Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Markham: $2,416 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

118

Cost of Living Index in Markham
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Markham Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Markham

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,416

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Markham and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Markham and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Markham versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Markham $2,416
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Markham versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Markham $3,465
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,514 in Markham versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Markham $4,514
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Markham costs roughly 36% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Markham 79% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.37 CA$24.70

$25.32 $25.32

-31.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 CA$76.0

$101 $101

-47.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 CA$14.89

$14.85 $14.85

-29.49%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.42

$6.59 $6.59

-42.19%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.42

$3.22 $3.22

-47.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CA$1.67

$3.14 $3.14

-62.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 CA$5.10

$8.18 $8.18

-56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 CA$7.99

$8.03 $8.03

-30.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 CA$2.76

$1.21 $1.21

60.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.16

$5.12 $5.12

-56.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.70

$6.30 $6.30

-69.84%

Eggs

$2.99 CA$4.25

$4.90 $4.90

-38.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 CA$16.64

$18.50 $18.50

-36.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 CA$9.68

$23.03 $23.03

-70.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.25

$5.81 $5.81

-36.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 CA$1.80

$1.95 $1.95

-35.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 CA$3.31

$5.29 $5.29

-55.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.63

$6.48 $6.48

-49.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.92

$3.57 $3.57

-42.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.79

$3.15 $3.15

-37.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 CA$4.08

$2.85 $2.85

0.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$2.42 $2.42

-38.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.44 CA$19.11

$12.75 $12.75

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.66

$14.99 $14.99

-3.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.41

$4.17 $4.17

-42.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.54

$5.99 $5.99

-46.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CA$4.32

$3.04 $3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$127

$110 $110

-18.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.71

$2.55 $2.55

29.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.60 CA$26.44

$29.58 $29.58

-37.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.61

$1.42 $1.42

-20.42%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.1K CA$40.0K

$35.7K $35.7K

-21.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.1K CA$25.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

-29.09%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$125 CA$178

$299 $299

-58.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.20 CA$37.26

$70.8 $70.8

-63.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.69 CA$65.0

$88.3 $88.3

-48.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.62 CA$60.6

$79.5 $79.5

-46.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.28 CA$30.26

$35.37 $35.37

-39.84%

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 CA$14.49

$17.12 $17.12

-40.48%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$870 CA$1,237

$3,013 $3,013

-71.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.5K CA$39.0K

$31.6K $31.6K

-13.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.21 CA$61.4

$77.2 $77.2

-44.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.22 CA$52.9

$55.1 $55.1

-32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 CA$130

$126 $126

-27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$149

$163 $163

-35.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 CA$2,210

$2,464 $2,464

-36.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 CA$1,978

$1,956 $1,956

-28.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,699 CA$3,838

$4,711 $4,711

-42.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,236 CA$3,179

$3,550 $3,550

-37.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,896 CA$8,382

$7,346 $7,346

-19.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,309 CA$7,549

$5,048 $5,048

5.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,132 CA$4,453

$6,286 $6,286

-50.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.56

6.85

-33.43%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Markham: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Markham

$1.4K 57.6%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 40.6% $565

Groceries & Markets

Markham

$279 * 11.5%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 94.4% $263

Eating Out

Markham

$257 10.6%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 59.1% $152

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Markham

$197 8.2%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 132% $261

Clothing & Footwear

Markham

$124 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 52.2% $65

Getting Around

Markham

$105 * 4.3%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 26.9% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Markham

$63 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 80.6% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,554 in Markham and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 101% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Markham vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $542 per month, with Markham cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Markham

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

19:26 7:26 PM

16:26 4:26 PM

3 h behind Markham

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

338,503

737,015

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Markham Seattle, WA 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Markham
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Markham vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Markham wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Markham the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 101% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,554 in Markham versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $870 in Markham versus $3,013 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,416 in Markham versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Markham but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Markham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Markham delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,416 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Markham hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Markham and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Markham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.