Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,734 per month in Pickering, ON vs $2,831 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,804 per month in Pickering, ON vs $4,231 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,875 per month in Pickering, ON vs $5,630 in Vancouver, rent included.

Pickering, ON is about 3% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pickering, ON and Vancouver sit above the global median – Pickering, ON by 104%, Vancouver by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.56 CA$25.69

$18.26 CA$25.28

1.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 CA$100

$77.8 CA$108

-6.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 CA$15.52

$10.85 CA$15.02

3.32%

Cappuccino

$2.29 CA$3.17

$3.98 CA$5.51

-42.46%

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

$1.68 CA$2.32

$2.12 CA$2.93

-20.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.78 CA$2.46

-19.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 CA$6.64

$5.77 CA$7.99

-16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 CA$6.90

$7.56 CA$10.46

-34.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.32 CA$3.21

-8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$3.10 CA$4.29

-27.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.13

$3.89 CA$5.38

13.88%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.66

$4.53 CA$6.27

-25.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 CA$15.38

$12.92 CA$17.88

-14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 CA$21.53

$14.14 CA$19.58

9.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 CA$20.13

$15.74 CA$21.80

-7.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.69

$4.26 CA$5.89

-3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 CA$1.39

$1.47 CA$2.03

-31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.93

$4.02 CA$5.57

6.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 CA$7.19

$5.06 CA$7.01

2.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.13

$3.02 CA$4.18

-1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.89

$2.95 CA$4.09

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.64

$2.60 CA$3.60

1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$1.88 CA$2.60

-39.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 CA$11.93

$15.20 CA$21.04

-43.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.23

$14.30 CA$19.80

-7.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$3.07 CA$4.26

-15.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.20

$3.74 CA$5.18

-18.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$2.44 CA$3.37

13.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$86.9

$84.9 CA$118

-26.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$3.96

$3.74 CA$5.18

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.50 CA$2.08

-19.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.93 CA$31.75

$27.43 CA$37.98

-16.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.34 CA$1.86

-17.91%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$25.1K CA$34.8K

0.24%

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

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

7.21%

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

$163 CA$226

$91.8 CA$127

77.65%

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

$36.22 CA$50.2

$39.42 CA$54.6

-8.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 CA$92.5

$61.1 CA$84.6

9.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 CA$86.3

$44.89 CA$62.2

38.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.71

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 CA$16.61

$12.37 CA$17.12

-2.99%

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

$757 CA$1,048

$1,180 CA$1,634

-35.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$18.8K CA$26.0K

-37.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 CA$106

$62.7 CA$86.8

21.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 CA$75.8

$43.13 CA$59.7

26.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 CA$104

$94.7 CA$131

-20.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 CA$119

$118 CA$164

-27.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 CA$2,290

$1,995 CA$2,762

-17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 CA$2,143

$1,629 CA$2,256

-5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,209 CA$3,058

$3,589 CA$4,969

-38.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 CA$2,898

$2,769 CA$3,834

-24.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,474 CA$8,964

$9,246 CA$12.8K

-29.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,110 CA$7,075

$7,086 CA$9,811

-27.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,099 CA$4,290

$3,474 CA$4,810

-10.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

5.61

17.11%

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

Last update for Pickering, ON: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,654 in Pickering, ON versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Pickering, ON versus $78.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $415 – making Pickering, ON the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Pickering, ON vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,734 in Pickering, ON, $2,831 in Vancouver – roughly 4% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,101 per month in Pickering, ON and $4,247 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pickering, ON, 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 $2,734 in Pickering, ON and $2,831 in Vancouver. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Pickering, ON. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,734 in Pickering, ON and $2,831 in Vancouver. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pickering, ON – 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 Pickering, ON. 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.