Toronto is the city and the rest of the cities are suburbs. Houses are older, smaller in general, there are more high-rises and better transportation within Toronto. Also in general more expensive per sq footage/lot size. There is more crime in the city but there are certain areas that have problems with gangs and drugs which leads to a good portion of the criminality. A good percentage of the GTA jobs are located in Toronto. It is similar to any large city where there is the centre which is the original city and the commercial centre and the suburban areas that have been built up slowly as the city grows. Suburbs have newer housing stock, not as many tall buildings and lots of planned communities. Need a car to feel comfortable if you live in the suburbs.