Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanaimo, BC and Vienna Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanaimo, BC and Vienna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,391 in Nanaimo, BC versus $2,282 in Vienna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,507 in Nanaimo, BC versus $3,536 in Vienna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Nanaimo, BC versus $4,789 in Vienna.

Living in Nanaimo, BC is roughly 5% more expensive than Vienna, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nanaimo, BC 79% above, Vienna 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.70 CA$25.62

$17.14 €14.67

9.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 CA$86.7

$85.0 €72.7

-25.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.43 CA$18.39

$11.74 €10.05

14.40%

Cappuccino

$4.14 CA$5.67

$4.82 €4.13

-14.11%

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

$2.63 CA$3.60

$3.41 €2.92

-22.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$3.11 €2.66

-36.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 CA$8.17

$5.75 €4.93

3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.09

$5.33 €4.57

10.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 CA$2.47

$1.70 €1.46

6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$2.92 €2.50

11.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.65

$2.78 €2.38

48.56%

Eggs

$3.96 CA$5.43

$4.53 €3.88

-12.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.14

$17.05 €14.59

-30.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.57 CA$21.33

$14.67 €12.56

6.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.44 CA$25.26

$23.87 €20.43

-22.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 CA$5.96

$3.02 €2.58

44.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$2.46 €2.10

-37.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.63

$3.32 €2.84

1.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CA$6.43

$4.24 €3.63

10.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$2.10 €1.80

47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.88

$2.09 €1.79

35.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 CA$4.19

$2.05 €1.75

49.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.20

$0.87 €0.74

168.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.20 CA$18.08

$7.36 €6.30

79.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 CA$17.85

$8.18 €7.01

59.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$1.49 €1.27

57.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 CA$4.64

$2.04 €1.74

65.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 CA$2.62

$2.85 €2.44

-32.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.16 CA$66.0

$41.10 €35.18

17.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 CA$3.93

$4.71 €4.03

-39.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.89

$2.03 €1.74

-32.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.13 CA$46.76

$37.61 €32.20

-9.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.86

$1.88 €1.61

-27.66%

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

$25.0K CA$34.2K

$31.8K €27.2K

-21.51%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$33.7K €28.9K

-40.52%

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

$117 CA$161

$333 €285

-64.77%

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

$46.31 CA$63.5

$16.58 €14.19

179.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$90.6

$41.04 €35.13

61.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.75 CA$42.13

$48.38 €41.41

-36.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$25.73 €22.02

-56.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.43

$13.67 €11.70

-17.63%

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

$771 CA$1,056

$331 €284

132.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CA$16.7K

$23.3K €19.9K

-47.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 CA$63.3

$101 €86.6

-54.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.25 CA$46.92

$45.31 €38.79

-24.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 CA$111

$98.9 €84.7

-18.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$138

$155 €133

-34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 CA$1,813

$1,259 €1,078

5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CA$1,594

$900 €771

29.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 CA$2,849

$2,279 €1,950

-8.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 CA$2,657

$1,653 €1,415

17.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,950 CA$5,411

$13.9K €11.9K

-71.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,573 CA$4,894

$6,559 €5,614

-45.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,197 CA$4,380

$3,554 €3,042

-10.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

3.6

79.72%

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

Last update for Nanaimo, BC: April 25, 2026

Last update for Vienna: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,324 in Nanaimo, BC and $1,259 in Vienna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vienna pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Nanaimo, BC vs $85.0 in Vienna. Groceries flip the comparison at $419 vs $393, with Vienna cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nanaimo, BC vs Vienna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vienna wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Nanaimo, BC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vienna the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Vienna earns 11% 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: $1,324 in Nanaimo, BC versus $1,259 in Vienna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Vienna runs roughly 17% less than in Nanaimo, BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $771 in Nanaimo, BC versus $331 in Vienna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,282 in Vienna versus $2,391 in Nanaimo, BC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Vienna but tight or insufficient in Nanaimo, BC. The gap between the two cities makes Vienna 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.

Safety-wise, Nanaimo, BC and Vienna are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Vienna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Nanaimo, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.