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: $2,628 in Toronto versus $2,536 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Toronto versus $3,613 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,067 in Toronto versus $4,690 in Markham.

Living in Toronto is roughly 4% more expensive than in Markham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 91% above, Markham 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 CA$24.75

$18.33 CA$25.36

-2.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 CA$122

$54.4 CA$75.3

61.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.13

$11.03 CA$15.26

-0.91%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.62

$3.78 CA$5.23

7.41%

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

$2.18 CA$3.02

$1.75 CA$2.42

24.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.35

$1.42 CA$1.97

19.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.25

$4.83 CA$6.68

38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CA$10.16

$7.10 CA$9.83

3.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$2.04 CA$2.82

36.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.00

$2.24 CA$3.10

29.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.55

$2.04 CA$2.82

25.49%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.24

$3.19 CA$4.41

18.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.07

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.53

$12.50 CA$17.29

-4.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 CA$22.31

$7.05 CA$9.76

128.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.39

$3.68 CA$5.10

5.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.32 CA$1.82

-3.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.37

$2.33 CA$3.22

66.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$5.99

$3.37 CA$4.66

28.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.53

$2.07 CA$2.86

-11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$1.91 CA$2.65

-21.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$2.94 CA$4.07

-22.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.99

$1.55 CA$2.14

-7.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.64

$13.59 CA$18.80

4.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 CA$19.71

$15.17 CA$21.00

-6.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$2.46 CA$3.40

-8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.50

$3.15 CA$4.35

-19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$3.16 CA$4.37

-21.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$155

$93.9 CA$130

19.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$3.53 CA$4.89

-13.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.44 CA$31.05

$18.88 CA$26.12

18.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.71

$1.15 CA$1.59

7.83%

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

$27.5K CA$38.1K

$28.5K CA$39.5K

-3.65%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$18.5K CA$25.6K

14.27%

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

$128 CA$177

$127 CA$176

0.09%

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

$33.79 CA$46.75

$27.66 CA$38.28

22.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.25 CA$68.2

$47.06 CA$65.1

4.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 CA$56.6

$44.71 CA$61.9

-8.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$34.07

$21.50 CA$29.75

14.51%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 CA$18.21

$10.11 CA$13.99

30.17%

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

$792 CA$1,097

$891 CA$1,233

-11.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K CA$33.4K

$28.1K CA$38.9K

-14.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.4

$43.28 CA$59.9

25.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 CA$59.7

$37.52 CA$51.9

14.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$94.8 CA$131

7.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$171

$97.3 CA$135

26.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 CA$2,287

$1,640 CA$2,269

0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 CA$2,009

$1,421 CA$1,966

2.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 CA$3,728

$2,743 CA$3,795

-1.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CA$2,974

$2,320 CA$3,210

-7.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,347 CA$11.6K

$5,989 CA$8,287

39.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 CA$9,431

$5,548 CA$7,677

22.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,614 CA$5,001

$3,172 CA$4,389

13.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.56

-1.54%

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

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Markham: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Toronto and $1,640 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 14% 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: $88.0 in Toronto vs $54.0 in Markham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $289 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

Toronto vs Markham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Markham wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Markham the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Toronto, 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: $1,653 in Toronto versus $1,640 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $792 in Toronto versus $891 in Markham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Toronto. 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, 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.

Expats usually find Markham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.