Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Squamish, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Squamish, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,668 in Toronto versus $2,606 in Squamish, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,801 in Toronto versus $3,941 in Squamish, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,934 in Toronto versus $5,275 in Squamish, BC.

Living in Toronto is roughly 2% more expensive than in Squamish, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 95% above, Squamish, BC 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.62

$14.98 CA$20.96

22.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 CA$112

$56.5 CA$79.0

42.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.84

$10.50 CA$14.69

1.05%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.94 CA$5.51

1.27%

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

$2.16 CA$3.02

$1.87 CA$2.61

15.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.49 CA$2.08

18.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 CA$9.30

$5.86 CA$8.20

13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.07

$5.66 CA$7.92

27.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$1.70 CA$2.38

67.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.25 CA$3.15

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.50

$3.68 CA$5.15

-31.79%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.35

$3.25 CA$4.54

17.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 CA$14.00

$12.91 CA$18.06

-22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.73

$15.12 CA$21.16

-20.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.87

$19.92 CA$27.87

-21.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.14

$5.66 CA$7.91

-35.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.25 CA$1.74

1.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.41

$3.76 CA$5.26

2.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.91

$3.68 CA$5.15

14.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$4.21 CA$5.89

-55.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$2.55 CA$3.57

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.53 CA$3.53

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.85 CA$2.59

-22.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.75

$16.11 CA$22.53

-12.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.33

$10.81 CA$15.13

34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.95 CA$4.12

-24.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$3.53 CA$4.94

-27.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$1.41 CA$1.97

75.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$30.81 CA$43.10

266.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.34

$3.51 CA$4.91

-11.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.48 CA$2.07

-13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.60

$25.51 CA$35.68

-14.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.15 CA$1.60

6.96%

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

$27.2K CA$38.1K

$27.0K CA$37.7K

0.95%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$19.1K CA$26.7K

6.69%

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

$122 CA$171

$118 CA$166

3.51%

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

$33.21 CA$46.46

$44.30 CA$62.0

-25.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 CA$69.1

$66.0 CA$92.3

-25.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 CA$56.0

$51.4 CA$72.0

-22.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 CA$33.26

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$17.76

$11.33 CA$15.85

12.09%

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

$772 CA$1,080

$373 CA$522

106.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.3K

$7,899 CA$11.1K

201.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.7

$53.5 CA$74.8

-0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.9

$35.05 CA$49.03

20.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$81.5 CA$114

22.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$172

$101 CA$141

22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,234

$1,629 CA$2,278

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,013

$1,538 CA$2,152

-6.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 CA$3,830

$3,202 CA$4,479

-14.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,026

$2,882 CA$4,032

-24.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,246 CA$11.5K

$6,057 CA$8,473

36.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 CA$9,366

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 CA$5,358

$3,093 CA$4,327

23.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.72

-5.30%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Last update for Squamish, BC: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,597 in Toronto and $1,629 in Squamish, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 24% 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: $80.0 in Toronto vs $56.0 in Squamish, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $361 vs $404, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

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 Squamish, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Squamish, BC wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Squamish, BC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $1,597 in Toronto versus $1,629 in Squamish, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $772 in Toronto versus $373 in Squamish, BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Squamish, BC 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.

Expats usually find Squamish, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.