Cost of Living Comparison Between Peterborough and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Peterborough and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,372 in Peterborough versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,227 in Peterborough versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,083 in Peterborough versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in Peterborough costs roughly 16% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Peterborough 77% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 CA$20.57

$18.26 CA$25.39

-19.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$104

$77.8 CA$108

-4.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.55

$10.85 CA$15.09

3.04%

Cappuccino

$4.18 CA$5.82

$3.98 CA$5.54

5.03%

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

$1.63 CA$2.27

$2.12 CA$2.95

-23.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$1.78 CA$2.47

-16.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.17

$5.77 CA$8.02

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 CA$8.43

$7.56 CA$10.51

-19.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 CA$3.35

$2.32 CA$3.23

3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CA$3.45

$3.10 CA$4.31

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$3.89 CA$5.40

-28.53%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.62

$4.53 CA$6.30

-26.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 CA$13.69

$12.92 CA$17.96

-23.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.63

$14.14 CA$19.67

-20.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 CA$20.43

$15.74 CA$21.89

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.87

$4.26 CA$5.92

-17.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.47 CA$2.04

-16.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$4.02 CA$5.59

-28.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.82

$5.06 CA$7.04

-31.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$3.02 CA$4.20

-45.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.53

$2.95 CA$4.10

-13.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$2.60 CA$3.62

-27.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.20

$1.88 CA$2.62

-15.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 CA$16.93

$15.20 CA$21.14

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 CA$17.83

$14.30 CA$19.88

-10.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$3.07 CA$4.27

-20.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$3.74 CA$5.20

-51.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.44 CA$3.39

-18.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 CA$74.1

$84.9 CA$118

-37.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$3.74 CA$5.20

-18.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 CA$0.96

$1.50 CA$2.09

-54.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.68 CA$30.15

$27.43 CA$38.15

-20.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.34 CA$1.86

-18.66%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-0.60%

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

$21.1K CA$29.4K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

2.00%

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

$178 CA$247

$91.8 CA$128

93.61%

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

$41.81 CA$58.1

$39.42 CA$54.8

6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 CA$74.9

$61.1 CA$84.9

-11.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.48 CA$64.6

$44.89 CA$62.4

3.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 CA$20.38

$15.68 CA$21.81

-6.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.90 CA$19.33

$12.37 CA$17.20

12.37%

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

$419 CA$583

$1,180 CA$1,641

-64.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.3K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-41.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.20 CA$64.3

$62.7 CA$87.2

-26.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.13 CA$40.51

$43.13 CA$60.0

-32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 CA$116

$94.7 CA$132

-11.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 CA$118

$118 CA$165

-28.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,436 CA$1,997

$1,995 CA$2,774

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CA$1,717

$1,629 CA$2,266

-24.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 CA$2,272

$3,589 CA$4,991

-54.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 CA$2,314

$2,769 CA$3,851

-39.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,693 CA$9,307

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-27.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,355 CA$8,837

$7,086 CA$9,854

-10.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,033 CA$4,219

$3,474 CA$4,831

-12.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.61

8.38%

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

Last update for Peterborough: May 30, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,436 in Peterborough and $1,995 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: $74.0 in Peterborough vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $415 per month, with Peterborough 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

Peterborough vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peterborough is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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: $1,436 in Peterborough versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Peterborough runs roughly 59% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $419 in Peterborough versus $1,180 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,372 in Peterborough versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Peterborough but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Peterborough the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Peterborough is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vancouver, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Peterborough gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.