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Toronto vs Markham: where to buy
Markham sits directly north of Toronto across Steeles Avenue. Its August 2026 median of $1,095,000 was above Toronto's $770,000, but the two cities sell very different mixes of homes and only one of them charges a municipal land transfer tax.
Side by side, August 2026
| TRREB, August 2026 | City of Toronto | Markham |
|---|---|---|
| Sales, all property types | 1,767 | 282 |
| Median price, all property types | $770,000 | $1,095,000 |
| Average price, all property types | $979,684 | $1,208,692 |
| Detached sales | 550 | 137 |
| Average detached price | $1,525,749 | $1,611,773 |
| Condo apartment sales | 885 | 57 |
| Average condo apartment price | $651,648 | $638,332 |
| Land transfer tax at Markham's median | $36,750 | $18,375 |
| Toronto municipal land transfer tax | Yes | No |
A single month is a snapshot. Small categories in particular swing from one month to the next, so read these alongside our Toronto market reports, which follow the figures over time.
Why the headline medians mislead
Condo apartments made up 50% of the 1,767 City of Toronto sales TRREB recorded in August 2026 and 20% of Markham's 282. A median built mostly from condos lands lower than one built mostly from houses, whatever the houses cost.
Set type against type instead. The average detached sale was $1,525,749 in Toronto and $1,611,773 in Markham, so Toronto was the less expensive place to buy a detached house that month on average. Condo apartments averaged $651,648 in Toronto and $638,332 in Markham, close to level.
The tax difference on the same price
Buying in Toronto means paying Ontario land transfer tax and the City of Toronto's municipal land transfer tax. The municipal tax applies to property in the City of Toronto, so a purchase in Markham carries the Ontario tax only. At Markham's August 2026 median of $1,095,000, that is $18,375 in Markham and $36,750 for the same price in Toronto, before any first-time buyer refunds.
Our land transfer tax calculator runs any price through both.
Getting between the two
The GO Stouffville line links them by rail. Its Markham stations are Mount Joy, Markham, Centennial and Unionville. Inside Toronto it stops at Milliken, Agincourt and Kennedy on the way to Union Station. Kennedy GO is where the line meets the TTC.
For a Toronto owner thinking about a move north, the practical questions are which Markham station is closest to the home and how the drive to it compares with the subway ride they have today.
Weighing the move itself? The Kirby Chan & Co. Markham neighbourhood guides cover Markham's own neighbourhoods and prices.
Choosing within Toronto
Toronto is not one market. A condo near the waterfront, a semi in Riverdale and a detached house in Lawrence Park answer very different questions. Our Toronto neighbourhood guides set out the prices, housing and transit for twelve of them and the relocating to Toronto guide covers a move into the city.
Check the numbers on a real home
Put a specific price through the land transfer tax calculator and the mortgage calculator. You can also ask us to set two homes you are considering side by side.