Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,811 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $4,130 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $5,449 in Toronto.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 1% more expensive than Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Toronto 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$18.71 CA$25.99

-2.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$81.9 CA$114

-4.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$10.83 CA$15.04

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.89 CA$5.40

2.31%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.22 CA$3.09

-4.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.65 CA$2.29

7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$6.05 CA$8.41

-4.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$6.58 CA$9.15

14.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.73 CA$3.79

-15.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$2.72 CA$3.77

13.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.54 CA$4.91

9.89%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$3.50 CA$4.86

29.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$13.53 CA$18.80

-4.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$13.09 CA$18.19

8.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$16.96 CA$23.57

-7.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

$4.16 CA$5.78

2.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.18 CA$1.64

24.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.25 CA$4.51

23.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$4.12 CA$5.72

22.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.50 CA$3.48

20.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.88 CA$4.00

2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$2.35 CA$3.26

10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$2.00 CA$2.78

-6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$14.58 CA$20.26

4.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$14.18 CA$19.70

0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.80 CA$3.89

9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.25 CA$4.52

15.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.40 CA$3.33

1.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$114 CA$158

-25.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$3.76 CA$5.22

-0.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.41 CA$1.96

6.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$25.53 CA$35.47

7.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.10 CA$1.53

21.82%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$25.2K CA$35.1K

-0.52%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

-1.62%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$120 CA$166

-23.28%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$37.54 CA$52.2

5.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$54.5 CA$75.7

12.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$55.5 CA$77.1

-19.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$21.15 CA$29.39

-25.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$11.56 CA$16.06

7.01%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$1,129 CA$1,569

4.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$18.0K CA$25.0K

4.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$56.9 CA$79.1

10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$39.96 CA$55.5

7.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$89.7 CA$125

5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$114 CA$159

3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$1,849 CA$2,570

7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$1,560 CA$2,167

4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$2,925 CA$4,065

22.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$2,470 CA$3,432

12.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$9,085 CA$12.6K

1.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

$7,036 CA$9,775

0.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

$3,572 CA$4,963

-2.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

5.16

8.72%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,849 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $82.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $415 vs $396, with Toronto 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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Toronto earns 3% 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,849 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Vancouver. 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 $78.0 in Vancouver. 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 1% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.