Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,797 in Markham versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,980 in Markham versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,162 in Markham versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in Markham costs roughly 1% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Markham 109% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 CA$20.38

$18.26 CA$25.28

-19.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 CA$113

$77.8 CA$108

4.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 CA$12.34

$10.85 CA$15.02

-17.88%

Cappuccino

$3.20 CA$4.43

$3.98 CA$5.51

-19.60%

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

$2.09 CA$2.89

$2.12 CA$2.93

-1.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$1.78 CA$2.46

-21.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 CA$5.12

$5.77 CA$7.99

-36.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 CA$9.45

$7.56 CA$10.46

-9.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$2.32 CA$3.21

-22.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 CA$3.21

$3.10 CA$4.29

-25.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.17

$3.89 CA$5.38

-59.64%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.54

$4.53 CA$6.27

-27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.43 CA$21.37

$12.92 CA$17.88

19.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.14 CA$14.03

$14.14 CA$19.58

-28.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 CA$10.21

$15.74 CA$21.80

-53.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.06

$4.26 CA$5.89

2.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.47 CA$2.03

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$4.02 CA$5.57

-38.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.87

$5.06 CA$7.01

-30.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$3.02 CA$4.18

-21.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CA$2.99

$2.95 CA$4.09

-26.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$2.60 CA$3.60

21.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.31

$1.88 CA$2.60

-11.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.24 CA$19.72

$15.20 CA$21.04

-6.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.36 CA$21.26

$14.30 CA$19.80

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.05

$3.07 CA$4.26

-28.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.07

$3.74 CA$5.18

-40.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 CA$4.23

$2.44 CA$3.37

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 CA$131

$84.9 CA$118

11.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 CA$4.20

$3.74 CA$5.18

-18.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$1.50 CA$2.08

86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.86 CA$30.27

$27.43 CA$37.98

-20.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.34 CA$1.86

-14.18%

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

$25.3K CA$35.1K

$25.1K CA$34.8K

0.85%

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

$20.4K CA$28.2K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

-1.58%

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

$204 CA$282

$91.8 CA$127

122.32%

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

$33.93 CA$46.98

$39.42 CA$54.6

-13.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 CA$83.7

$61.1 CA$84.6

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.04 CA$63.7

$44.89 CA$62.2

2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.12 CA$19.55

$15.68 CA$21.71

-9.95%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 CA$14.92

$12.37 CA$17.12

-12.85%

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

$910 CA$1,261

$1,180 CA$1,634

-22.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K CA$40.1K

$18.8K CA$26.0K

54.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 CA$60.0

$62.7 CA$86.8

-30.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.42 CA$51.8

$43.13 CA$59.7

-13.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 CA$85.4

$94.7 CA$131

-34.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 CA$110

$118 CA$164

-32.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 CA$2,346

$1,995 CA$2,762

-15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 CA$2,222

$1,629 CA$2,256

-1.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,969 CA$4,111

$3,589 CA$4,969

-17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 CA$3,402

$2,769 CA$3,834

-11.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,961 CA$8,254

$9,246 CA$12.8K

-35.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,494 CA$7,607

$7,086 CA$9,811

-22.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,206 CA$4,440

$3,474 CA$4,810

-7.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

5.61

17.47%

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

Last update for Markham: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,694 in Markham and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 8% 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: $82.0 in Markham vs $78.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $415, with Markham cheaper for home cooking.

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 Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Vancouver earns 8% less. 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: $1,694 in Markham versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $910 in Markham versus $1,180 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Vancouver. 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 Vancouver 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 1% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.