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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,536 per month in Kamloops vs $2,818 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,655 per month in Kamloops vs $4,226 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,773 per month in Kamloops vs $5,634 in Vancouver, rent included.

Kamloops is about 10% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kamloops and Vancouver sit above the global median – Kamloops by 91%, Vancouver by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.02 CA$30.91

$18.73 CA$26.28

17.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 CA$91.3

$78.5 CA$110

-17.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.41

$10.85 CA$15.23

1.20%

Cappuccino

$4.29 CA$6.03

$4.10 CA$5.76

4.63%

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

$2.64 CA$3.71

$2.13 CA$2.99

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.79

$1.76 CA$2.48

13.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.18

$5.76 CA$8.09

1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.16

$7.23 CA$10.14

-19.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$2.29 CA$3.21

21.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$3.22 CA$4.51

-20.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 CA$6.57

$3.70 CA$5.19

26.49%

Eggs

$3.70 CA$5.20

$4.36 CA$6.11

-15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 CA$14.16

$12.86 CA$18.05

-21.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.70 CA$19.24

$14.24 CA$19.99

-3.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 CA$21.47

$15.74 CA$22.09

-2.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.74

$4.30 CA$6.04

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$1.52 CA$2.13

13.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.74

$3.99 CA$5.60

2.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$5.13 CA$7.20

-21.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$3.06 CA$4.29

-12.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.99

$3.05 CA$4.28

-30.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$2.63 CA$3.68

6.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.65

$1.87 CA$2.62

1.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.32 CA$22.91

$15.70 CA$22.03

3.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.52 CA$17.58

$14.59 CA$20.47

-14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.51 CA$6.33

$3.21 CA$4.51

40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CA$5.51

$3.59 CA$5.04

9.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$2.44 CA$3.43

-38.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.15 CA$52.1

$83.2 CA$117

-55.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 CA$5.35

$3.70 CA$5.19

2.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 CA$2.27

$1.49 CA$2.09

8.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.68 CA$17.80

$27.37 CA$38.42

-53.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.74

$1.33 CA$1.87

-6.77%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$25.1K CA$35.3K

1.30%

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

$20.5K CA$28.8K

$20.7K CA$29.1K

-1.13%

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

$173 CA$242

$90.0 CA$126

91.77%

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

$49.44 CA$69.4

$40.83 CA$57.3

21.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 CA$99.6

$61.1 CA$85.8

16.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 CA$79.0

$45.73 CA$64.2

23.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.86 CA$40.51

$15.45 CA$21.68

86.80%

Cinema Ticket

$11.99 CA$16.82

$12.01 CA$16.86

-0.17%

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

$772 CA$1,084

$1,162 CA$1,630

-33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,096 CA$5,749

$18.1K CA$25.3K

-77.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 CA$98.2

$63.6 CA$89.3

10.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 CA$85.3

$42.32 CA$59.4

43.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 CA$116

$96.8 CA$136

-14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$163

$116 CA$162

0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 CA$2,101

$2,024 CA$2,841

-26.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 CA$1,723

$1,614 CA$2,265

-23.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 CA$3,129

$3,464 CA$4,862

-35.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 CA$2,662

$2,743 CA$3,850

-30.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,199 CA$7,297

$8,872 CA$12.5K

-41.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,388

$7,046 CA$9,890

-45.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,863 CA$4,019

$3,312 CA$4,649

-13.55%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,497 in Kamloops versus $2,024 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 $65.0 in Kamloops versus $78.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 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: $2,536 in Kamloops, $2,818 in Vancouver – roughly 11% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,805 per month in Kamloops and $4,226 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 $772 per month in Kamloops and $1,162 in Vancouver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $2,536 in Kamloops and $2,818 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.