Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Middlesex, NJ and Vancouver

For one person, living is cheaper in Middlesex, NJ: $2,521 a month against $2,684 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Middlesex, NJ
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Middlesex, NJ Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index

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Middlesex, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,521

/mo nomad

Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,684

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Middlesex, NJ and in Vancouver

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Middlesex, NJ and in Vancouver actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,521 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $2,684 in Vancouver, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $2,521
Vancouver $2,684

A couple spends around $3,662 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $3,878 in Vancouver, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $3,662
Vancouver $3,878

A family of three spends $4,803 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $5,072 in Vancouver, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $4,803
Vancouver $5,072

Middlesex, NJ is about 6% cheaper than Vancouver, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Middlesex, NJ and Vancouver sit above the global median – Middlesex, NJ by 88%, Vancouver by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.89 $19.89

$17.30 CA$24.66

14.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$69.0 CA$98.3

10.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.02 $13.02

$10.56 CA$15.05

23.30%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$3.89 CA$5.54

30.85%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$2.05 CA$2.93

35.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.62 CA$2.31

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.54 CA$7.90

6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$6.33 CA$9.02

41.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.31 CA$3.30

-56.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.50 CA$3.56

80.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.44 CA$6.33

-1.35%

Eggs

$6.22 $6.22

$4.07 CA$5.80

52.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$11.28 CA$16.08

-5.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$13.42 CA$19.13

-19.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$20.10 CA$28.65

-6.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$4.06 CA$5.78

38.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.33 CA$1.90

17.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.91 CA$5.57

-15.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$4.05 CA$5.78

-24.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.72 CA$3.88

-20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.89 CA$4.12

-13.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.53 CA$3.61

5.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.62 CA$2.31

81.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.09 $13.09

$15.57 CA$22.19

-15.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.27 $17.27

$14.05 CA$20.03

22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.69 CA$3.83

-32.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.99 CA$4.26

-8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.44 CA$3.48

-26.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.4 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 $5.95

$2.71 CA$3.87

119.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.57 CA$2.24

17.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.78 $27.78

$31.39 CA$44.75

-11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.38 CA$1.96

-25.36%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$28.1K CA$40.0K

32.93%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$19.8K CA$28.2K

29.45%

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

$181 $181

$81.2 CA$116

122.89%

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

$36.54 $36.54

$37.45 CA$53.4

-2.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 $59.0

$51.4 CA$73.2

14.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.77 $35.77

$43.47 CA$62.0

-17.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.53 CA$17.86

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 $12.71

$12.54 CA$17.88

1.36%

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

$2,105 $2,105

$1,094 CA$1,560

92.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$19.9K CA$28.4K

11.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.32 $38.32

$57.0 CA$81.3

-32.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.53 $16.53

$32.73 CA$46.66

-49.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$92.6 CA$132

9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$94.2 CA$134

7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 $2,576

$1,745 CA$2,488

47.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$1,484 CA$2,115

-13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 $2,469

$2,998 CA$4,273

-17.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 $2,167

$2,422 CA$3,453

-10.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,705 $2,705

$8,002 CA$11.4K

-66.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,574 $2,574

$6,457 CA$9,204

-60.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,416

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.28

52.10%

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

Last update for Middlesex, NJ: October 4, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Middlesex, NJ

$1.3K 51.4%

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.6% 15.3% $197

Groceries & Markets

Middlesex, NJ

$412 16.5%

Vancouver

$399 15.2% 3.4% $14

Eating Out

Middlesex, NJ

$327 13.1%

Vancouver

$272 10.4% 17% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Middlesex, NJ

$276 11.1%

Vancouver

$170 6.5% 38.5% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Middlesex, NJ

$116 4.6%

Vancouver

$124 4.8% 7.5% $8.7

Sport & Entertainment

Middlesex, NJ

$61 2.5%

Vancouver

$69 2.6% 12% $7.3

Getting Around

Middlesex, NJ

$22 * 0.9%

Vancouver

$104 4% 364% $81

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,576 in Middlesex, NJ versus $1,745 in Vancouver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Middlesex, NJ versus $69.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $399 – making Vancouver the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Middlesex, NJ

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🕒 Local time

10:39 10:39 AM

07:39 7:39 AM

3 h behind Middlesex, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,746

631,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Middlesex, NJ Vancouver 3,880 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Middlesex, NJ
Vancouver

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Middlesex, NJ vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,781 per month in Middlesex, NJ and $4,026 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Middlesex, NJ, 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 $2,521 in Middlesex, NJ and $2,684 in Vancouver. That's a gap of about 6%.

Kindergarten costs $2,105 per month in Middlesex, NJ and $1,094 in Vancouver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,521 in Middlesex, NJ and $2,684 in Vancouver. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Middlesex, NJ – 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 Middlesex, NJ. 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.