Three RoutesCompare · Ontario figures · updated 2 November 2026
Food truck, catering or home bakery vs Residential cleaning business
Same columns, no opinion about which is better for you. On typical Ontario figures, Residential cleaning business is ahead by year 10 ($582k against $395k), because it starts earning earlier. The gap is before tax, rent and loan interest, which hit both routes. Residential cleaning business gets to a real paycheque first (about 2 months). Residential cleaning business costs $2,000 less to get into. Job Bank rates demand higher for Residential cleaning business in Ontario right now.
| Measure | Food truck, catering or home bakery | Residential cleaning business |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Start something | Start something |
| Credential | Food handler certificate; cook apprenticeship (415A) helps | Registered sole proprietorship |
| Years to finish | 1 | No formal credential |
| First real paycheque | About 8 months | About 2 months |
| Cost (tuition and fees) | $2,000 | $0 |
| Typical debt if you borrow | $0 | $0 |
| Earnings, first years | $20,000 | $35,000 |
| Earnings by year 5 | $55,000 | $65,000 |
| Net by year 10 (typical) | $395k | $582k |
| Demand in Ontario | Steady | High |
| Time in a classroom | 20% | 0% |
Earnings by year, roughly
Before tax. Years in school show as "school". Medians rise from the starting figure to the year-5 figure, then stay flat.
Food truck, catering or home bakery
A day looks like: Prep, service, cleanup, and events on weekends. Catering contracts are where the money is.
What stops people: A truck or commercial kitchen costs $40–100k; permits and inspections take months.
Downside: Food margins are thin and most food businesses fail within five years. Twelve-hour days are normal.
Residential cleaning business
A day looks like: Two or three homes a day, quoting, scheduling, invoicing at night. Once you have a crew, mostly driving between jobs and handling customers.
What stops people: Getting the first ten regular clients. After that it's referrals.
Downside: You are the business: no clients, no income. Growth means hiring and managing people, which is a different job than cleaning.
Quick answers
Which pays more, food truck, catering or home bakery or residential cleaning business?
By year five, Food truck, catering or home bakery is about $55,000 and Residential cleaning business about $65,000 (Ontario medians, before tax). By year ten, counting what each cost, Food truck, catering or home bakery nets roughly $395k and Residential cleaning business roughly $582k.
Which is faster to a real paycheque?
Food truck, catering or home bakery: about 8 months. Residential cleaning business: about 2 months.
What does each cost?
Food truck, catering or home bakery: $2,000 in tuition and fees, typical debt $0. Residential cleaning business: $0, typical debt $0.
What is the downside of each?
Food truck, catering or home bakery: Food margins are thin and most food businesses fail within five years. Twelve-hour days are normal. Residential cleaning business: You are the business: no clients, no income. Growth means hiring and managing people, which is a different job than cleaning.
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Figures are Ontario medians and typical costs from Job Bank, Statistics Canada, Skilled Trades Ontario and institution fee pages; the data page lists every source and date. Switch province on either pathway page for BC, Alberta or Quebec figures.