Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Yellowknife Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Yellowknife

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,628 in Toronto versus $3,019 in Yellowknife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Toronto versus $4,249 in Yellowknife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,067 in Toronto versus $5,479 in Yellowknife.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 13% less than in Yellowknife, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 91% above, Yellowknife 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 CA$24.85

$19.49 CA$27.08

-8.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 CA$122

$86.1 CA$120

2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.19

$8.88 CA$12.33

23.09%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.64

$4.37 CA$6.07

-7.09%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.38 CA$3.31

-8.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$2.08 CA$2.90

-18.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.29

$6.69 CA$9.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CA$10.21

$7.25 CA$10.07

1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.93 CA$4.07

-5.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.02

$2.69 CA$3.74

7.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$4.69 CA$6.51

-45.42%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.26

$3.22 CA$4.48

17.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.13

$7.47 CA$10.39

36.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.60

$16.46 CA$22.87

-27.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 CA$22.40

$16.00 CA$22.23

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.41

$4.97 CA$6.90

-21.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.48 CA$2.06

-14.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.39

$5.36 CA$7.45

-27.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.02

$7.34 CA$10.19

-41.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.54

$4.62 CA$6.42

-60.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$3.52 CA$4.89

-57.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$3.58 CA$4.97

-36.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.11 CA$1.54

29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.73

$17.59 CA$24.45

-19.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 CA$19.79

$14.70 CA$20.43

-3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$4.26 CA$5.92

-47.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$6.34 CA$8.81

-60.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$2.21 CA$3.08

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$156

$54.2 CA$75.3

106.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.24

$3.16 CA$4.40

-3.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.41 CA$1.96

-12.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.44 CA$31.18

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.27 CA$1.77

-2.36%

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

$27.5K CA$38.2K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

10.66%

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

$21.1K CA$29.4K

$19.2K CA$26.7K

9.88%

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

$128 CA$177

$364 CA$506

-64.96%

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

$33.79 CA$46.95

$58.5 CA$81.3

-42.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.25 CA$68.4

$99.5 CA$138

-50.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 CA$56.9

$74.1 CA$103

-44.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$34.21

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 CA$18.29

$10.20 CA$14.17

29.02%

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

$792 CA$1,101

$599 CA$833

32.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K CA$33.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.8

$65.1 CA$90.5

-16.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 CA$59.9

$36.21 CA$50.3

19.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$141

$104 CA$145

-2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$171

$118 CA$164

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 CA$2,297

$1,459 CA$2,027

13.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 CA$2,017

$1,419 CA$1,972

2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 CA$3,744

$2,163 CA$3,006

24.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CA$2,987

$2,117 CA$2,942

1.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,347 CA$11.6K

$3,098 CA$4,305

169.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 CA$9,471

$2,840 CA$3,946

140.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,614 CA$5,022

$4,117 CA$5,721

-12.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

5.32

-15.60%

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

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Yellowknife: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Toronto and $1,459 in Yellowknife. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 14% 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 $86.0 in Yellowknife. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $444, 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 Yellowknife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Yellowknife. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,653 in Toronto versus $1,459 in Yellowknife. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Yellowknife. 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 $88.0 versus $86.0 in Yellowknife. 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 15% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.