Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,286 per month in Kingston vs $2,845 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,230 per month in Kingston vs $4,183 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,173 per month in Kingston vs $5,520 in Vancouver, rent included.

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

Both Kingston and Vancouver sit above the global median – Kingston by 70%, Vancouver by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 CA$22.91

$18.26 CA$25.01

-8.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$102

$78.8 CA$108

-5.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 CA$15.46

$11.17 CA$15.30

0.98%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.06

$3.92 CA$5.37

-5.87%

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

$1.90 CA$2.60

$2.23 CA$3.05

-14.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.83 CA$2.51

-21.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$5.85 CA$8.02

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.83

$7.17 CA$9.82

-10.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$2.20 CA$3.02

17.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.47

$3.22 CA$4.41

-21.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.71

$3.75 CA$5.13

11.20%

Eggs

$2.91 CA$3.99

$4.36 CA$5.98

-33.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.63

$12.71 CA$17.41

-15.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.64

$13.90 CA$19.04

-17.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.63

$15.66 CA$21.45

-27.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.87

$4.24 CA$5.81

-16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.80

$1.54 CA$2.11

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$3.87 CA$5.30

3.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CA$6.66

$5.08 CA$6.96

-4.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$3.20 CA$4.38

10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$2.93 CA$4.02

-17.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.63 CA$3.60

12.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.22

$1.86 CA$2.55

-12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.00

$15.36 CA$21.04

-9.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.06

$15.48 CA$21.20

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.13

$3.10 CA$4.25

-26.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$3.74 CA$5.12

-11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.46

$2.38 CA$3.27

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.0 CA$79.5

$84.0 CA$115

-30.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.66 CA$5.01

-10.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$1.48 CA$2.03

6.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.56 CA$44.60

$26.98 CA$36.96

20.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$1.28 CA$1.76

-15.62%

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

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$25.6K CA$35.0K

-3.70%

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

$21.4K CA$29.3K

$20.8K CA$28.6K

2.44%

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

$130 CA$178

$91.0 CA$125

42.68%

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

$44.36 CA$60.8

$40.15 CA$55.0

10.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 CA$108

$60.8 CA$83.3

29.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.36 CA$44.33

$46.05 CA$63.1

-29.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$15.77 CA$21.61

-41.09%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.32

$12.25 CA$16.79

-8.73%

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

$446 CA$611

$1,165 CA$1,596

-61.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.0K

$18.4K CA$25.2K

-36.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 CA$63.2

$62.6 CA$85.7

-26.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 CA$49.25

$42.30 CA$58.0

-15.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$130

$98.1 CA$134

-3.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 CA$126

$114 CA$156

-19.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,766

$1,988 CA$2,724

-35.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,630

$1,669 CA$2,287

-28.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 CA$2,918

$3,580 CA$4,904

-40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CA$2,301

$2,728 CA$3,738

-38.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,450 CA$4,726

$9,014 CA$12.3K

-61.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,513 CA$3,443

$7,085 CA$9,707

-64.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 CA$4,228

$3,588 CA$4,916

-14.00%

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 Kingston: April 12, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Kingston versus $1,988 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 $74 in Kingston versus $79 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $415 – making Kingston 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

Kingston vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,286 in Kingston, $2,845 in Vancouver – roughly 24% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,429 per month in Kingston and $4,268 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kingston, 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 $2,286 in Kingston and $2,845 in Vancouver. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Kingston. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kingston, where all-in costs run around $2,286, than in Vancouver at $2,845. In Kingston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kingston – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kingston. 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.