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: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,797 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,980 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $5,162 in Markham.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Markham 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.28

$14.72 CA$20.38

24.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$81.6 CA$113

-4.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.02

$8.91 CA$12.34

21.77%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.51

$3.20 CA$4.43

24.37%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.09 CA$2.89

1.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$1.40 CA$1.94

27.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$7.99

$3.69 CA$5.12

56.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.46

$6.83 CA$9.45

10.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.21

$1.80 CA$2.50

28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.29

$2.32 CA$3.21

33.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.38

$1.57 CA$2.17

147.77%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.27

$3.28 CA$4.54

38.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.88

$15.43 CA$21.37

-16.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.58

$10.14 CA$14.03

39.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.80

$7.38 CA$10.21

113.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.89

$4.38 CA$6.06

-2.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.03

$1.47 CA$2.04

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$2.49 CA$3.45

61.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.01

$3.51 CA$4.87

44.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$2.37 CA$3.28

27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.16 CA$2.99

36.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$3.16 CA$4.38

-17.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$1.67 CA$2.31

12.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.04

$14.24 CA$19.72

6.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.80

$15.36 CA$21.26

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$2.21 CA$3.05

38.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$2.22 CA$3.07

68.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$3.05 CA$4.23

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$95.0 CA$131

-10.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$3.04 CA$4.20

23.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.80 CA$3.88

-46.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$37.98

$21.86 CA$30.27

25.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.15 CA$1.59

16.52%

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

$25.1K CA$34.8K

$25.3K CA$35.1K

-0.84%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$20.4K CA$28.2K

1.60%

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

$91.8 CA$127

$204 CA$282

-55.02%

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

$39.42 CA$54.6

$33.93 CA$46.98

16.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.6

$60.5 CA$83.7

0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.2

$46.04 CA$63.7

-2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.71

$14.12 CA$19.55

11.05%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.12

$10.78 CA$14.92

14.75%

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

$1,180 CA$1,634

$910 CA$1,261

29.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.0K

$29.0K CA$40.1K

-35.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$43.35 CA$60.0

44.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.7

$37.42 CA$51.8

15.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$131

$61.7 CA$85.4

53.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$79.4 CA$110

49.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,762

$1,694 CA$2,346

17.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,256

$1,605 CA$2,222

1.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,969

$2,969 CA$4,111

20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,834

$2,457 CA$3,402

12.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$5,961 CA$8,254

55.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,811

$5,494 CA$7,607

28.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,810

$3,206 CA$4,440

8.34%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Markham: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,694 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 8% 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 $82.0 in Markham. Groceries flip the comparison at $415 vs $328, 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 1% 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.

Vancouver pays 8% more on average, 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,694 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,180 in Vancouver versus $910 in Markham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% 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 1% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.