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: $2,637 in Squamish, BC versus $2,620 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,981 in Squamish, BC versus $3,794 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,325 in Squamish, BC versus $4,969 in Toronto.

Living in Squamish, BC is roughly 1% more expensive than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Squamish, BC 94% above, Toronto 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 CA$20.99

$17.99 CA$25.21

-16.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 CA$78.4

$83.9 CA$118

-33.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 CA$14.73

$10.83 CA$15.17

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$4.08 CA$5.71

-2.21%

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

$1.88 CA$2.63

$2.21 CA$3.09

-14.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.70 CA$2.39

-12.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$8.14

$6.30 CA$8.83

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.05

$7.25 CA$10.16

-20.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$2.87 CA$4.02

-38.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$2.88 CA$4.03

-23.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$2.81 CA$3.94

25.98%

Eggs

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.59 CA$5.03

-14.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 CA$17.96

$10.66 CA$14.93

20.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.01 CA$21.04

$12.27 CA$17.20

22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.42 CA$27.21

$17.51 CA$24.54

10.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 CA$7.46

$3.94 CA$5.53

35.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.70

$1.24 CA$1.74

-1.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.11

$4.10 CA$5.75

-11.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.95

$4.12 CA$5.77

-14.32%

Potato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.61

$2.06 CA$2.88

94.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$1.75 CA$2.45

44.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.71

$2.34 CA$3.28

12.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.57

$1.47 CA$2.06

25.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.88 CA$22.25

$14.29 CA$20.03

11.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 CA$14.68

$14.04 CA$19.67

-25.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.93

$2.42 CA$3.39

15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CA$5.09

$2.80 CA$3.92

29.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$2.36 CA$3.31

-41.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 CA$42.71

$112 CA$157

-72.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 CA$4.97

$3.00 CA$4.20

18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.28 CA$1.79

7.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 CA$35.58

$22.19 CA$31.10

14.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.26 CA$1.76

-7.94%

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

$25.9K CA$36.3K

$27.0K CA$37.9K

-4.35%

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

$18.8K CA$26.3K

$20.7K CA$29.0K

-9.24%

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

$116 CA$163

$128 CA$180

-9.54%

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

$44.19 CA$61.9

$34.32 CA$48.10

28.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 CA$90.0

$49.94 CA$70.0

28.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 CA$71.0

$43.00 CA$60.3

17.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.71 CA$37.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.07

$12.96 CA$18.16

-11.50%

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

$372 CA$521

$753 CA$1,055

-50.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,844 CA$11.0K

$23.3K CA$32.6K

-66.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 CA$73.5

$58.1 CA$81.4

-9.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.62 CA$48.52

$42.27 CA$59.2

-18.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 CA$111

$104 CA$146

-24.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 CA$140

$132 CA$186

-24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 CA$2,276

$1,650 CA$2,312

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 CA$2,110

$1,430 CA$2,004

5.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,173 CA$4,447

$2,728 CA$3,824

16.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,824 CA$3,958

$2,198 CA$3,080

28.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,019 CA$8,435

$8,529 CA$12.0K

-29.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,912 CA$9,686

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,081 CA$4,318

$3,357 CA$4,704

-8.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

4.57

3.28%

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

Last update for Squamish, BC: August 4, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,624 in Squamish, BC and $1,650 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Squamish, BC vs $84.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $376, 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 1% 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 9% 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: $1,624 in Squamish, BC versus $1,650 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $372 in Squamish, BC versus $753 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% 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 1% less than in Squamish, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.