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: $1,457 in Saguenay versus $2,731 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Saguenay versus $3,956 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,130 in Saguenay versus $5,181 in Vancouver.

Living in Saguenay costs roughly 47% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saguenay 6% above, Vancouver 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.88 CA$21.90

$18.36 CA$25.32

-13.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.69 CA$58.9

$72.9 CA$101

-41.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 CA$15.74

$10.88 CA$15.00

4.87%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.11

$4.25 CA$5.86

-12.94%

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

$1.50 CA$2.07

$2.12 CA$2.92

-29.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.69 CA$2.33

-23.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.51

$5.75 CA$7.92

-5.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CA$7.09

$6.65 CA$9.17

-22.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.82

$2.14 CA$2.96

-4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 CA$4.13

$2.55 CA$3.52

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.43

$4.41 CA$6.09

-10.66%

Eggs

$2.86 CA$3.94

$4.24 CA$5.85

-32.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 CA$12.45

$12.14 CA$16.74

-25.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 CA$10.13

$13.66 CA$18.84

-46.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 CA$14.95

$20.78 CA$28.66

-47.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 CA$6.20

$4.31 CA$5.94

4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.96

$1.39 CA$1.92

2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.33

$4.00 CA$5.51

-3.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.76

$4.06 CA$5.61

2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.02

$2.82 CA$3.89

3.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.88

$2.95 CA$4.06

-4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.58

$2.77 CA$3.82

-6.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 CA$1.06

$1.63 CA$2.24

-52.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 CA$16.65

$16.06 CA$22.15

-24.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 CA$16.01

$14.54 CA$20.04

-20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.20

$2.73 CA$3.76

11.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 CA$4.67

$3.07 CA$4.23

10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 CA$3.79

$2.55 CA$3.51

7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.4 CA$80.5

$85.1 CA$117

-31.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.01

$2.71 CA$3.73

7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$1.64 CA$2.26

-11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.78 CA$38.30

$31.75 CA$43.78

-12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.67

$1.43 CA$1.97

-15.38%

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

$28.0K CA$38.6K

$28.9K CA$39.9K

-3.13%

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

$20.3K CA$28.0K

$19.7K CA$27.1K

3.25%

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

$64.2 CA$88.6

$77.6 CA$107

-17.20%

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

$31.89 CA$43.98

$35.35 CA$48.74

-9.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.61 CA$64.3

$51.6 CA$71.2

-9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 CA$34.95

$46.26 CA$63.8

-45.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.39 CA$26.73

$13.37 CA$18.44

45.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.36 CA$12.90

$11.55 CA$15.93

-18.96%

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

$687 CA$948

$1,137 CA$1,568

-39.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,397 CA$13.0K

$21.2K CA$29.2K

-55.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$76.4

$59.3 CA$81.7

-6.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.56 CA$50.4

$35.02 CA$48.29

4.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$90.1 CA$124

-2.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$96.3 CA$133

13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 CA$869

$1,845 CA$2,544

-65.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 CA$650

$1,595 CA$2,199

-70.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 CA$1,682

$3,271 CA$4,511

-62.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 CA$1,369

$2,499 CA$3,447

-60.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,866 CA$8,089

$9,039 CA$12.5K

-35.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,495 CA$4,819

$6,985 CA$9,633

-49.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,616 CA$3,607

$3,659 CA$5,045

-28.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

4.23

5.20%

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

Last update for Saguenay: August 29, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $630 in Saguenay and $1,845 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 40% 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 $73.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $409 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 87% in total monthly costs ($1,457 vs $2,731 including rent). Saguenay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% 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: $630 in Saguenay versus $1,845 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $687 in Saguenay versus $1,137 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,457 in Saguenay versus $2,731 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 87% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.