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: $2,731 in Vancouver versus $2,536 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,956 in Vancouver versus $3,613 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,181 in Vancouver versus $4,690 in Markham.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 8% more expensive than in Markham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 99% above, Markham 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.41

$18.33 CA$25.36

0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$54.4 CA$75.3

33.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.05

$11.03 CA$15.26

-1.36%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CA$5.88

$3.78 CA$5.23

12.43%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$1.75 CA$2.42

21.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.42 CA$1.97

19.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.95

$4.83 CA$6.68

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.21

$7.10 CA$9.83

-6.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$2.04 CA$2.82

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.53

$2.24 CA$3.10

13.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.11

$2.04 CA$2.82

116.18%

Eggs

$4.24 CA$5.87

$3.19 CA$4.41

32.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$16.80

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.91

$12.50 CA$17.29

9.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.78 CA$28.76

$7.05 CA$9.76

194.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.96

$3.68 CA$5.10

17.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.32 CA$1.82

5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.53

$2.33 CA$3.22

71.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.62

$3.37 CA$4.66

20.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$2.07 CA$2.86

36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$1.91 CA$2.65

54.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.83

$2.94 CA$4.07

-5.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$1.55 CA$2.14

5.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.06 CA$22.22

$13.59 CA$18.80

18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 CA$20.11

$15.17 CA$21.00

-4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$2.46 CA$3.40

10.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$3.15 CA$4.35

-2.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$3.16 CA$4.37

-19.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CA$118

$93.9 CA$130

-9.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$3.53 CA$4.89

-23.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.27

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.75 CA$43.93

$18.88 CA$26.12

68.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.15 CA$1.59

24.35%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$28.5K CA$39.5K

1.25%

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

$19.7K CA$27.2K

$18.5K CA$25.6K

6.35%

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

$77.6 CA$107

$127 CA$176

-39.14%

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

$35.35 CA$48.91

$27.66 CA$38.28

27.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.5

$47.06 CA$65.1

9.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.26 CA$64.0

$44.71 CA$61.9

3.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 CA$18.51

$21.50 CA$29.75

-37.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$15.98

$10.11 CA$13.99

14.24%

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

$1,137 CA$1,573

$891 CA$1,233

27.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.3K

$28.1K CA$38.9K

-24.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 CA$82.0

$43.28 CA$59.9

36.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 CA$48.45

$37.52 CA$51.9

-6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CA$125

$94.8 CA$131

-4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 CA$133

$97.3 CA$135

-1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,553

$1,640 CA$2,269

12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 CA$2,206

$1,421 CA$1,966

12.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 CA$4,527

$2,743 CA$3,795

19.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 CA$3,458

$2,320 CA$3,210

7.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,039 CA$12.5K

$5,989 CA$8,287

50.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,985 CA$9,665

$5,548 CA$7,677

25.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 CA$5,062

$3,172 CA$4,389

15.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

4.56

-7.24%

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

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Last update for Markham: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,845 in Vancouver and $1,640 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver 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: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $54.0 in Markham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $289 per month, with Markham 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

Vancouver vs Markham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Markham wins on cost – living expenses run 8% 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 15% 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: $1,845 in Vancouver versus $1,640 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,137 in Vancouver versus $891 in Markham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% 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 8% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.