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: $1,310 in Saguenay versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,332 in Saguenay versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,353 in Saguenay versus $5,630 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

$13.18 CA$18.34

$18.26 CA$25.39

-27.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.32 CA$60.3

$77.8 CA$108

-44.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.16

$10.85 CA$15.09

0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.23

$3.98 CA$5.54

-5.53%

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

$1.59 CA$2.21

$2.12 CA$2.95

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.78 CA$2.47

-28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 CA$7.63

$5.77 CA$8.02

-4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CA$6.96

$7.56 CA$10.51

-33.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.04

$2.32 CA$3.23

-6.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.02

$3.10 CA$4.31

-6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.20

$3.89 CA$5.40

14.65%

Eggs

$2.62 CA$3.65

$4.53 CA$6.30

-42.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 CA$17.93

$12.92 CA$17.96

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 CA$12.43

$14.14 CA$19.67

-36.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 CA$19.32

$15.74 CA$21.89

-11.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.60

$4.26 CA$5.92

-5.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.47 CA$2.04

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$4.02 CA$5.59

2.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.49

$5.06 CA$7.04

-21.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.70

$3.02 CA$4.20

-35.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.21

$2.95 CA$4.10

-46.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$2.60 CA$3.62

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 CA$1.23

$1.88 CA$2.62

-53.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.23 CA$17.01

$15.20 CA$21.14

-19.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.77 CA$16.36

$14.30 CA$19.88

-17.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 CA$4.22

$3.07 CA$4.27

-0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$3.74 CA$5.20

-45.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$2.44 CA$3.39

10.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 CA$76.9

$84.9 CA$118

-34.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.23

$3.74 CA$5.20

0.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.50 CA$2.09

35.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 CA$42.22

$27.43 CA$38.15

10.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.62

$1.34 CA$1.86

-13.43%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-0.57%

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

$20.2K CA$28.1K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-2.40%

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

$87.2 CA$121

$91.8 CA$128

-4.99%

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

$37.92 CA$52.7

$39.42 CA$54.8

-3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.61 CA$62.0

$61.1 CA$84.9

-26.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.58 CA$45.31

$44.89 CA$62.4

-27.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.82 CA$19.22

$15.68 CA$21.81

-11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 CA$13.56

$12.37 CA$17.20

-21.18%

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

$599 CA$832

$1,180 CA$1,641

-49.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,200 CA$8,623

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-66.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 CA$85.5

$62.7 CA$87.2

-1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 CA$72.9

$43.13 CA$60.0

21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 CA$133

$94.7 CA$132

1.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$118 CA$165

6.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 CA$847

$1,995 CA$2,774

-69.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 CA$418

$1,629 CA$2,266

-81.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 CA$1,829

$3,589 CA$4,991

-63.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 CA$1,504

$2,769 CA$3,851

-60.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,913 CA$8,223

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-36.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,562 CA$4,954

$7,086 CA$9,854

-49.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,634 CA$3,663

$3,474 CA$4,831

-24.19%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $609 in Saguenay and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 32% 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: $43.00 in Saguenay vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 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 ($1,310 vs $2,831 including rent). Saguenay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Vancouver earns 32% 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: $609 in Saguenay versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $599 in Saguenay versus $1,180 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 $1,310 in Saguenay versus $2,831 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.