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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,906 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $4,209 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $5,513 in Vancouver.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 4% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Vancouver 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$18.62 CA$26.10

-0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$77.9 CA$109

7.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$10.84 CA$15.20

1.20%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.93 CA$5.51

1.53%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.24 CA$3.15

-5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.75 CA$2.45

-3.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$6.05 CA$8.48

-2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$7.30 CA$10.23

-11.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.30 CA$3.23

17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$3.07 CA$4.31

-7.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.77 CA$5.28

-5.57%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$4.32 CA$6.06

-18.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$12.57 CA$17.63

5.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$13.74 CA$19.27

-5.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$15.99 CA$22.41

4.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$4.26 CA$5.98

-3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.52 CA$2.13

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$3.92 CA$5.50

-13.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$5.08 CA$7.13

-20.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$3.20 CA$4.48

-24.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$3.09 CA$4.33

-4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.60 CA$3.64

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.88 CA$2.64

2.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$15.45 CA$21.66

-2.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$14.89 CA$20.88

-3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$3.12 CA$4.37

-13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$3.80 CA$5.33

-17.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.42 CA$3.39

1.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$83.0 CA$116

35.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.76 CA$5.27

-3.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.48 CA$2.08

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$26.97 CA$37.81

-5.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.30 CA$1.82

-14.62%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.2K CA$35.3K

0.33%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$20.6K CA$28.8K

5.88%

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

$117 CA$164

$91.8 CA$129

27.09%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$39.34 CA$55.2

-4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$60.6 CA$85.0

-11.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$44.58 CA$62.5

28.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

$15.88 CA$22.27

31.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$12.18 CA$17.07

-5.09%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$1,185 CA$1,661

-5.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$18.5K CA$26.0K

-0.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$62.5 CA$87.6

-8.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$42.38 CA$59.4

-7.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$95.0 CA$133

-7.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$115 CA$161

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,979 CA$2,775

-6.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$1,644 CA$2,304

-6.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$3,577 CA$5,015

-18.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$2,782 CA$3,901

-10.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$8,754 CA$12.3K

-0.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$7,087 CA$9,936

-3.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$3,380 CA$4,739

2.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

5.61

-8.02%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,979 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Toronto vs $78.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $414, 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 Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,979 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Toronto – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto 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 Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.