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 $2,811 per month in Toronto vs $1,870 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Toronto vs $2,748 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,449 per month in Toronto vs $3,625 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Toronto costs about 50% more than Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toronto and Medicine Hat sit above the global median – Toronto by 110%, Medicine Hat by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$15.57 CA$21.65

20.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$71.3 CA$99.2

14.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$8.16 CA$11.35

32.72%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$3.72 CA$5.17

4.57%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.99 CA$2.77

11.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.72 CA$2.39

-4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.06 CA$7.04

19.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$3.93 CA$5.47

67.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$1.55 CA$2.15

76.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$1.82 CA$2.53

49.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$3.42 CA$4.75

3.51%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.22 CA$4.48

8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$8.18 CA$11.37

65.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$11.25 CA$15.65

16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$13.38 CA$18.61

26.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$3.83 CA$5.33

8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.34 CA$1.86

-11.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$2.51 CA$3.49

29.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$3.34 CA$4.65

23.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$1.49 CA$2.07

67.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$1.53 CA$2.13

88.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.64 CA$3.68

-10.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.56 CA$2.16

28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$11.73 CA$16.32

24.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$13.06 CA$18.16

8.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.64 CA$3.67

6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$3.66 CA$5.09

-11.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.34 CA$3.25

2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$51.0 CA$70.9

123.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.59 CA$4.99

4.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.30 CA$1.81

8.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$29.19 CA$40.60

-12.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.06 CA$1.47

3.77%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

1.07%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$22.2K CA$30.8K

-4.95%

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

$120 CA$166

$212 CA$295

-43.67%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$41.51 CA$57.7

-9.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$59.0 CA$82.1

-7.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$57.3 CA$79.7

-3.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$37.53 CA$52.2

-43.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$12.28 CA$17.07

-5.86%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$877 CA$1,220

28.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$15.8K CA$22.0K

13.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$53.2 CA$74.0

6.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$27.81 CA$38.67

43.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$69.3 CA$96.4

29.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$70.0 CA$97.3

63.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$815 CA$1,134

126.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$730 CA$1,016

113.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$1,406 CA$1,955

108.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$1,201 CA$1,670

105.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$1,371 CA$1,907

562.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$1,972 CA$2,742

256.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$2,997 CA$4,168

19.18%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Toronto versus $815 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 19% 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 $82.0 in Toronto versus $71.0 in Medicine Hat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $319 – 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 50% 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 $4,216 per month in Toronto and $2,805 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 $2,811 in Toronto and $1,870 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 $1,870, than in Toronto at $2,811. 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.