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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,797 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,980 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $5,162 in Markham.

Monthly costs are close between Toronto and Markham; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.99

$14.72 CA$20.45

27.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$81.6 CA$113

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.04

$8.91 CA$12.38

21.55%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.20 CA$4.45

21.56%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.09 CA$2.90

6.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.40 CA$1.94

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$3.69 CA$5.13

63.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.83 CA$9.49

-3.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$1.80 CA$2.51

51.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.32 CA$3.22

17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.91

$1.57 CA$2.18

125.48%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.86

$3.28 CA$4.56

6.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.80

$15.43 CA$21.44

-12.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.19

$10.14 CA$14.08

29.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.57

$7.38 CA$10.25

129.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.78

$4.38 CA$6.09

-5.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.47 CA$2.04

-19.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$2.49 CA$3.46

30.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.72

$3.51 CA$4.88

17.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.37 CA$3.29

5.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.16 CA$3.00

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.26

$3.16 CA$4.39

-25.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.67 CA$2.32

19.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.26

$14.24 CA$19.78

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.70

$15.36 CA$21.33

-7.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.21 CA$3.07

26.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$2.22 CA$3.08

46.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$3.05 CA$4.24

-21.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$95.0 CA$132

20.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.04 CA$4.22

23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$2.80 CA$3.89

-49.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.47

$21.86 CA$30.38

16.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.15 CA$1.60

-4.35%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.3K CA$35.2K

-0.32%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$20.4K CA$28.3K

3.27%

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

$120 CA$166

$204 CA$283

-41.37%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$33.93 CA$47.15

10.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.7

$60.5 CA$84.0

-9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.1

$46.04 CA$64.0

20.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.39

$14.12 CA$19.62

49.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.06

$10.78 CA$14.97

7.24%

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

$1,129 CA$1,569

$910 CA$1,265

24.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$29.0K CA$40.3K

-38.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.1

$43.35 CA$60.2

31.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.5

$37.42 CA$52.0

6.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$61.7 CA$85.7

45.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$79.4 CA$110

43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,570

$1,694 CA$2,354

9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,167

$1,605 CA$2,230

-2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,065

$2,969 CA$4,125

-1.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,432

$2,457 CA$3,414

0.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$5,961 CA$8,282

52.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,775

$5,494 CA$7,633

28.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,963

$3,206 CA$4,455

11.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.59

-21.70%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Markham: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,694 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 11% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $82.0 in Toronto vs $82.0 in Markham. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $328, 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

Toronto vs Markham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,694 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,129 in Toronto versus $910 in Markham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Markham – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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, Toronto and Markham are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Markham wins on affordability, Toronto on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.