Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamloops and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamloops and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,553 per month in Kamloops vs $2,860 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,627 per month in Kamloops vs $4,199 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,701 per month in Kamloops vs $5,538 in Vancouver, rent included.

Kamloops is about 11% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kamloops and Vancouver sit above the global median – Kamloops by 90%, Vancouver by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.38 CA$31.26

$18.50 CA$25.84

20.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 CA$92.5

$79.5 CA$111

-16.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 CA$15.58

$11.11 CA$15.52

0.45%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.83

$4.11 CA$5.74

1.46%

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

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.21 CA$3.08

21.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$1.75 CA$2.45

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.40

$5.77 CA$8.06

4.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 CA$8.31

$7.45 CA$10.40

-20.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.81 CA$3.93

$2.20 CA$3.07

27.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$3.22 CA$4.49

-23.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 CA$6.31

$3.68 CA$5.14

22.83%

Eggs

$3.73 CA$5.21

$4.39 CA$6.13

-15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 CA$14.50

$12.82 CA$17.90

-19.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 CA$18.53

$14.20 CA$19.82

-6.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.88

$16.04 CA$22.40

-2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$4.38 CA$6.12

-6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.53 CA$2.13

9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.71

$4.07 CA$5.68

0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.43

$5.18 CA$7.23

-24.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.71

$3.05 CA$4.25

-12.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.97

$2.96 CA$4.14

-28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 CA$3.99

$2.73 CA$3.81

4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.50

$1.87 CA$2.61

-4.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.43 CA$22.95

$15.40 CA$21.51

6.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 CA$18.18

$14.32 CA$20.00

-9.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.48 CA$6.25

$3.11 CA$4.35

44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.50

$3.66 CA$5.12

7.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$2.41 CA$3.37

-38.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.19 CA$50.5

$82.6 CA$115

-56.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 CA$5.47

$3.65 CA$5.10

7.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 CA$2.26

$1.49 CA$2.08

8.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.69 CA$17.73

$26.94 CA$37.63

-52.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.80

$1.28 CA$1.78

0.78%

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

$24.9K CA$34.8K

-0.11%

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

$20.3K CA$28.4K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

-3.17%

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

$174 CA$243

$92.2 CA$129

89.05%

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

$48.93 CA$68.3

$40.43 CA$56.5

21.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 CA$98.5

$62.0 CA$86.6

13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 CA$76.2

$44.57 CA$62.2

22.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.39 CA$41.05

$15.75 CA$21.99

86.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 CA$16.65

$12.19 CA$17.02

-2.21%

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

$797 CA$1,113

$1,164 CA$1,625

-31.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,989 CA$5,571

$18.1K CA$25.3K

-77.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 CA$95.8

$62.9 CA$87.9

9.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 CA$82.5

$42.23 CA$59.0

39.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 CA$112

$98.0 CA$137

-18.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$118 CA$165

-3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 CA$2,028

$1,977 CA$2,761

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,766

$1,665 CA$2,325

-24.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 CA$3,108

$3,579 CA$4,997

-37.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 CA$2,715

$2,798 CA$3,907

-30.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,178 CA$7,231

$8,881 CA$12.4K

-41.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,836 CA$5,357

$6,873 CA$9,598

-44.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,907 CA$4,060

$3,432 CA$4,792

-15.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.61

19.25%

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

Last update for Kamloops: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,453 in Kamloops versus $1,977 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 18% 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 $66.0 in Kamloops versus $80.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $417 – making Kamloops 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

Kamloops vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,553 in Kamloops, $2,860 in Vancouver – roughly 12% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,829 per month in Kamloops and $4,291 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Kamloops and $1,164 in Vancouver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Vancouver, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,553 in Kamloops and $2,860 in Vancouver. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kamloops – 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 Kamloops. 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.