Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,778 per month in Burlington vs $2,831 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,107 per month in Burlington vs $4,231 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,436 per month in Burlington vs $5,630 in Vancouver, rent included.

Burlington is about 2% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Burlington and Vancouver sit above the global median – Burlington by 107%, Vancouver by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 CA$28.02

$18.26 CA$25.39

10.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$77.8 CA$108

-4.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$10.85 CA$15.09

1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$3.98 CA$5.54

-7.79%

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

$2.01 CA$2.80

$2.12 CA$2.95

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.78 CA$2.47

-2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.14

$5.77 CA$8.02

1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.09

$7.56 CA$10.51

-13.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.32 CA$3.23

-14.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$3.10 CA$4.31

-0.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.99

$3.89 CA$5.40

10.80%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.43

$4.53 CA$6.30

-29.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.98

$12.92 CA$17.96

5.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.72

$14.14 CA$19.67

-35.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.94 CA$30.51

$15.74 CA$21.89

39.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$4.26 CA$5.92

-18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.47 CA$2.04

-3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$4.02 CA$5.59

-7.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.86

$5.06 CA$7.04

-31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$3.02 CA$4.20

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$2.95 CA$4.10

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$2.60 CA$3.62

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.88 CA$2.62

6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 CA$20.50

$15.20 CA$21.14

-3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.56

$14.30 CA$19.88

-11.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.29

$3.07 CA$4.27

-23.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$3.74 CA$5.20

-37.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.44 CA$3.39

38.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$84.9 CA$118

24.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$3.74 CA$5.20

-37.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.50 CA$2.09

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.79 CA$60.9

$27.43 CA$38.15

59.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.34 CA$1.86

-12.69%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

0.08%

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

$21.4K CA$29.8K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

3.33%

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

$131 CA$182

$91.8 CA$128

42.33%

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

$53.2 CA$74.0

$39.42 CA$54.8

34.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$61.1 CA$84.9

1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 CA$63.2

$44.89 CA$62.4

1.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 CA$32.38

$15.68 CA$21.81

48.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.60

$12.37 CA$17.20

-9.30%

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

$952 CA$1,324

$1,180 CA$1,641

-19.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K CA$33.3K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

27.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 CA$86.4

$62.7 CA$87.2

-0.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 CA$96.5

$43.13 CA$60.0

60.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$94.7 CA$132

-7.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 CA$189

$118 CA$165

15.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,410

$1,995 CA$2,774

-13.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,045

$1,629 CA$2,266

-9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 CA$3,671

$3,589 CA$4,991

-26.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CA$3,393

$2,769 CA$3,851

-11.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,745 CA$7,989

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-37.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,546 CA$6,322

$7,086 CA$9,854

-35.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,278 CA$4,559

$3,474 CA$4,831

-5.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

5.61

14.08%

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

Last update for Burlington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,733 in Burlington versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Burlington versus $78.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $415 – making Burlington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Burlington vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,167 per month in Burlington and $4,247 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Burlington, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $952 per month in Burlington and $1,180 in Vancouver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Vancouver, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,778 in Burlington and $2,831 in Vancouver. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Burlington – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Burlington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.