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: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,806 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,941 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $5,075 in Markham.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$14.80 CA$20.82

25.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$81.5 CA$115

2.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$9.00 CA$12.66

21.89%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.21 CA$4.52

24.30%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.02 CA$2.84

4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.39 CA$1.96

21.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$3.74 CA$5.26

58.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$6.43 CA$9.05

0.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$1.79 CA$2.52

51.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.23 CA$3.13

27.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$1.63 CA$2.29

118.40%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.31 CA$4.66

6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$15.39 CA$21.65

-13.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$9.85 CA$13.86

32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$7.45 CA$10.49

125.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$4.36 CA$6.13

-5.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.41 CA$1.99

-19.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$2.38 CA$3.35

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.54 CA$4.98

13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.39 CA$3.36

1.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.17 CA$3.05

35.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$3.12 CA$4.39

-20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.61 CA$2.27

19.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$13.71 CA$19.29

9.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$15.03 CA$21.15

-4.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.18 CA$3.06

24.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.31 CA$3.24

35.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$3.18 CA$4.48

-22.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$96.7 CA$136

16.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.17 CA$4.47

14.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$2.85 CA$4.01

-52.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$22.08 CA$31.06

15.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.09 CA$1.54

1.83%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

-0.95%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$20.2K CA$28.4K

7.69%

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

$117 CA$164

$202 CA$284

-42.12%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$34.07 CA$47.94

10.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$59.1 CA$83.1

-9.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$45.55 CA$64.1

25.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$14.14 CA$19.89

47.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$10.78 CA$15.17

7.24%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$919 CA$1,293

22.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$28.7K CA$40.4K

-35.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$44.69 CA$62.9

28.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$36.37 CA$51.2

7.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$60.8 CA$85.6

43.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$81.5 CA$115

39.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,699 CA$2,391

8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,630 CA$2,293

-6.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$3,005 CA$4,229

-2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$2,548 CA$3,586

-1.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$5,972 CA$8,403

46.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$5,410 CA$7,613

26.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,084 CA$4,340

11.97%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Markham: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,699 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Toronto vs $81.0 in Markham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $324 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

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

Average pay runs 12% 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,699 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,125 in Toronto versus $919 in Markham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Markham pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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.

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 Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Markham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.