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: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,960 in Yellowknife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $4,236 in Yellowknife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $5,511 in Yellowknife.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 5% less than in Yellowknife, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Yellowknife 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$16.77 CA$23.22

11.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$86.9 CA$120

-5.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$7.64 CA$10.58

41.75%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.83 CA$5.30

1.57%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.63 CA$3.64

-15.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$2.11 CA$2.92

-21.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$6.08 CA$8.42

-0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$7.22 CA$10.00

-8.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$2.52 CA$3.49

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$2.68 CA$3.71

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$4.76 CA$6.59

-25.63%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$3.36 CA$4.65

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$7.30 CA$10.11

85.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$16.83 CA$23.30

-22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$16.36 CA$22.66

3.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$5.05 CA$6.99

-17.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.53 CA$2.13

-22.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$5.56 CA$7.70

-41.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$7.71 CA$10.68

-46.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$4.76 CA$6.58

-47.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$3.75 CA$5.19

-23.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$3.63 CA$5.03

-35.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.15 CA$1.59

73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$17.61 CA$24.38

-17.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$14.32 CA$19.82

-0.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$4.40 CA$6.09

-36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$6.48 CA$8.97

-49.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$2.24 CA$3.11

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$56.3 CA$77.9

102.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$3.22 CA$4.46

16.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.39 CA$1.93

1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$25.28 CA$35.00

0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.22 CA$1.69

-9.84%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$25.2K CA$34.8K

0.30%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

1.62%

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

$120 CA$166

$395 CA$547

-69.70%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$60.3 CA$83.5

-37.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$110 CA$152

-50.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$74.7 CA$103

-25.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$10.37 CA$14.36

11.48%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$629 CA$871

79.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$11.8K CA$16.4K

51.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$66.5 CA$92.1

-14.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$37.52 CA$52.0

6.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$105 CA$145

-14.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$119 CA$165

-4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$1,503 CA$2,080

23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$1,426 CA$1,975

9.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$2,457 CA$3,401

19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$2,167 CA$3,000

14.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$3,158 CA$4,373

187.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

$2,906 CA$4,024

142.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

$4,098 CA$5,674

-12.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.46

-20.12%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yellowknife: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,503 in Yellowknife. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $87.0 in Yellowknife for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $449 per month, with Toronto 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 Yellowknife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Yellowknife earns 15% less. 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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,503 in Yellowknife. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 $82.0 versus $87.0 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 5% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.