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 $2,684 per month in Pickering, ON vs $2,783 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,738 per month in Pickering, ON vs $4,030 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,792 per month in Pickering, ON vs $5,278 in Vancouver, rent included.

Pickering, ON is about 4% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pickering, ON and Vancouver sit above the global median – Pickering, ON by 95%, Vancouver by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.65 CA$20.32

$17.99 CA$24.95

-18.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 CA$79.1

$72.9 CA$101

-21.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 CA$14.90

$10.76 CA$14.92

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$2.09 CA$2.90

$4.17 CA$5.79

-49.88%

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

$1.83 CA$2.54

$2.20 CA$3.05

-16.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.71 CA$2.37

-14.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 CA$6.85

$5.91 CA$8.19

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 CA$6.39

$6.66 CA$9.24

-30.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.19 CA$3.04

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.66 CA$3.69

-16.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.43

$4.43 CA$6.14

4.74%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.89

$4.20 CA$5.83

-16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 CA$13.75

$11.88 CA$16.47

-16.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.84

$13.66 CA$18.95

-16.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 CA$19.79

$20.32 CA$28.18

-29.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.24 CA$5.88

-27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 CA$0.83

$1.38 CA$1.92

-56.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$4.05 CA$5.61

-36.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$4.03 CA$5.58

-47.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.87 CA$3.97

-22.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.73

$2.99 CA$4.15

-10.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.81

$2.64 CA$3.66

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.65 CA$2.29

-21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.49 CA$18.71

$15.92 CA$22.07

-15.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 CA$18.27

$14.63 CA$20.29

-9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$2.78 CA$3.86

-36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$3.06 CA$4.25

-21.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.57 CA$3.56

9.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$163 CA$227

$83.2 CA$115

96.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.89

$2.70 CA$3.74

4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$1.63 CA$2.26

45.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.81 CA$31.63

$32.68 CA$45.33

-30.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.55

$1.44 CA$2.00

-22.22%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

-12.38%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$19.5K CA$27.1K

5.13%

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

$107 CA$149

$79.2 CA$110

35.25%

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

$31.04 CA$43.05

$36.21 CA$50.2

-14.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 CA$71.9

$51.3 CA$71.2

1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 CA$84.5

$43.58 CA$60.4

39.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$13.16 CA$18.25

105.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 CA$16.10

$11.85 CA$16.44

-2.03%

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

$511 CA$708

$1,131 CA$1,568

-54.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.8K CA$39.9K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

46.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.1 CA$103

$60.0 CA$83.2

23.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 CA$75.7

$34.84 CA$48.32

56.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 CA$117

$90.5 CA$125

-7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 CA$112

$93.5 CA$130

-13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 CA$2,371

$1,806 CA$2,505

-5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 CA$2,114

$1,581 CA$2,193

-3.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,495 CA$3,460

$3,182 CA$4,413

-21.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,218 CA$3,076

$2,465 CA$3,418

-10.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,329 CA$6,004

$8,841 CA$12.3K

-51.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,054 CA$5,622

$6,963 CA$9,657

-41.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,103 CA$4,304

$3,738 CA$5,184

-16.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.21

0.24%

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

Last update for Pickering, ON: September 5, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,710 in Pickering, ON versus $1,806 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 20% 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 $57.0 in Pickering, ON versus $73.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $408 – 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: $2,684 in Pickering, ON, $2,783 in Vancouver – roughly 4% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,026 per month in Pickering, ON and $4,174 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 $2,684 in Pickering, ON and $2,783 in Vancouver. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% 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 $2,684 in Pickering, ON and $2,783 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.