Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Vaughan Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Vaughan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,570 in Vaughan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,765 in Vaughan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,960 in Vaughan.

Living in Toronto is roughly 8% more expensive than in Vaughan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Vaughan 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$14.98 CA$21.08

23.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$77.2 CA$109

8.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$10.13 CA$14.25

8.29%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.48 CA$4.90

14.66%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.12 CA$2.98

-0.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.74 CA$2.44

-2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$6.32 CA$8.90

-6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$5.23 CA$7.35

23.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$1.76 CA$2.47

53.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.13 CA$3.00

33.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$3.67 CA$5.17

-3.00%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.38 CA$4.76

4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$8.64 CA$12.16

53.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$11.08 CA$15.59

17.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$6.29 CA$8.85

166.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$2.94 CA$4.14

39.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.60 CA$2.25

-28.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$2.93 CA$4.12

16.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.41 CA$4.79

17.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$1.90 CA$2.67

27.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.00 CA$2.81

47.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$1.84 CA$2.60

34.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.76 CA$2.47

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$12.99 CA$18.27

15.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$11.55 CA$16.26

24.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.14 CA$3.01

26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.11 CA$2.97

47.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.83 CA$3.99

-13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$111 CA$156

1.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.09 CA$4.34

17.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.42 CA$1.99

-5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$22.39 CA$31.50

14.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.09 CA$1.53

1.83%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

0.07%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$20.1K CA$28.2K

8.48%

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

$117 CA$164

$133 CA$188

-12.45%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$33.44 CA$47.06

12.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$49.61 CA$69.8

8.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$33.30 CA$46.85

71.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$21.88 CA$30.79

-4.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$11.00 CA$15.48

5.09%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$820 CA$1,153

37.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$43.70 CA$61.5

31.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$36.61 CA$51.5

6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$60.6 CA$85.3

44.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$104 CA$146

9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,744 CA$2,454

5.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,558 CA$2,192

-1.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$3,034 CA$4,269

-3.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$2,553 CA$3,593

-1.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$8,654 CA$12.2K

0.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$6,311 CA$8,881

8.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$3,014 CA$4,240

14.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.73

-23.33%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Vaughan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,744 in Vaughan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 15% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $77.0 in Vaughan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $297 per month, with Vaughan 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 Vaughan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vaughan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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 $1,744 in Vaughan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Vaughan – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Vaughan 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 Vaughan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.