Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,960 in Yellowknife versus $2,811 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,236 in Yellowknife versus $4,130 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,511 in Yellowknife versus $5,449 in Toronto.

Living in Yellowknife is roughly 5% more expensive than Toronto, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yellowknife 121% above, Toronto 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 CA$23.22

$18.71 CA$25.90

-10.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.9 CA$120

$81.9 CA$113

6.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 CA$10.58

$10.83 CA$14.99

-29.46%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.30

$3.89 CA$5.38

-1.54%

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

$2.63 CA$3.64

$2.22 CA$3.07

18.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$1.65 CA$2.28

27.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 CA$8.42

$6.05 CA$8.38

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 CA$10.00

$6.58 CA$9.11

9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$2.73 CA$3.77

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.71

$2.72 CA$3.76

-1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.59

$3.54 CA$4.90

34.46%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.65

$3.50 CA$4.84

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 CA$10.11

$13.53 CA$18.73

-46.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.83 CA$23.30

$13.09 CA$18.12

28.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.36 CA$22.66

$16.96 CA$23.49

-3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 CA$6.99

$4.16 CA$5.76

21.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.18 CA$1.63

29.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.56 CA$7.70

$3.25 CA$4.50

71.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.71 CA$10.68

$4.12 CA$5.70

87.14%

Potato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.58

$2.50 CA$3.47

90.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$2.88 CA$3.98

30.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$2.35 CA$3.25

54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$2.00 CA$2.77

-42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.61 CA$24.38

$14.58 CA$20.19

20.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$19.82

$14.18 CA$19.63

0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.40 CA$6.09

$2.80 CA$3.88

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$8.97

$3.25 CA$4.51

99.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 CA$3.11

$2.40 CA$3.32

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 CA$77.9

$114 CA$158

-50.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 CA$4.46

$3.76 CA$5.20

-14.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.41 CA$1.95

-1.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.28 CA$35.00

$25.53 CA$35.34

-0.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.10 CA$1.52

10.91%

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

$25.2K CA$34.8K

$25.2K CA$34.9K

-0.30%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

-1.59%

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

$395 CA$547

$120 CA$166

230.08%

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

$60.3 CA$83.5

$37.54 CA$52.0

60.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 CA$152

$54.5 CA$75.5

100.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 CA$103

$55.5 CA$76.9

34.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 CA$14.36

$11.56 CA$16.00

-10.29%

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

$629 CA$871

$1,129 CA$1,564

-44.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.4K

$18.0K CA$24.9K

-34.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 CA$92.1

$56.9 CA$78.8

16.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.52 CA$52.0

$39.96 CA$55.3

-6.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$145

$89.7 CA$124

16.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$114 CA$158

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 CA$2,080

$1,849 CA$2,561

-18.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 CA$1,975

$1,560 CA$2,159

-8.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 CA$3,401

$2,925 CA$4,051

-16.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 CA$3,000

$2,470 CA$3,420

-12.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 CA$4,373

$9,085 CA$12.6K

-65.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,906 CA$4,024

$7,036 CA$9,742

-58.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,098 CA$5,674

$3,572 CA$4,946

14.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.16

25.19%

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

Last update for Yellowknife: May 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,503 in Yellowknife and $1,849 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife 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: $87.0 in Yellowknife vs $82.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $396 per month, with Toronto 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

Yellowknife vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Yellowknife pays 15% 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: $1,503 in Yellowknife versus $1,849 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Yellowknife. 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 $87.0 in Yellowknife. 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 5% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.