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: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 1% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.99

$18.26 CA$25.37

2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$77.8 CA$108

5.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.04

$10.85 CA$15.08

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.98 CA$5.53

-2.26%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.12 CA$2.94

4.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.78 CA$2.47

-7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$5.77 CA$8.02

4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.15

$7.56 CA$10.50

-12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.32 CA$3.23

17.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$3.10 CA$4.30

-12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.91

$3.89 CA$5.40

-9.00%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.86

$4.53 CA$6.29

-22.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.80

$12.92 CA$17.95

4.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.19

$14.14 CA$19.65

-7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.57

$15.74 CA$21.87

7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.78

$4.26 CA$5.91

-2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.47 CA$2.04

-19.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$4.02 CA$5.59

-19.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.72

$5.06 CA$7.03

-18.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$3.02 CA$4.20

-17.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.95 CA$4.10

-2.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.26

$2.60 CA$3.61

-9.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.88 CA$2.61

6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.26

$15.20 CA$21.12

-4.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.70

$14.30 CA$19.86

-0.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$3.07 CA$4.27

-8.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.74 CA$5.20

-13.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.44 CA$3.39

-1.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$84.9 CA$118

34.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.74 CA$5.19

0.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.50 CA$2.09

-6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.47

$27.43 CA$38.11

-6.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.34 CA$1.86

-17.91%

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

$25.2K CA$35.1K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

0.52%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

1.64%

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

$120 CA$166

$91.8 CA$128

30.34%

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

$37.54 CA$52.2

$39.42 CA$54.8

-4.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.7

$61.1 CA$84.9

-10.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$77.1

$44.89 CA$62.4

23.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.39

$15.68 CA$21.79

34.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.06

$12.37 CA$17.18

-6.55%

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

$1,129 CA$1,569

$1,180 CA$1,640

-4.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.0K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-4.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.1

$62.7 CA$87.1

-9.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.5

$43.13 CA$59.9

-7.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$125

$94.7 CA$132

-5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$118 CA$164

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,570

$1,995 CA$2,771

-7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,167

$1,629 CA$2,264

-4.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,065

$3,589 CA$4,986

-18.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,432

$2,769 CA$3,848

-10.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$9,246 CA$12.8K

-1.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,775

$7,086 CA$9,845

-0.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,963

$3,474 CA$4,827

2.82%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Toronto vs $78.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $415, 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Toronto pays 3% 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 $1,995 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 $82.0 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 1% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.