Cost of Living
Durham Region vs Toronto:
Cost of Living
This page is a straight facts comparison of the cost of living in Durham Region versus Toronto, built only from published sources. Every figure is cited inline in small text so you can check it yourself, and we keep our own commentary separate from the data. When a number varies by neighbourhood or property type, we say so.
By Keith Williams & Lisa C. Follows, Brokers, Willows Realty Group
Home Prices
What homes cost in each market
The cleanest apples-to-apples figure available is the average residential selling price published by the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) for November 2025.
Durham Region
$840,833
Average residential selling price, November 2025.
Source: DurhamRegion.com reporting Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) data.
Greater Toronto Area
$1,039,458
Average residential selling price across the GTA, November 2025.
Source: TRREB November 2025 market report.
Three things to know before you compare
- The GTA-wide figure includes all of the Greater Toronto Area, including Durham Region, so Durham is part of that number as well.
- Both figures are regional averages across all home types: condos, townhouses, semi-detached and detached homes together.
- Prices vary by neighbourhood and property type, so an average is a starting point for comparison, not a price tag for any single home.
Property Taxes
The 2025 residential tax rates
Property tax rates are quoted as a percentage of a home's assessed value. The City of Toronto's total residential rate is lower than the rates in Durham's lakeshore municipalities, but it applies to far higher property values. Here are the published 2025 rates.
Sources: City of Toronto Property Tax Rates page (Toronto); wowa.ca 2025 Durham-area tax rate data (Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Clarington).
2025 residential property tax rates
Rates are the total residential rates for 2025, before any homeowner grants or phase-in programs.
How to read these rates
- Toronto's rate is lower, but it applies to far higher property values, so the rate only means something alongside the purchase price.
- Durham's rates are combined municipal, regional and education portions on a single bill.
- A property tax bill is based on MPAC assessed value, not the purchase price you pay.
- Rates can change each budget year, so these 2025 figures are a snapshot, not a promise.
Durham Region assessment note
In 2025, the average single-family home in Durham Region had an assessed value of $483,100.
Source: durham.ca property taxes page, MPAC Current Value Assessment.
Beyond the Numbers
Where the trade-offs show up
The dollar figures above are only half the comparison. The other half is qualitative: what you give up, what you gain, and how much each side matters to your household.
Commute time
A lower house price often comes with a longer trip to downtown Toronto. The trade-off is not even across Durham: the lakeshore communities have GO rail service, while North Durham towns like Port Perry depend on a drive to the line.
See the full commute guideSpace and property type
Durham's mix of detached homes, acreages and lake country is the biggest practical difference from a Toronto condo or semi. You can go from a compact city home to a lakeside property or a country acreage, often within the same search, and the space per dollar is unmistakable.
Schools
Durham Region is served by its own public and Catholic school boards, and catchment areas differ from one neighbourhood to the next. Families moving with children should check the schools that serve the areas they like before they fall in love with a specific house.
Explore schools in Durham RegionLifestyle
Durham's waterfront towns, farmers' markets, trails and small-town pace are a real part of the cost-of-living picture, just not a line you can put a dollar figure on. Every family weighs these differently, which is exactly why the trade-offs are personal.
See the families guideSumming It Up
The bottom line
In November 2025, Durham Region's average residential selling price of $840,833 sat well below the GTA-wide average of $1,039,458, and the property tax picture is different in kind: a lower Toronto rate on far higher values, and higher combined rates in Durham on lower ones. Whether the move east saves you money depends on the home you buy, the neighbourhood you choose and the commute you can live with.
Run the numbers on the homes you actually like with our market snapshot and mortgage calculator, then read our practical guide to moving from Toronto to Durham Region for the steps that come after the math. And if employment weighs as heavily as the price tag, see what anchors the local economy in our overview of major employers in Durham Region.
Market Snapshot
Compare prices, sales and inventory across Durham's communities.
Mortgage Calculator
Estimate monthly payments for homes in any Durham community.
Moving from Toronto
A practical guide to the move east, step by step.
Commuting to Toronto
GO Transit times and driving routes from across Durham.
Where the communities sit
Every Durham community lands differently on the price-to-commute-to-lifestyle scale. Start with the ones closest to your priorities.
Let's Talk
Let's run your numbers together
The averages on this page are a starting point. We can show you exactly what your budget buys in the communities you like, down to the tax bill.
Call today to talk about your next move! Call Lisa or Keith at 905-985-9898.