Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,714 in Squamish, BC versus $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,074 in Squamish, BC versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,433 in Squamish, BC versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Living in Squamish, BC is roughly 3% more expensive than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Squamish, BC 98% above, Toronto 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.11 CA$20.92

$17.88 CA$24.76

-15.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 CA$80.9

$87.9 CA$122

-33.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 CA$14.31

$10.93 CA$15.14

-5.49%

Cappuccino

$3.96 CA$5.48

$4.06 CA$5.62

-2.46%

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

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.18 CA$3.02

-16.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.70 CA$2.35

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.96

$6.69 CA$9.26

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.05

$7.35 CA$10.17

-20.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 CA$2.41

$2.78 CA$3.85

-37.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.89 CA$4.00

-23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.14

$2.56 CA$3.55

44.92%

Eggs

$3.25 CA$4.50

$3.79 CA$5.25

-14.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 CA$17.44

$10.17 CA$14.08

23.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.30 CA$21.18

$11.95 CA$16.55

28.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.64 CA$27.20

$16.12 CA$22.32

21.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.57 CA$7.72

$3.89 CA$5.39

43.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.27 CA$1.76

-5.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.22

$3.88 CA$5.37

-2.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.12

$4.33 CA$5.99

-14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$1.83 CA$2.53

125.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.58

$1.50 CA$2.07

72.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.28 CA$3.15

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$1.44 CA$1.99

29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.00 CA$22.15

$14.20 CA$19.66

12.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 CA$15.26

$14.24 CA$19.72

-22.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.02

$2.25 CA$3.11

29.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 CA$5.12

$2.53 CA$3.50

46.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$2.47 CA$3.42

-42.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.62 CA$42.39

$112 CA$155

-72.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.94

$3.05 CA$4.22

17.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.24 CA$1.71

17.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.87 CA$34.43

$22.44 CA$31.07

10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$1.24 CA$1.71

-8.87%

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

$26.9K CA$37.2K

$27.5K CA$38.1K

-2.34%

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

$19.3K CA$26.7K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

-8.85%

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

$119 CA$164

$128 CA$177

-7.08%

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

$45.01 CA$62.3

$33.79 CA$46.78

33.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 CA$89.3

$49.25 CA$68.2

30.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 CA$71.8

$40.93 CA$56.7

26.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$34.09

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 CA$15.72

$13.16 CA$18.22

-13.75%

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

$371 CA$514

$792 CA$1,097

-53.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,922 CA$11.0K

$24.1K CA$33.4K

-67.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 CA$75.3

$54.5 CA$75.5

-0.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 CA$49.61

$43.11 CA$59.7

-16.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 CA$112

$102 CA$141

-20.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$141

$123 CA$171

-17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 CA$2,292

$1,653 CA$2,289

0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 CA$2,134

$1,452 CA$2,010

6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,311 CA$4,585

$2,694 CA$3,731

22.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,805 CA$3,884

$2,149 CA$2,976

30.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,964 CA$8,257

$8,347 CA$11.6K

-28.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 CA$9,437

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,361

$3,614 CA$5,004

-12.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

4.49

5.12%

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

Last update for Squamish, BC: September 1, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,655 in Squamish, BC and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $58.0 in Squamish, BC vs $88.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $404 vs $365, with Toronto 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

Squamish, BC vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Squamish, BC. 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 15% 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: $1,655 in Squamish, BC versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $371 in Squamish, BC 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 11% higher in Squamish, BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Squamish, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.