Cost of Living Comparison Between Oshawa and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Oshawa and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,584 in Oshawa versus $2,860 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,795 in Oshawa versus $4,199 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,005 in Oshawa versus $5,538 in Vancouver.

Living in Oshawa costs roughly 10% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oshawa 92% above, Vancouver 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.70 CA$26.11

$18.50 CA$25.84

1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 CA$103

$79.5 CA$111

-7.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 CA$14.16

$11.11 CA$15.52

-8.73%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.05

$4.11 CA$5.74

-11.92%

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

$1.91 CA$2.67

$2.21 CA$3.08

-13.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.75 CA$2.45

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 CA$7.08

$5.77 CA$8.06

-12.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 CA$8.81

$7.45 CA$10.40

-15.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 CA$3.56

$2.20 CA$3.07

15.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.78

$3.22 CA$4.49

-15.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.27

$3.68 CA$5.14

2.45%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.81

$4.39 CA$6.13

-21.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 CA$16.99

$12.82 CA$17.90

-5.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.95

$14.20 CA$19.82

-19.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.17 CA$22.58

$16.04 CA$22.40

0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.02

$4.38 CA$6.12

-17.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.53 CA$2.13

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.48

$4.07 CA$5.68

-3.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 CA$6.80

$5.18 CA$7.23

-5.98%

Potato (1kg)

$4.77 CA$6.66

$3.05 CA$4.25

56.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.67

$2.96 CA$4.14

12.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 CA$4.06

$2.73 CA$3.81

6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.87 CA$2.61

-32.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 CA$20.63

$15.40 CA$21.51

-4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 CA$17.85

$14.32 CA$20.00

-10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.35

$3.11 CA$4.35

0.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.07

$3.66 CA$5.12

-20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.65

$2.41 CA$3.37

8.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 CA$124

$82.6 CA$115

7.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 CA$5.19

$3.65 CA$5.10

1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$1.49 CA$2.08

48.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.12 CA$30.89

$26.94 CA$37.63

-17.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.28 CA$1.78

-11.72%

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

$25.5K CA$35.5K

$24.9K CA$34.8K

2.14%

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

$20.8K CA$29.0K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

-1.14%

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

$232 CA$324

$92.2 CA$129

151.49%

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

$59.4 CA$83.0

$40.43 CA$56.5

47.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 CA$104

$62.0 CA$86.6

20.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.70 CA$58.2

$44.57 CA$62.2

-6.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.85 CA$51.5

$15.75 CA$21.99

133.97%

Cinema Ticket

$12.20 CA$17.04

$12.19 CA$17.02

0.08%

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

$1,324 CA$1,848

$1,164 CA$1,625

13.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.4K

$18.1K CA$25.3K

-35.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 CA$81.9

$62.9 CA$87.9

-6.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 CA$80.2

$42.23 CA$59.0

35.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 CA$164

$98.0 CA$137

19.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CA$217

$118 CA$165

31.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 CA$1,759

$1,977 CA$2,761

-36.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,619

$1,665 CA$2,325

-30.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,041 CA$2,850

$3,579 CA$4,997

-42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 CA$2,682

$2,798 CA$3,907

-31.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,230 CA$7,304

$8,881 CA$12.4K

-41.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.4K CA$14.5K

$6,873 CA$9,598

51.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,987 CA$4,171

$3,432 CA$4,792

-12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.61

10.70%

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

Last update for Oshawa: June 9, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,259 in Oshawa and $1,977 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 15% 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: $73.0 in Oshawa vs $80.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $417 per month, with Oshawa 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

Oshawa vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oshawa wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oshawa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Vancouver earns 15% 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: $1,259 in Oshawa versus $1,977 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Oshawa – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $80.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,584 per month in Oshawa versus $2,860 in Vancouver – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,584 in Oshawa versus $2,860 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oshawa but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Oshawa 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.

Expats usually find Oshawa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.