Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,570 in Vaughan versus $2,788 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,765 in Vaughan versus $4,110 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,960 in Vaughan versus $5,432 in Toronto.

Living in Vaughan costs roughly 8% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vaughan 92% above, Toronto 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 CA$21.01

$18.51 CA$25.96

-19.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 CA$108

$83.8 CA$118

-7.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 CA$14.20

$10.97 CA$15.38

-7.66%

Cappuccino

$3.48 CA$4.88

$3.99 CA$5.59

-12.78%

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

$2.12 CA$2.97

$2.11 CA$2.96

0.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$1.69 CA$2.37

2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 CA$8.86

$5.92 CA$8.30

6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CA$7.33

$6.48 CA$9.08

-19.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$2.71 CA$3.80

-35.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CA$2.99

$2.85 CA$4.00

-25.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.15

$3.56 CA$4.99

3.09%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.74

$3.54 CA$4.96

-4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 CA$12.11

$13.26 CA$18.59

-34.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 CA$15.54

$13.05 CA$18.29

-15.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 CA$8.82

$16.77 CA$23.51

-62.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$4.11 CA$5.77

-28.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.24

$1.14 CA$1.60

40.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.10

$3.40 CA$4.76

-13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.77

$4.02 CA$5.64

-15.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$2.43 CA$3.41

-21.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.80

$2.94 CA$4.12

-31.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 CA$2.59

$2.47 CA$3.47

-25.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.92 CA$2.69

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.99 CA$18.21

$14.99 CA$21.01

-13.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 CA$16.20

$14.34 CA$20.10

-19.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$3.00

$2.71 CA$3.80

-21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.96

$3.12 CA$4.38

-32.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 CA$3.97

$2.45 CA$3.44

15.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$155

$113 CA$158

-1.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$3.63 CA$5.08

-14.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.34 CA$1.88

5.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 CA$31.39

$25.55 CA$35.82

-12.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.11 CA$1.55

-1.80%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

-0.07%

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

$20.1K CA$28.1K

$21.8K CA$30.5K

-7.81%

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

$133 CA$187

$117 CA$164

14.22%

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

$33.44 CA$46.88

$37.60 CA$52.7

-11.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.61 CA$69.6

$53.7 CA$75.3

-7.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 CA$46.68

$57.1 CA$80.1

-41.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.68

$20.86 CA$29.24

4.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 CA$15.43

$11.56 CA$16.20

-4.84%

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

$820 CA$1,149

$1,125 CA$1,577

-27.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.8K

$18.4K CA$25.9K

-0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 CA$61.3

$57.3 CA$80.4

-23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 CA$51.3

$39.05 CA$54.8

-6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$87.6 CA$123

-30.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$114 CA$159

-8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 CA$2,445

$1,842 CA$2,582

-5.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 CA$2,184

$1,531 CA$2,146

1.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,254

$2,925 CA$4,101

3.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 CA$3,579

$2,502 CA$3,508

2.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,654 CA$12.1K

$8,725 CA$12.2K

-0.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,311 CA$8,849

$6,867 CA$9,628

-8.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,014 CA$4,225

$3,454 CA$4,842

-12.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

5.16

30.43%

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

Last update for Vaughan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,744 in Vaughan and $1,842 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto 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: $77.0 in Vaughan vs $84.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $395 per month, with Vaughan 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

Vaughan vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vaughan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $1,744 in Vaughan versus $1,842 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Vaughan – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Vaughan 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 Vaughan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.