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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,675 per month in Burlington vs $2,735 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,900 per month in Burlington vs $3,984 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,125 per month in Burlington vs $5,234 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 96%, Vancouver by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.41 CA$29.94

$17.82 CA$24.93

20.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$72.4 CA$101

0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.27

$10.93 CA$15.30

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.30 CA$4.62

$4.19 CA$5.86

-21.24%

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

$1.92 CA$2.69

$2.22 CA$3.11

-13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.11

$1.64 CA$2.29

-7.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.19

$5.89 CA$8.23

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 CA$9.06

$6.51 CA$9.11

-0.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$2.12 CA$2.96

23.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$2.64 CA$3.69

11.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.45

$4.44 CA$6.21

-12.16%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.27

$4.21 CA$5.89

-10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 CA$14.10

$12.04 CA$16.85

-16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 CA$14.71

$13.91 CA$19.46

-24.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 CA$20.96

$20.62 CA$28.85

-27.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$4.29 CA$6.00

-9.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.34 CA$1.88

10.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$3.88 CA$5.43

-30.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.15

$4.08 CA$5.70

-9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$2.88 CA$4.03

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$2.93 CA$4.09

-36.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.91

$2.63 CA$3.68

-20.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.70 CA$2.38

-11.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.69 CA$19.15

$15.66 CA$21.91

-12.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 CA$15.35

$14.23 CA$19.91

-22.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$2.78 CA$3.89

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$3.05 CA$4.27

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.83

$2.53 CA$3.54

8.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.9 CA$137

$85.5 CA$120

14.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 CA$7.02

$2.67 CA$3.73

88.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$1.61 CA$2.25

60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.79 CA$59.9

$32.34 CA$45.24

32.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.40 CA$1.96

-22.14%

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

$28.8K CA$40.3K

$28.6K CA$40.0K

0.89%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$19.8K CA$27.7K

4.03%

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

$144 CA$201

$78.8 CA$110

82.51%

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

$45.85 CA$64.1

$35.70 CA$49.94

28.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 CA$95.6

$51.1 CA$71.5

33.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 CA$72.9

$42.37 CA$59.3

23.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.78 CA$41.66

$13.04 CA$18.24

128.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.29 CA$22.78

$11.68 CA$16.34

39.47%

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

$1,199 CA$1,678

$1,108 CA$1,549

8.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K CA$26.7K

$19.9K CA$27.8K

-3.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 CA$100

$57.0 CA$79.7

25.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 CA$93.1

$35.01 CA$48.98

90.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 CA$139

$88.0 CA$123

13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 CA$140

$91.2 CA$128

9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 CA$2,351

$1,843 CA$2,579

-8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 CA$2,015

$1,530 CA$2,140

-5.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,542 CA$3,556

$3,156 CA$4,415

-19.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 CA$3,146

$2,476 CA$3,464

-9.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,150 CA$7,204

$8,675 CA$12.1K

-40.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,158 CA$5,817

$6,528 CA$9,132

-36.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,212 CA$4,493

$3,726 CA$5,213

-13.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

4.21

7.36%

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

Last update for Burlington: September 12, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,680 in Burlington versus $1,843 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 16% 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 $73.0 in Burlington versus $72.0 in Vancouver. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Burlington vs $409 in Vancouver – so Burlington wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 $4,012 per month in Burlington and $4,103 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 $1,199 per month in Burlington and $1,108 in Vancouver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $2,675 in Burlington and $2,735 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.