Cost of Living Comparison Between Hearst and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Hearst and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,348 in Hearst versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,364 in Hearst versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,380 in Hearst versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in Hearst costs roughly 17% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hearst 75% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.91 CA$23.52

$18.26 CA$25.39

-7.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$96.2

$77.8 CA$108

-11.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 CA$15.50

$10.85 CA$15.09

2.67%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.31

$3.98 CA$5.54

-4.02%

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

$2.07 CA$2.88

$2.12 CA$2.95

-2.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.30

$1.78 CA$2.47

-7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.43 CA$7.55

$5.77 CA$8.02

-5.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 CA$8.36

$7.56 CA$10.51

-20.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$3.00

$2.32 CA$3.23

-6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$3.10 CA$4.31

-11.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.89 CA$5.40

-6.68%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.74

$4.53 CA$6.30

-24.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$12.92 CA$17.96

-15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.99

$14.14 CA$19.67

-18.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 CA$20.73

$15.74 CA$21.89

-5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.69

$4.26 CA$5.92

-3.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.47 CA$2.04

-2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.07

$4.02 CA$5.59

-9.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$5.06 CA$7.04

-26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$3.02 CA$4.20

-16.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.54

$2.95 CA$4.10

-13.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$2.60 CA$3.62

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.45

$1.88 CA$2.62

-6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.03 CA$19.52

$15.20 CA$21.14

-7.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 CA$17.34

$14.30 CA$19.88

-12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.07 CA$4.27

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.18

$3.74 CA$5.20

-19.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$2.44 CA$3.39

-5.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CA$86.5

$84.9 CA$118

-26.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.74 CA$5.20

-12.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.50 CA$2.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.03 CA$36.20

$27.43 CA$38.15

-5.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$1.34 CA$1.86

-12.69%

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

$25.0K CA$34.8K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-0.43%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-1.01%

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

$143 CA$198

$91.8 CA$128

55.51%

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

$44.04 CA$61.3

$39.42 CA$54.8

11.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 CA$88.6

$61.1 CA$84.9

4.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.31 CA$57.4

$44.89 CA$62.4

-7.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 CA$20.62

$15.68 CA$21.81

-5.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 CA$15.93

$12.37 CA$17.20

-7.44%

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

$734 CA$1,021

$1,180 CA$1,641

-37.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.6K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-36.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$75.1

$62.7 CA$87.2

-13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.98 CA$55.6

$43.13 CA$60.0

-7.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$119

$94.7 CA$132

-9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

$118 CA$165

-7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,792

$1,995 CA$2,774

-35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 CA$1,610

$1,629 CA$2,266

-28.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 CA$2,770

$3,589 CA$4,991

-44.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 CA$2,482

$2,769 CA$3,851

-35.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,349 CA$6,048

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-52.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,475 CA$4,832

$7,086 CA$9,854

-50.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,189 CA$4,435

$3,474 CA$4,831

-8.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.61

15.15%

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

Last update for Hearst: June 1, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,289 in Hearst and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Hearst vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $415 per month, with Hearst 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

Hearst vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hearst and Vancouver differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,348 vs $2,831 including rent). Hearst is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Vancouver earns 9% less. 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: $1,289 in Hearst versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $734 in Hearst versus $1,180 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,348 in Hearst versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hearst but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Hearst the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Hearst gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.