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: $2,783 in Vancouver versus $2,620 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Vancouver versus $3,866 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,278 in Vancouver versus $5,111 in Toronto.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 6% more expensive than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 102% above, Toronto 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$17.85 CA$24.75

0.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$86.8 CA$120

-16.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$10.94 CA$15.17

-1.65%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$4.01 CA$5.57

3.99%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.19 CA$3.04

0.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.69 CA$2.34

1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$6.45 CA$8.94

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$7.05 CA$9.77

-5.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.71 CA$3.77

-19.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.92 CA$4.05

-8.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$2.48 CA$3.44

78.63%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.85 CA$5.34

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$10.10 CA$14.01

17.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$12.02 CA$16.66

13.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$15.61 CA$21.65

30.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$3.90 CA$5.41

8.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.24 CA$1.72

11.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$3.78 CA$5.24

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$4.38 CA$6.08

-7.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$1.93 CA$2.67

48.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$1.50 CA$2.08

99.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.28 CA$3.17

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.46 CA$2.02

13.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$14.52 CA$20.14

9.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$14.42 CA$20.00

1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.26 CA$3.14

23.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$2.59 CA$3.60

18.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.36 CA$3.28

8.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$114 CA$159

-27.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.16 CA$4.38

-14.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.26 CA$1.74

29.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$22.57 CA$31.30

44.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.24 CA$1.72

16.13%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$27.3K CA$37.9K

3.96%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-5.81%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$124 CA$172

-36.00%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$32.72 CA$45.38

10.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$48.79 CA$67.7

5.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$40.27 CA$55.9

8.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$23.84 CA$33.06

-44.80%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$12.82 CA$17.77

-7.57%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$787 CA$1,092

43.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$24.5K CA$34.0K

-19.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$54.2 CA$75.2

10.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$43.10 CA$59.8

-19.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$97.9 CA$136

-7.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$126 CA$175

-25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,660 CA$2,303

8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$1,483 CA$2,057

6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$2,800 CA$3,883

13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$2,157 CA$2,991

14.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$8,381 CA$11.6K

5.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$6,842 CA$9,489

1.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

$3,799 CA$5,269

-1.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.47

-5.82%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,806 in Vancouver and $1,660 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $87.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $408 vs $364, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Toronto. 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: $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,660 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 $87.0 versus $73.0 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 6% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.