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: $2,806 in Markham versus $2,788 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,941 in Markham versus $4,110 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,075 in Markham versus $5,432 in Toronto.

Living in Markham is roughly 1% more expensive than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Markham 110% above, Toronto 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.80 CA$20.74

$18.51 CA$25.96

-20.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 CA$114

$83.8 CA$118

-2.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 CA$12.61

$10.97 CA$15.38

-17.96%

Cappuccino

$3.21 CA$4.51

$3.99 CA$5.59

-19.55%

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

$2.02 CA$2.83

$2.11 CA$2.96

-4.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.69 CA$2.37

-17.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 CA$5.24

$5.92 CA$8.30

-36.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 CA$9.02

$6.48 CA$9.08

-0.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$2.71 CA$3.80

-33.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.85 CA$4.00

-21.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$3.56 CA$4.99

-54.21%

Eggs

$3.31 CA$4.64

$3.54 CA$4.96

-6.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.39 CA$21.57

$13.26 CA$18.59

16.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 CA$13.81

$13.05 CA$18.29

-24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 CA$10.45

$16.77 CA$23.51

-55.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.11

$4.11 CA$5.77

6.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.98

$1.14 CA$1.60

23.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.34

$3.40 CA$4.76

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.96

$4.02 CA$5.64

-11.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.35

$2.43 CA$3.41

-1.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.04

$2.94 CA$4.12

-26.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$2.47 CA$3.47

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

$1.92 CA$2.69

-16.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 CA$19.22

$14.99 CA$21.01

-8.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 CA$21.07

$14.34 CA$20.10

4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 CA$3.05

$2.71 CA$3.80

-19.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$3.12 CA$4.38

-25.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 CA$4.46

$2.45 CA$3.44

29.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.7 CA$136

$113 CA$158

-14.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$3.63 CA$5.08

-12.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 CA$3.99

$1.34 CA$1.88

112.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.08 CA$30.95

$25.55 CA$35.82

-13.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.11 CA$1.55

-1.80%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

0.96%

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

$20.2K CA$28.3K

$21.8K CA$30.5K

-7.14%

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

$202 CA$283

$117 CA$164

72.78%

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

$34.07 CA$47.77

$37.60 CA$52.7

-9.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CA$82.8

$53.7 CA$75.3

10.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.55 CA$63.9

$57.1 CA$80.1

-20.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 CA$19.82

$20.86 CA$29.24

-32.21%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 CA$15.12

$11.56 CA$16.20

-6.75%

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

$919 CA$1,288

$1,125 CA$1,577

-18.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K CA$40.2K

$18.4K CA$25.9K

55.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.69 CA$62.7

$57.3 CA$80.4

-22.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.37 CA$51.0

$39.05 CA$54.8

-6.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 CA$85.3

$87.6 CA$123

-30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CA$114

$114 CA$159

-28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 CA$2,382

$1,842 CA$2,582

-7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 CA$2,285

$1,531 CA$2,146

6.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,005 CA$4,213

$2,925 CA$4,101

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,548 CA$3,573

$2,502 CA$3,508

1.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,972 CA$8,373

$8,725 CA$12.2K

-31.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,410 CA$7,585

$6,867 CA$9,628

-21.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,084 CA$4,324

$3,454 CA$4,842

-10.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

5.16

27.71%

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

Last update for Markham: July 12, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Markham and $1,842 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Markham vs $84.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $395 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

Toronto wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Markham. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Toronto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $1,699 in Markham versus $1,842 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $919 in Markham versus $1,125 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Markham pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto 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 Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Markham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.