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: $2,157 in Prince George versus $2,735 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,302 in Prince George versus $3,984 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,447 in Prince George versus $5,234 in Vancouver.

Living in Prince George costs roughly 21% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Prince George 58% above, Vancouver 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.08 CA$25.28

$17.82 CA$24.92

1.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 CA$99.8

$72.4 CA$101

-1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 CA$12.18

$10.93 CA$15.29

-20.31%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.65

$4.19 CA$5.85

-3.58%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.22 CA$3.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.36

$1.64 CA$2.29

46.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.89 CA$8.23

0.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CA$10.18

$6.51 CA$9.10

11.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$2.12 CA$2.96

-6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CA$3.96

$2.64 CA$3.69

7.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 CA$6.50

$4.44 CA$6.20

4.73%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.04

$4.21 CA$5.89

2.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 CA$11.92

$12.04 CA$16.84

-29.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.54

$13.91 CA$19.45

0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 CA$20.33

$20.62 CA$28.83

-29.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.84

$4.29 CA$6.00

-2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.86

$1.34 CA$1.88

105.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 CA$7.51

$3.88 CA$5.43

38.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 CA$7.27

$4.08 CA$5.70

27.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.31

$2.88 CA$4.02

7.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$2.93 CA$4.09

-24.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 CA$4.30

$2.63 CA$3.68

17.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.94

$1.70 CA$2.38

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 CA$20.85

$15.66 CA$21.90

-4.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.82

$14.23 CA$19.90

-25.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 CA$7.56

$2.78 CA$3.89

94.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$2.53 CA$3.54

-30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.05 CA$60.2

$85.5 CA$120

-49.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 CA$4.20

$2.67 CA$3.73

12.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.61 CA$2.25

6.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.94 CA$47.46

$32.34 CA$45.22

4.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.81

$1.40 CA$1.95

-7.86%

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

$28.1K CA$39.3K

$28.6K CA$39.9K

-1.61%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

0.11%

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

$174 CA$243

$78.8 CA$110

120.50%

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

$41.54 CA$58.1

$35.70 CA$49.92

16.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CA$84.3

$51.1 CA$71.5

18.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.82 CA$61.3

$42.37 CA$59.3

3.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 CA$24.79

$13.04 CA$18.24

35.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 CA$12.92

$11.68 CA$16.33

-20.89%

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

$421 CA$589

$1,108 CA$1,549

-61.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.2

$57.0 CA$79.6

10.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 CA$54.9

$35.01 CA$48.95

12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 CA$133

$88.0 CA$123

8.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 CA$207

$91.2 CA$128

62.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,414

$1,843 CA$2,577

-45.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 CA$1,221

$1,530 CA$2,139

-42.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CA$2,546

$3,156 CA$4,412

-42.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CA$2,464

$2,476 CA$3,463

-28.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,128

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 CA$4,340

$3,726 CA$5,210

-16.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

4.21

17.81%

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

Last update for Prince George: September 12, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,011 in Prince George and $1,843 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 20% 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: $71.0 in Prince George vs $72.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $409 per month, with Prince George 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

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

Prince George and Vancouver differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,157 vs $2,735 including rent). Prince George is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Vancouver. 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: $1,011 in Prince George versus $1,843 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 99% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $421 in Prince George versus $1,108 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,157 in Prince George versus $2,735 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 27% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.