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 $2,788 per month in Toronto vs $1,891 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,110 per month in Toronto vs $2,809 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Toronto vs $3,726 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Toronto costs about 47% more than Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toronto and Medicine Hat sit above the global median – Toronto by 109%, Medicine Hat by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$15.31 CA$21.55

20.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$69.2 CA$97.4

21.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$8.28 CA$11.65

32.49%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.89 CA$5.47

2.57%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.97 CA$2.77

7.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.73 CA$2.44

-2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.20 CA$7.32

13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$3.87 CA$5.44

67.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$1.50 CA$2.11

80.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$1.89 CA$2.66

50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$3.34 CA$4.70

6.59%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.29 CA$4.63

7.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$8.20 CA$11.54

61.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.14 CA$15.68

17.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$13.52 CA$19.02

24.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.74 CA$5.26

9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.31 CA$1.84

-12.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$2.47 CA$3.48

37.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.30 CA$4.64

21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$1.44 CA$2.03

68.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$1.56 CA$2.19

88.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.74 CA$3.86

-9.85%

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

$11.82 CA$16.63

26.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$12.86 CA$18.10

11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.57 CA$3.61

5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.66 CA$5.14

-14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.33 CA$3.28

5.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$51.5 CA$72.5

119.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.42 CA$4.82

6.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.37 CA$1.92

-2.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$28.83 CA$40.57

-11.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.01 CA$1.42

9.90%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$24.8K CA$34.9K

1.91%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$21.6K CA$30.5K

0.58%

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

$117 CA$164

$215 CA$302

-45.65%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$40.79 CA$57.4

-7.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$59.0 CA$83.0

-9.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$57.2 CA$80.4

-0.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$36.79 CA$51.8

-43.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$12.51 CA$17.60

-7.59%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$883 CA$1,243

27.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$16.0K CA$22.5K

15.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$52.0 CA$73.2

10.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$27.27 CA$38.37

43.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$70.4 CA$99.1

24.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$69.4 CA$97.6

63.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$830 CA$1,167

121.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$743 CA$1,045

106.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$1,379 CA$1,941

112.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,205 CA$1,695

107.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$1,315 CA$1,851

563.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$1,914 CA$2,693

258.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$2,948 CA$4,148

17.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

5.71

-9.63%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Toronto versus $830 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 17% 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 $84.0 in Toronto versus $69.0 in Medicine Hat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $318 – 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 47% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,181 per month in Toronto and $2,837 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 $2,788 in Toronto and $1,891 in Medicine Hat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 119% 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 $1,891, than in Toronto at $2,788. 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.