Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince George and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince George and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,235 in Prince George versus $2,860 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,385 in Prince George versus $4,199 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,536 in Prince George versus $5,538 in Vancouver.

Living in Prince George costs roughly 22% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Prince George 66% above, Vancouver 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.59

$18.50 CA$25.84

-0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$101

$79.5 CA$111

-9.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.52 CA$11.89

$11.11 CA$15.52

-23.31%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.58

$4.11 CA$5.74

-2.92%

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

$2.25 CA$3.15

$2.21 CA$3.08

1.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.27

$1.75 CA$2.45

33.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.16

$5.77 CA$8.06

1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.32 CA$11.62

$7.45 CA$10.40

11.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CA$2.75

$2.20 CA$3.07

-10.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$3.22 CA$4.49

-23.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.85 CA$6.78

$3.68 CA$5.14

31.79%

Eggs

$5.05 CA$7.05

$4.39 CA$6.13

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 CA$9.14

$12.82 CA$17.90

-48.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 CA$18.33

$14.20 CA$19.82

-7.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 CA$23.52

$16.04 CA$22.40

4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.99

$4.38 CA$6.12

-2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.92

$1.53 CA$2.13

83.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.17 CA$7.22

$4.07 CA$5.68

27.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 CA$7.20

$5.18 CA$7.23

-0.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.31

$3.05 CA$4.25

1.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$2.96 CA$4.14

2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 CA$4.24

$2.73 CA$3.81

11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$1.87 CA$2.61

58.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.69

$15.40 CA$21.51

-3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.68 CA$14.91

$14.32 CA$20.00

-25.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.57 CA$7.77

$3.11 CA$4.35

79.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$4.02

$3.66 CA$5.12

-21.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.41 CA$3.37

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.66 CA$61.0

$82.6 CA$115

-47.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 CA$5.88

$3.65 CA$5.10

15.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.49 CA$2.08

0.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.33 CA$35.38

$26.94 CA$37.63

-5.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.28 CA$1.78

-0.78%

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

$25.4K CA$35.4K

$24.9K CA$34.8K

1.78%

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

$22.1K CA$30.9K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

5.49%

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

$175 CA$245

$92.2 CA$129

90.20%

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

$48.77 CA$68.1

$40.43 CA$56.5

20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$85.8

$62.0 CA$86.6

-0.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.26 CA$61.8

$44.57 CA$62.2

-0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 CA$25.53

$15.75 CA$21.99

16.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 CA$12.95

$12.19 CA$17.02

-23.87%

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

$595 CA$832

$1,164 CA$1,625

-48.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$18.1K CA$25.3K

-35.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 CA$88.0

$62.9 CA$87.9

0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.91 CA$57.1

$42.23 CA$59.0

-3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 CA$134

$98.0 CA$137

-2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 CA$212

$118 CA$165

28.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 CA$1,358

$1,977 CA$2,761

-50.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$911 CA$1,273

$1,665 CA$2,325

-45.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 CA$2,433

$3,579 CA$4,997

-51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 CA$2,260

$2,798 CA$3,907

-42.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,881 CA$12.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,873 CA$9,598

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,137 CA$4,381

$3,432 CA$4,792

-8.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

5.61

12.66%

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

Last update for Prince George: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Prince George and $1,977 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 9% 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: $72.0 in Prince George vs $80.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $422 vs $417, with Vancouver cheaper for home cooking.

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

Prince George vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Prince George and Vancouver differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($2,235 vs $2,860 including rent). Prince George is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Vancouver earns 9% 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: $973 in Prince George versus $1,977 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Prince George runs roughly 89% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $595 in Prince George versus $1,164 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,235 in Prince George versus $2,860 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Prince George but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Prince George 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 Prince George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.