Cost of Living Comparison Between North Vancouver and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between North Vancouver and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,797 in North Vancouver versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,453 in North Vancouver versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,108 in North Vancouver versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in North Vancouver costs roughly 1% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Vancouver 109% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 CA$25.09

$18.26 CA$25.39

-1.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 CA$96.1

$77.8 CA$108

-11.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 CA$14.43

$10.85 CA$15.09

-4.33%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.74

$3.98 CA$5.54

3.52%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$2.12 CA$2.95

-3.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.78 CA$2.47

-26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 CA$7.06

$5.77 CA$8.02

-11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.48

$7.56 CA$10.51

-9.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.05

$2.32 CA$3.23

-5.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$3.10 CA$4.31

-15.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$3.89 CA$5.40

-31.36%

Eggs

$3.76 CA$5.23

$4.53 CA$6.30

-17.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 CA$14.57

$12.92 CA$17.96

-18.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.23

$14.14 CA$19.67

-17.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$15.74 CA$21.89

-7.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.84

$4.26 CA$5.92

-18.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.47 CA$2.04

-2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.12

$4.02 CA$5.59

-26.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.56

$5.06 CA$7.04

-20.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$3.02 CA$4.20

-19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 CA$2.90

$2.95 CA$4.10

-29.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$2.60 CA$3.62

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.88 CA$2.62

-35.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.76 CA$20.53

$15.20 CA$21.14

-2.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.17

$14.30 CA$19.88

-8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 CA$5.42

$3.07 CA$4.27

27.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$3.74 CA$5.20

-37.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 CA$3.66

$2.44 CA$3.39

7.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 CA$125

$84.9 CA$118

5.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$3.74 CA$5.20

-28.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.50 CA$2.09

3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.74 CA$39.97

$27.43 CA$38.15

4.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.34 CA$1.86

-2.99%

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

$24.7K CA$34.4K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-1.63%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-1.24%

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

$133 CA$186

$91.8 CA$128

45.36%

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

$42.28 CA$58.8

$39.42 CA$54.8

7.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 CA$92.7

$61.1 CA$84.9

9.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 CA$46.32

$44.89 CA$62.4

-25.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.62 CA$41.19

$15.68 CA$21.81

88.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 CA$17.18

$12.37 CA$17.20

-0.08%

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

$1,207 CA$1,678

$1,180 CA$1,641

2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K CA$15.5K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-40.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$76.2

$62.7 CA$87.2

-12.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 CA$63.3

$43.13 CA$60.0

5.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 CA$133

$94.7 CA$132

0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$159

$118 CA$165

-3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 CA$2,614

$1,995 CA$2,774

-5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,340

$1,629 CA$2,266

3.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,552 CA$4,940

$3,589 CA$4,991

-1.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 CA$4,777

$2,769 CA$3,851

24.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,170 CA$11.4K

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-11.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,898 CA$9,593

$7,086 CA$9,854

-2.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,092 CA$4,300

$3,474 CA$4,831

-11.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.61

16.58%

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

Last update for North Vancouver: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,880 in North Vancouver and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in North Vancouver vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $415 per month, with North Vancouver cheaper across the board.

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

North Vancouver vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Vancouver and Vancouver differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,797 vs $2,831 including rent). North Vancouver is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Vancouver earns 12% 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: $1,880 in North Vancouver versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in North Vancouver – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,797 per month in North Vancouver versus $2,831 in Vancouver – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. North Vancouver is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, North Vancouver and Vancouver 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 North Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.