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: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,990 in Yellowknife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $4,276 in Yellowknife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $5,563 in Yellowknife.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 7% less than in Yellowknife, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Yellowknife 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$16.49 CA$23.12

12.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$89.7 CA$126

-6.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$7.54 CA$10.57

45.49%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.86 CA$5.41

3.37%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.64 CA$3.71

-20.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$2.21 CA$3.10

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$6.02 CA$8.43

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$7.46 CA$10.45

-13.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.48 CA$3.48

9.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.77 CA$3.88

2.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$4.82 CA$6.76

-26.14%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.28 CA$4.59

7.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$7.30 CA$10.24

81.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$16.81 CA$23.57

-22.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$16.50 CA$23.13

1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$4.81 CA$6.74

-14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.59 CA$2.24

-28.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$5.54 CA$7.76

-38.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$7.67 CA$10.76

-47.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$4.76 CA$6.67

-48.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$3.67 CA$5.15

-19.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$3.45 CA$4.84

-28.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.14 CA$1.60

68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$17.39 CA$24.38

-13.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$14.00 CA$19.62

2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$4.30 CA$6.03

-36.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$6.71 CA$9.41

-53.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.16 CA$3.03

13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$54.6 CA$76.5

106.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.26 CA$4.56

11.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$26.10 CA$36.59

-2.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.22 CA$1.71

-9.02%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$24.5K CA$34.4K

3.01%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$20.1K CA$28.2K

8.08%

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

$117 CA$164

$390 CA$547

-70.11%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$60.5 CA$84.8

-37.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$111 CA$156

-51.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$74.7 CA$105

-23.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$10.23 CA$14.34

13.00%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$609 CA$854

84.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$12.0K CA$16.8K

53.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$65.4 CA$91.7

-12.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$36.64 CA$51.4

6.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$107 CA$150

-17.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$119 CA$167

-4.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,494 CA$2,095

23.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$1,440 CA$2,019

6.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$2,449 CA$3,434

19.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$2,192 CA$3,073

14.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$3,003 CA$4,210

190.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$2,799 CA$3,924

145.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$3,937 CA$5,519

-12.27%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Yellowknife: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,494 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $90.0 in Yellowknife for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $447 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 7% 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,494 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 $84.0 versus $90.0 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 7% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.