Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,536 in Markham versus $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,613 in Markham versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,690 in Markham versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Living in Markham costs roughly 4% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Markham 85% above, Toronto 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.36

$17.88 CA$24.75

2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 CA$75.3

$87.9 CA$122

-38.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 CA$15.26

$10.93 CA$15.13

0.91%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.23

$4.06 CA$5.62

-6.90%

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

$1.75 CA$2.42

$2.18 CA$3.02

-19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.70 CA$2.35

-16.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 CA$6.68

$6.69 CA$9.25

-27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$9.83

$7.35 CA$10.16

-3.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 CA$2.82

$2.78 CA$3.85

-26.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$2.89 CA$4.00

-22.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 CA$2.82

$2.56 CA$3.55

-20.31%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.41

$3.79 CA$5.24

-15.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.07

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.29

$11.95 CA$16.53

4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 CA$9.76

$16.12 CA$22.31

-56.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.89 CA$5.39

-5.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.27 CA$1.76

3.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$3.88 CA$5.37

-39.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.66

$4.33 CA$5.99

-22.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.86

$1.83 CA$2.53

13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$1.50 CA$2.07

27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.28 CA$3.15

28.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.44 CA$1.99

7.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.59 CA$18.80

$14.20 CA$19.64

-4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 CA$21.00

$14.24 CA$19.71

6.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.40

$2.25 CA$3.11

9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.35

$2.53 CA$3.50

24.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 CA$4.37

$2.47 CA$3.42

27.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 CA$130

$112 CA$155

-16.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 CA$4.89

$3.05 CA$4.22

15.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.88 CA$26.12

$22.44 CA$31.05

-15.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.24 CA$1.71

-7.26%

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

$28.5K CA$39.5K

$27.5K CA$38.1K

3.78%

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

$18.5K CA$25.6K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

-12.49%

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

$127 CA$176

$128 CA$177

-0.09%

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

$27.66 CA$38.28

$33.79 CA$46.75

-18.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.06 CA$65.1

$49.25 CA$68.2

-4.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.71 CA$61.9

$40.93 CA$56.6

9.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.50 CA$29.75

$24.62 CA$34.07

-12.67%

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 CA$13.99

$13.16 CA$18.21

-23.18%

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

$891 CA$1,233

$792 CA$1,097

12.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.1K CA$38.9K

$24.1K CA$33.4K

16.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.28 CA$59.9

$54.5 CA$75.4

-20.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.52 CA$51.9

$43.11 CA$59.7

-12.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 CA$131

$102 CA$140

-6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 CA$135

$123 CA$171

-21.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 CA$2,269

$1,653 CA$2,287

-0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 CA$1,966

$1,452 CA$2,009

-2.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,795

$2,694 CA$3,728

1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,320 CA$3,210

$2,149 CA$2,974

7.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,989 CA$8,287

$8,347 CA$11.6K

-28.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,548 CA$7,677

$6,816 CA$9,431

-18.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,172 CA$4,389

$3,614 CA$5,001

-12.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.56

4.49

1.56%

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

Last update for Markham: August 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,640 in Markham and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 14% 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: $54.0 in Markham vs $88.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $365 per month, with Markham cheaper across the board.

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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Markham wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Toronto. 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 14% lower in Toronto. 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: $1,640 in Markham versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $891 in Markham versus $792 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Markham is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Markham and Toronto 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 4% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.