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: $2,628 in Toronto versus $2,605 in Vaughan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Toronto versus $3,794 in Vaughan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,067 in Toronto versus $4,982 in Vaughan.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 91% above, Vaughan 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 CA$24.66

$17.52 CA$24.16

2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 CA$121

$68.4 CA$94.3

28.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.08

$10.20 CA$14.06

7.16%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.60

$3.76 CA$5.19

7.98%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$2.07 CA$2.85

5.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.34

$1.66 CA$2.29

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.22

$6.38 CA$8.79

4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CA$10.13

$6.37 CA$8.78

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.83

$2.04 CA$2.82

36.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$3.99

$2.21 CA$3.05

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.76 CA$3.80

-7.25%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.22

$3.55 CA$4.89

6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.02

$9.59 CA$13.23

6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.48

$12.12 CA$16.71

-1.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 CA$22.23

$13.82 CA$19.06

16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

$3.45 CA$4.76

12.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.29 CA$1.78

-1.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.35

$3.62 CA$4.99

7.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$5.97

$3.48 CA$4.80

24.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.52

$1.67 CA$2.30

9.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.06

$1.58 CA$2.18

-5.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.14

$2.29 CA$3.15

-0.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.98

$1.22 CA$1.68

18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.58

$12.87 CA$17.75

10.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 CA$19.64

$12.20 CA$16.82

16.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.10

$2.02 CA$2.79

11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.49

$1.41 CA$1.94

79.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$2.81 CA$3.88

-12.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$154

$106 CA$147

5.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.20

$3.11 CA$4.28

-1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$1.25 CA$1.72

-0.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.44 CA$30.94

$22.01 CA$30.36

1.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$1.05 CA$1.45

18.10%

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

$27.5K CA$37.9K

$24.4K CA$33.7K

12.63%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$19.3K CA$26.6K

9.80%

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

$128 CA$176

$113 CA$156

13.10%

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

$33.79 CA$46.59

$29.25 CA$40.34

15.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.25 CA$67.9

$51.7 CA$71.3

-4.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 CA$56.5

$32.54 CA$44.88

25.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$33.95

$21.61 CA$29.80

13.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 CA$18.15

$10.33 CA$14.25

27.40%

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

$792 CA$1,093

$908 CA$1,252

-12.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K CA$33.3K

$17.6K CA$24.3K

37.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.2

$44.43 CA$61.3

22.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 CA$59.5

$37.74 CA$52.0

14.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$109 CA$150

-6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$170

$109 CA$150

13.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 CA$2,279

$1,677 CA$2,313

-1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 CA$2,002

$1,490 CA$2,055

-2.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 CA$3,716

$2,708 CA$3,734

-0.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CA$2,964

$2,543 CA$3,507

-15.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,347 CA$11.5K

$8,977 CA$12.4K

-7.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 CA$9,399

$6,450 CA$8,895

5.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,614 CA$4,984

$3,035 CA$4,186

19.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

5.39

-16.70%

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

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Vaughan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Toronto and $1,677 in Vaughan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 19% 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: $88.0 in Toronto vs $68.0 in Vaughan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $325 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 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $1,653 in Toronto versus $1,677 in Vaughan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 $68.0 versus $88.0 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 1% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.