The true cost of moving from Toronto to Orillia

"Is it cheaper to live in Orillia?" is the wrong question, or at least an incomplete one. Some costs drop sharply, some rise, and a few new ones appear. rossmanteam.com's cost of living guide covers Orillia's taxes, water rates and child care in detail. This page adds them up the way a mover actually experiences them: the one-time costs of the move, then the ongoing costs year after year.

Home prices change monthly, so we don't hard-code them. The site shows live market numbers.

What are the one-time costs?

Land transfer tax: the big saving

When you buy in Orillia, you pay Ontario's land transfer tax only. Toronto's municipal land transfer tax (MLTT) applies only to purchases in the City of Toronto.

For a home with one or two single-family residences, both taxes use the same brackets up to $2 million: 0.5% on the first $55,000, 1% to $250,000, 1.5% to $400,000 and 2% above that. So buying in Toronto roughly doubles your land transfer tax compared with buying here.

Purchase price	Ontario LTT (paid in Orillia)	Ontario + Toronto MLTT (paid in Toronto)	What you avoid
$600,000	$8,475	$16,950	$8,475
$800,000	$12,475	$24,950	$12,475
$1,000,000	$16,475	$32,950	$16,475
$1,200,000	$20,475	$40,950	$20,475

These are before any first-time buyer refunds. Ontario's refund for first-time buyers is up to $4,000, claimed within 18 months of registration. Run your own numbers with the land transfer tax calculator.

When you sell your Toronto home, you don't pay land transfer tax at all. The buyer does.

Other one-time costs

Cost	Notes
Selling commission	Negotiable; estimate with the selling costs calculator
Mortgage penalty	If you break your current mortgage early; ask your lender
Legal fees and title insurance	For both the sale and the purchase
Home inspection	Add septic and well inspections for rural homes
Moving	Priced by volume and distance; book early for summer
Bridge financing	Interest and an admin fee if you buy first; see selling in the GTA, buying here
Utility setup	Hydro One charges a one-time setup fee on a new account
Winter gear	Winter tires, and a snowblower or plowing contract

Can you deduct any of it?

If you're moving for a job (or to run a business or attend school) and your new home is at least 40 km closer to the new location, the Canada Revenue Agency may let you deduct eligible moving expenses against income earned there. Eligible costs can include real estate commission and legal fees on the old home, mortgage penalties, and legal fees and land transfer tax on the new home if you sold the old one because of the move. Talk to your accountant; this isn't tax advice.

What are the ongoing costs?

Property tax

Orillia's 2026 residential rate is about double Toronto's. The townships are in between.

2026 residential rate	Per $100,000 of MPAC assessment
City of Toronto: 0.767311%	$767.31
Township of Severn: 1.016389%	$1,016.39
Township of Oro-Medonte: 1.056733%	$1,056.73
Township of Ramara: 1.126271%	$1,126.27
City of Orillia: 1.531692%	$1,531.69

Two things keep this from being as simple as it looks:

• Your bill uses your MPAC assessment, not your price. Ontario assessments are still based on January 1, 2016 values, so a home's assessment is often well below what you'd pay today. Always ask for the current tax bill on the specific house.
• The townships provide fewer services. Most township homes have no municipal water or sewer and no local transit, so the lower rate comes with costs of its own.

Water, sewer and septic

In the City of Orillia, water and sewer are billed quarterly. The 2026 rates are $15.26 per 30 days plus $2.49 per cubic metre for water, and $15.90 per 30 days plus $2.67 per cubic metre for sewer, with a separate stormwater charge. Ask the seller for recent bills to see real usage.

On a township lot with a well and septic, there's no water bill, but budget for septic pumping, inspections where the township requires them, water testing and eventual replacement of pumps and systems. rossmanteam.com's septic inspections and wells and water testing guides explain what's involved.

Electricity and heating

Hydro One is the electricity distributor in Orillia. Your bill depends far more on the house than the town: electric baseboard versus a gas furnace or heat pump, insulation, a pool or hot tub. Many rural homes heat with propane, oil or wood. Ask for 12 months of bills on any home you're serious about.

Insurance

We haven't found a reliable public source comparing average premiums, so we won't quote one. What moves premiums here is property-specific: distance to a hydrant and fire hall, wood stoves, oil tanks, older wiring, and waterfront or flood exposure. Get a quote on the actual address during your conditional period. rossmanteam.com's guide to insurance, woodstoves and oil tanks helps.

Getting around

This is the cost Toronto movers most often underestimate.

• Commuting. Orillia is about 135 km from downtown Toronto. A round trip by car is roughly 270 km. Multiply by your vehicle's cost per kilometre (fuel, wear, depreciation) and the days you'll drive. Add GO fares and parking if you'll drive to Barrie and take the train, or coach fares if you'll ride Ontario Northland.
• A second car. Many households that had one car in Toronto need two here, especially outside the transit area.
• Local transit. Inside the city, Orillia Transit is $2 a ride, or $30 for a 30-day pass, until March 31, 2027.

How do you build your own comparison?

1. Start with your net proceeds. Estimate your GTA sale with the selling costs calculator.
2. Add the one-time costs of the purchase, including Ontario land transfer tax.
3. Get the real bills for each home on your shortlist: taxes, water, hydro, heating fuel and insurance.
4. Price your commute for the days you'll actually travel.
5. Add rural costs if you're looking at the townships: septic, well, plowing and propane or oil.

How Jordan can help

Jordan can pull the tax and utility history for homes you're considering and show you how a city home compares with one in the townships on running costs. Call 705-345-0797.