Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and North Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and North Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,797 in North Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $4,453 in North Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $6,108 in North Vancouver.

Living in Toronto is roughly 1% more expensive than North Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$26.02

$18.04 CA$25.09

3.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$69.1 CA$96.1

18.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.06

$10.38 CA$14.43

4.34%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.41

$4.12 CA$5.74

-5.58%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.05 CA$2.85

8.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.30 CA$1.81

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.08 CA$7.06

19.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$6.82 CA$9.48

-3.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.19 CA$3.05

24.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$2.62 CA$3.64

3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.92

$2.67 CA$3.72

32.58%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.76 CA$5.23

-6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.81

$10.48 CA$14.57

29.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.20

$11.67 CA$16.23

12.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.59

$14.50 CA$20.16

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$3.48 CA$4.84

19.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.43 CA$1.99

-17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$2.96 CA$4.12

9.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$4.00 CA$5.56

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.44 CA$3.39

2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.09 CA$2.90

37.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.47 CA$3.43

-4.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.21 CA$1.68

65.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.28

$14.76 CA$20.53

-1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.71

$13.06 CA$18.17

8.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$3.90 CA$5.42

-28.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$2.33 CA$3.24

39.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.63 CA$3.66

-8.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$89.7 CA$125

27.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$2.66 CA$3.70

41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.55 CA$2.16

-9.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.50

$28.74 CA$39.97

-11.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.30 CA$1.81

-15.38%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$24.7K CA$34.4K

2.19%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

2.92%

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

$120 CA$166

$133 CA$186

-10.34%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$42.28 CA$58.8

-11.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$66.6 CA$92.7

-18.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.2

$33.30 CA$46.32

66.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.41

$29.62 CA$41.19

-28.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.07

$12.36 CA$17.18

-6.47%

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

$1,129 CA$1,571

$1,207 CA$1,678

-6.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$11.2K CA$15.5K

61.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.2

$54.8 CA$76.2

3.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.6

$45.49 CA$63.3

-12.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$95.4 CA$133

-6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$115 CA$159

-0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,572

$1,880 CA$2,614

-1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,169

$1,683 CA$2,340

-7.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,068

$3,552 CA$4,940

-17.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,435

$3,435 CA$4,777

-28.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$8,170 CA$11.4K

11.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,785

$6,898 CA$9,593

2.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,967

$3,092 CA$4,300

15.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.54

-21.10%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for North Vancouver: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,880 in North Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 16% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $69.0 in North Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $351 per month, with North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto and North Vancouver differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,811 vs $2,797 including rent). North Vancouver is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Toronto pays 16% more on average, 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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,880 in North Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in North Vancouver – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,811 per month in Toronto versus $2,797 in North Vancouver – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.