Cost of Living Comparison Between Edmonton and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Edmonton and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,216 per month in Edmonton vs $2,783 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,231 per month in Edmonton vs $4,030 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,245 per month in Edmonton vs $5,278 in Vancouver, rent included.

Edmonton is about 20% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Edmonton and Vancouver sit above the global median – Edmonton by 61%, Vancouver by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.53 CA$28.47

$17.99 CA$24.95

14.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 CA$110

$72.9 CA$101

9.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 CA$13.84

$10.76 CA$14.92

-7.25%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.60

$4.17 CA$5.79

-3.12%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.20 CA$3.05

-0.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.66

$1.71 CA$2.37

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.14

$5.91 CA$8.19

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.13

$6.66 CA$9.24

-1.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$2.19 CA$3.04

-23.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.66 CA$3.69

-16.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$4.43 CA$6.14

-29.35%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.80

$4.20 CA$5.83

-17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 CA$15.20

$11.88 CA$16.47

-7.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 CA$16.11

$13.66 CA$18.95

-14.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 CA$25.68

$20.32 CA$28.18

-8.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.16

$4.24 CA$5.88

4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.38 CA$1.92

-2.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.94

$4.05 CA$5.61

5.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.62

$4.03 CA$5.58

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.87 CA$3.97

-21.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$2.99 CA$4.15

-36.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CA$3.36

$2.64 CA$3.66

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.51

$1.65 CA$2.29

9.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.49 CA$20.10

$15.92 CA$22.07

-8.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 CA$16.26

$14.63 CA$20.29

-19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.07

$2.78 CA$3.86

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.23

$3.06 CA$4.25

-0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.57 CA$3.56

3.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$101

$83.2 CA$115

-12.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 CA$4.20

$2.70 CA$3.74

12.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.63 CA$2.26

-16.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.77 CA$30.20

$32.68 CA$45.33

-33.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.44 CA$2.00

-19.44%

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

$29.2K CA$40.4K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

2.67%

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

$19.7K CA$27.4K

$19.5K CA$27.1K

0.94%

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

$228 CA$316

$79.2 CA$110

187.44%

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

$41.39 CA$57.4

$36.21 CA$50.2

14.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CA$76.5

$51.3 CA$71.2

7.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.77 CA$67.6

$43.58 CA$60.4

11.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 CA$25.25

$13.16 CA$18.25

38.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 CA$18.00

$11.85 CA$16.44

9.54%

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

$783 CA$1,086

$1,131 CA$1,568

-30.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,700 CA$13.5K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

-50.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.17 CA$62.7

$60.0 CA$83.2

-24.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.85 CA$66.4

$34.84 CA$48.32

37.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 CA$119

$90.5 CA$125

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 CA$136

$93.5 CA$130

5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,136 CA$1,576

$1,806 CA$2,505

-37.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CA$1,276

$1,581 CA$2,193

-41.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,734 CA$2,404

$3,182 CA$4,413

-45.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 CA$2,015

$2,465 CA$3,418

-41.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,251 CA$3,122

$8,841 CA$12.3K

-74.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,112 CA$2,929

$6,963 CA$9,657

-69.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,780 CA$5,243

$3,738 CA$5,184

1.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.21

2.61%

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

Last update for Edmonton: September 7, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,136 in Edmonton versus $1,806 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 1% higher in Edmonton, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Edmonton versus $73.0 in Vancouver. Groceries tell a different story – $369 in Edmonton vs $408 in Vancouver – so Edmonton 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

Edmonton vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,216 in Edmonton, $2,783 in Vancouver – roughly 26% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,324 per month in Edmonton and $4,174 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,216 in Edmonton and $2,783 in Vancouver. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% less in Edmonton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Edmonton, where all-in costs run around $2,216, than in Vancouver at $2,783. In Edmonton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Edmonton – 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 Edmonton. 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.