Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,320 in Saguenay versus $2,845 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,369 in Saguenay versus $4,183 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,418 in Saguenay versus $5,520 in Vancouver.

Living in Saguenay costs roughly 54% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saguenay is 2% below, Vancouver is 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 CA$18.34

$18.26 CA$25.01

-26.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 CA$61.5

$78.8 CA$108

-43.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.25

$11.17 CA$15.30

-0.36%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.18

$3.92 CA$5.37

-3.57%

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

$1.52 CA$2.08

$2.23 CA$3.05

-31.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.83 CA$2.51

-28.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 CA$7.39

$5.85 CA$8.02

-7.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CA$7.25

$7.17 CA$9.82

-26.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.20 CA$3.02

-1.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 CA$4.08

$3.22 CA$4.41

-7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.09

$3.75 CA$5.13

18.67%

Eggs

$2.53 CA$3.47

$4.36 CA$5.98

-41.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 CA$17.50

$12.71 CA$17.41

0.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.19

$13.90 CA$19.04

-36.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.86 CA$18.99

$15.66 CA$21.45

-11.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.68

$4.24 CA$5.81

-2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.54 CA$2.11

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.66

$3.87 CA$5.30

6.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.61

$5.08 CA$6.96

-19.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 CA$2.53

$3.20 CA$4.38

-42.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$2.93 CA$4.02

-43.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.58

$2.63 CA$3.60

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 CA$1.15

$1.86 CA$2.55

-54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.16 CA$16.66

$15.36 CA$21.04

-20.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.13

$15.48 CA$21.20

-28.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.23

$3.10 CA$4.25

-0.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.71

$3.74 CA$5.12

-47.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.72

$2.38 CA$3.27

13.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 CA$76.8

$84.0 CA$115

-33.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$4.99

$3.66 CA$5.01

-0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 CA$2.78

$1.48 CA$2.03

37.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.86 CA$42.28

$26.98 CA$36.96

14.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.59

$1.28 CA$1.76

-9.38%

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

$25.2K CA$34.5K

$25.6K CA$35.0K

-1.53%

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

$20.5K CA$28.1K

$20.8K CA$28.6K

-1.67%

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

$86.1 CA$118

$91.0 CA$125

-5.36%

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

$38.78 CA$53.1

$40.15 CA$55.0

-3.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.45 CA$59.5

$60.8 CA$83.3

-28.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.59 CA$44.65

$46.05 CA$63.1

-29.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 CA$19.20

$15.77 CA$21.61

-11.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.55 CA$13.09

$12.25 CA$16.79

-22.04%

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

$600 CA$822

$1,165 CA$1,596

-48.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,285 CA$8,611

$18.4K CA$25.2K

-65.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$82.9

$62.6 CA$85.7

-3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 CA$72.2

$42.30 CA$58.0

24.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 CA$133

$98.1 CA$134

-1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$177

$114 CA$156

13.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 CA$841

$1,988 CA$2,724

-69.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 CA$404

$1,669 CA$2,287

-82.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,792

$3,580 CA$4,904

-63.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,492

$2,728 CA$3,738

-60.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,853 CA$8,019

$9,014 CA$12.3K

-35.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,609 CA$4,944

$7,085 CA$9,707

-49.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,650 CA$3,630

$3,588 CA$4,916

-26.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

5.61

22.46%

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

Last update for Saguenay: April 11, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Saguenay and $1,988 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 35% 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: $45 in Saguenay vs $79 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $415 per month, with Saguenay 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

Saguenay vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saguenay and Vancouver differ by about 116% in total monthly costs ($1,320 vs $2,845 including rent). Saguenay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Vancouver earns 35% 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: $614 in Saguenay versus $1,988 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $600 in Saguenay versus $1,165 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,320 in Saguenay versus $2,845 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saguenay but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Saguenay 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 Saguenay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.