Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Markham Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Markham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,806 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,941 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $5,075 in Markham.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 4% more expensive than in Markham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Markham 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$14.80 CA$20.82

25.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$81.5 CA$115

-4.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$9.00 CA$12.66

20.44%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$3.21 CA$4.52

22.43%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.02 CA$2.84

10.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.39 CA$1.96

25.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$3.74 CA$5.26

61.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$6.43 CA$9.05

13.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$1.79 CA$2.52

28.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.23 CA$3.13

37.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$1.63 CA$2.29

131.29%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.31 CA$4.66

30.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$15.39 CA$21.65

-18.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$9.85 CA$13.86

39.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$7.45 CA$10.49

114.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$4.36 CA$6.13

-2.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.41 CA$1.99

7.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$2.38 CA$3.35

64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.54 CA$4.98

43.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.39 CA$3.36

33.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.17 CA$3.05

42.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$3.12 CA$4.39

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.61 CA$2.27

16.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$13.71 CA$19.29

12.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$15.03 CA$21.15

-0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.18 CA$3.06

43.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$2.31 CA$3.24

64.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$3.18 CA$4.48

-23.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$96.7 CA$136

-14.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.17 CA$4.47

18.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$2.85 CA$4.01

-48.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$22.08 CA$31.06

22.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.09 CA$1.54

19.27%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

-1.28%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$20.2K CA$28.4K

1.71%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$202 CA$284

-54.46%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$34.07 CA$47.94

15.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$59.1 CA$83.1

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$45.55 CA$64.1

-2.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$14.14 CA$19.89

12.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$10.78 CA$15.17

12.99%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$919 CA$1,293

28.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$28.7K CA$40.4K

-35.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$44.69 CA$62.9

39.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$36.37 CA$51.2

16.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$60.8 CA$85.6

56.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$81.5 CA$115

40.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,699 CA$2,391

16.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,630 CA$2,293

0.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$3,005 CA$4,229

19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$2,548 CA$3,586

9.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$5,972 CA$8,403

46.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$5,410 CA$7,613

30.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$3,084 CA$4,340

9.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.59

-14.87%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Markham: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,699 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 10% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $81.0 in Markham. Groceries flip the comparison at $414 vs $324, with Markham 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

Vancouver vs Markham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Markham wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Markham the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Vancouver, 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,699 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver versus $919 in Markham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Markham 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.

Safety-wise, Vancouver and Markham are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Markham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.