Beijing or Toronto: which is better?
World city: head-to-head comparison
Toronto wins on more indicators: 4 of 5 against 1.
- Climate and risks: Toronto 1:4
All indicators weigh the same. This is a score based on data, not advice on where to live: different people have different circumstances.
Beijing
Indicator
Toronto
Population
no winnerCity population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
11,716,620 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
2,600,000 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
Urban centre population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
18,150,576 people
2025
5,566,382 people
2025
Urban centre area
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
2,179 km²
2025
1,620 km²
2025
Urban centre density
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
8,330 people per km²
2025
3,436 people per km²
2025
Urban centre population growth, 2015–2025
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
10.7 %
2015–2025
8.7 %
2015–2025
Climate and risks
Better: Toronto (1 : 4)Hot days (max ≥ +30 °C)
lower is better
✗100 days per year
2016-2025352% higher
✓22 days per year
2016-202578% lower
Frost days (min ≤ −10 °C)
lower is better
✗26 days per year
2016-20252% higher
✓25 days per year
2016-20252% lower
Severe frost (min ≤ −20 °C)
lower is better
✓0.3 days per year
2016-202585% lower
✗2.0 days per year
2016-2025567% higher
Ice days (max ≤ 0 °C)
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
12 days per year
2016-2025
40 days per year
2016-2025
Heating degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
2,610 °C·days per year
2016-2025
3,513 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Cooling degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1,108 °C·days per year
2016-2025
435 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Rainy days
no data for one of the places
no data
106 days per year
2016-2025
Snowfall days
no data for one of the places
no data
15 days per year
2016-2025
Annual precipitation
no data for one of the places
no data
835 mm per year
2016-2025
Daylight on December 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
9.3 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
8.9 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Daylight on June 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
15.0 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
15.5 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Air humidity
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
56 %
2021-2025
66 %
2021-2025
Muggy days (dew point ≥ +20 °C)
lower is better
✗57 days per year
2021-2025376% higher
✓12 days per year
2021-202579% lower
Distance to the sea
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
146 km
2006-2025
405 km
2006-2025
Earthquakes M4.5+ within 100 km
lower is better
✗0.10 per year
2006-2025
✓0.00 per year
2006-2025
Strongest earthquake in the period
no data for one of the places
4.9 magnitude
2006-2025
no data
A winner is named only for indicators with a known “better / worse” direction. Population and other neutral indicators are shown without a winner. Outdated and missing values are not counted. Details for each place: Beijing, Toronto.