Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,800 in Coquitlam versus $2,735 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,925 in Coquitlam versus $3,984 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,050 in Coquitlam versus $5,234 in Vancouver.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 2% more expensive than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coquitlam 105% above, Vancouver 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.79 CA$23.34

$17.82 CA$24.78

-5.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.0

$72.4 CA$101

-1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 CA$15.13

$10.93 CA$15.20

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.66

$4.19 CA$5.82

-2.86%

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

$2.17 CA$3.02

$2.22 CA$3.09

-2.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.64 CA$2.28

3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 CA$7.94

$5.89 CA$8.18

-3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 CA$9.11

$6.51 CA$9.05

0.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$2.12 CA$2.94

-32.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$2.64 CA$3.67

2.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.87

$4.44 CA$6.17

-37.39%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.27

$4.21 CA$5.86

-9.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 CA$14.17

$12.04 CA$16.74

-15.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 CA$18.83

$13.91 CA$19.33

-2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.57 CA$28.60

$20.62 CA$28.66

-0.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.83

$4.29 CA$5.97

-2.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.34 CA$1.87

3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.88 CA$5.40

0.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.74

$4.08 CA$5.67

1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.23

$2.88 CA$4.00

-44.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.93 CA$4.07

-4.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.63 CA$3.66

0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.70 CA$2.36

-34.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.52 CA$21.58

$15.66 CA$21.77

-0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 CA$16.97

$14.23 CA$19.78

-14.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$2.78 CA$3.86

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$3.05 CA$4.24

-2.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$2.53 CA$3.52

-12.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 CA$103

$85.5 CA$119

-13.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 CA$3.80

$2.67 CA$3.71

2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.61 CA$2.24

-15.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 CA$34.78

$32.34 CA$44.96

-22.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.40 CA$1.94

-9.29%

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

$26.3K CA$36.6K

$28.6K CA$39.7K

-7.78%

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

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$19.8K CA$27.6K

-0.86%

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

$78.3 CA$109

$78.8 CA$110

-0.74%

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

$35.42 CA$49.23

$35.70 CA$49.63

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.71 CA$69.1

$51.1 CA$71.0

-2.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.64 CA$30.08

$42.37 CA$58.9

-48.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.61 CA$14.75

$13.04 CA$18.13

-18.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.25

$11.68 CA$16.24

-6.08%

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

$1,102 CA$1,532

$1,108 CA$1,540

-0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.8K

$19.9K CA$27.6K

-39.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$79.7

$57.0 CA$79.2

0.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 CA$47.89

$35.01 CA$48.67

-1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$88.0 CA$122

0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 CA$127

$91.2 CA$127

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 CA$2,778

$1,843 CA$2,562

8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,427

$1,530 CA$2,127

14.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,662 CA$5,090

$3,156 CA$4,387

16.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,658 CA$3,695

$2,476 CA$3,442

7.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,267 CA$8,712

$8,675 CA$12.1K

-27.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,020 CA$6,979

$6,528 CA$9,075

-23.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 CA$4,250

$3,726 CA$5,180

-17.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

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

Last update for Coquitlam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,998 in Coquitlam and $1,843 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Coquitlam vs $72.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $409 per month, with Coquitlam 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

Coquitlam vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coquitlam and Vancouver differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,800 vs $2,735 including rent). Vancouver is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Vancouver. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,998 in Coquitlam versus $1,843 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,800 per month in Coquitlam versus $2,735 in Vancouver – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Vancouver runs roughly 15% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Vancouver 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 Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.