Cost of Living Comparison Between Saskatoon and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Saskatoon and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,207 in Saskatoon versus $2,783 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,252 in Saskatoon versus $4,030 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,297 in Saskatoon versus $5,278 in Vancouver.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saskatoon 60% above, Vancouver 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 CA$25.53

$17.99 CA$24.95

2.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$103

$72.9 CA$101

2.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 CA$13.29

$10.76 CA$14.92

-10.97%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.17

$4.17 CA$5.79

-10.55%

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

$2.02 CA$2.81

$2.20 CA$3.05

-8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$1.71 CA$2.37

9.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$5.91 CA$8.19

-28.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CA$8.78

$6.66 CA$9.24

-4.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 CA$4.31

$2.19 CA$3.04

42.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.66 CA$3.69

-18.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.01 CA$6.94

$4.43 CA$6.14

13.09%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.03

$4.20 CA$5.83

-13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 CA$14.07

$11.88 CA$16.47

-14.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.70

$13.66 CA$18.95

-11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 CA$22.85

$20.32 CA$28.18

-18.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.87

$4.24 CA$5.88

-0.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.38 CA$1.92

5.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.11

$4.05 CA$5.61

8.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.45

$4.03 CA$5.58

-20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.07

$2.87 CA$3.97

2.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$2.99 CA$4.15

-26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$2.64 CA$3.66

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.65 CA$2.29

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.26 CA$21.16

$15.92 CA$22.07

-4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 CA$19.94

$14.63 CA$20.29

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$2.78 CA$3.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 CA$4.73

$3.06 CA$4.25

11.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$2.57 CA$3.56

-16.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 CA$82.5

$83.2 CA$115

-28.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 CA$6.28

$2.70 CA$3.74

67.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 CA$1.06

$1.63 CA$2.26

-53.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 CA$20.28

$32.68 CA$45.33

-55.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.44 CA$2.00

-20.14%

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

$29.1K CA$40.4K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

2.58%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$19.5K CA$27.1K

8.99%

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

$210 CA$291

$79.2 CA$110

165.13%

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

$49.85 CA$69.1

$36.21 CA$50.2

37.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 CA$86.9

$51.3 CA$71.2

22.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.84 CA$62.2

$43.58 CA$60.4

2.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.35 CA$15.75

$13.16 CA$18.25

-13.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.02

$11.85 CA$16.44

-2.53%

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

$514 CA$712

$1,131 CA$1,568

-54.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CA$20.7K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

-24.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 CA$89.8

$60.0 CA$83.2

8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 CA$62.8

$34.84 CA$48.32

29.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 CA$122

$90.5 CA$125

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$93.5 CA$130

17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 CA$1,435

$1,806 CA$2,505

-42.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CA$1,276

$1,581 CA$2,193

-41.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 CA$2,502

$3,182 CA$4,413

-43.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 CA$1,958

$2,465 CA$3,418

-42.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,927 CA$4,059

$8,841 CA$12.3K

-66.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,795 CA$3,877

$6,963 CA$9,657

-59.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,775 CA$3,848

$3,738 CA$5,184

-25.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.21

14.01%

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

Last update for Saskatoon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,035 in Saskatoon and $1,806 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: $74.0 in Saskatoon vs $73.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $383 vs $408, with Saskatoon 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

Saskatoon vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saskatoon wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Saskatoon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 35% 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: $1,035 in Saskatoon versus $1,806 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Saskatoon runs roughly 40% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $514 in Saskatoon versus $1,131 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,207 in Saskatoon versus $2,783 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saskatoon but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Saskatoon 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 Saskatoon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.