Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Medicine Hat Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Medicine Hat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Toronto vs $1,860 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,866 per month in Toronto vs $2,820 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,111 per month in Toronto vs $3,780 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Toronto costs about 41% more than Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Medicine Hat sit above the global median – Toronto by 90%, Medicine Hat by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.64

$14.93 CA$20.61

19.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$72.0 CA$99.4

20.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.10

$10.28 CA$14.19

6.42%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.54

$3.87 CA$5.35

3.62%

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

$2.19 CA$3.02

$1.99 CA$2.75

10.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.33

$1.77 CA$2.45

-4.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.90

$4.99 CA$6.89

29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.73

$3.86 CA$5.32

82.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$1.64 CA$2.27

65.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.03

$1.88 CA$2.59

55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.42

$3.70 CA$5.11

-32.97%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.32

$3.10 CA$4.27

24.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$13.94

$9.91 CA$13.68

1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.59

$10.95 CA$15.12

9.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.55

$13.24 CA$18.28

17.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.38

$3.16 CA$4.36

23.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.71

$1.43 CA$1.97

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.21

$3.04 CA$4.19

24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.05

$3.75 CA$5.17

16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.66

$2.58 CA$3.56

-25.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$1.57 CA$2.17

-4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$2.68 CA$3.71

-14.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.01

$1.55 CA$2.14

-5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.04

$11.69 CA$16.14

24.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$19.90

$13.27 CA$18.32

8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.49 CA$3.44

-9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.58

$3.22 CA$4.45

-19.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.26

$2.31 CA$3.19

2.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$51.0 CA$70.4

124.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.36

$3.20 CA$4.41

-1.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.36 CA$1.87

-7.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.15

$27.32 CA$37.72

-17.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.71

$1.03 CA$1.42

20.39%

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

$27.3K CA$37.7K

$28.9K CA$39.9K

-5.52%

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

$20.7K CA$28.6K

$19.4K CA$26.7K

7.09%

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

$124 CA$171

$182 CA$251

-32.04%

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

$32.72 CA$45.17

$39.52 CA$54.6

-17.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.4

$50.8 CA$70.1

-3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.6

$56.0 CA$77.4

-28.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$32.91

$36.60 CA$50.5

-34.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.69

$14.29 CA$19.73

-10.29%

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

$787 CA$1,087

$818 CA$1,130

-3.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$33.9K

$16.1K CA$22.2K

52.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$74.9

$51.7 CA$71.4

4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.5

$26.67 CA$36.82

61.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$135

$67.8 CA$93.6

44.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$174

$69.3 CA$95.7

81.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,292

$838 CA$1,156

98.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,048

$776 CA$1,071

91.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,865

$1,336 CA$1,844

109.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,977

$1,265 CA$1,746

70.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$1,356 CA$1,872

518.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,445

$1,911 CA$2,638

258.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,245

$3,060 CA$4,224

24.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.48

-0.22%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,660 in Toronto versus $838 in Medicine Hat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Toronto, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Toronto versus $72.0 in Medicine Hat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $328 – making Medicine Hat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medicine Hat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto costs about 41% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,930 per month in Toronto and $2,790 in Medicine Hat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medicine Hat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,620 in Toronto and $1,860 in Medicine Hat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 124% less in Medicine Hat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Medicine Hat, where all-in costs run around $1,860, than in Toronto at $2,620. In Medicine Hat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medicine Hat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medicine Hat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.