To Make To Afford A Basic Life In Ontario's Cheapest Regions
Steven Cukrov | Dreamstime, Sian Cox | Dreamstime
Creator

City living ain't cheap –well, living anywhere in Ontario isn't cheap, but there are some areas where you can get by with a little less coin.

Ontario Living Wage Network (OLWN) released Ontario's updated living wages by region on November 1, 2021, and Sault Ste. Marie is the cheapest listed place to live in Ontario, with the lowest living wage rate of $16.20 per hour.

The living wage calculations per region "take into account a weighted average between a family of four, single parent with one child and a single adult," according to OLWN.

A living wage covers the cost of food, clothing, shelter, childcare, transportation, medical expenses, recreation, and affordable vacation.

However, it doesn't take into account additional expenses such as debt repayment, homeownership, saving for children's education or any big emergency funds.

While some regions do have a lower living wage rate, each area listed in Ontario is higher than minimum wage, even with Premier Doug Ford's plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 in January 2022.

The second-lowest area to live in Ontario is Thunder Bay, with a living wage rate of $16.30 per hour and the most expensive region is Toronto, at $22.08 per hour, followed closely behind by Halton Region at $20.75 per hour.

Here's how much you need to make hourly to afford a basic life in Ontario's cheapest listed regions:

  • Sault Ste. Marie, $16.20 per hour
  • Thunder Bay, $16.30 per hour
  • London, $16.55 per hour
  • Sudbury, $16.98 per hour
  • Waterloo Region, $17.20 per hour
  • Hamilton, $17.20 per hour.
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  • Brooke Houghton
    Brooke Houghton (she/her) was a Toronto-based writer for Narcity Media. Brooke has written for publications such as blogTO, Post City, Vitalize Magazine and more.

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