Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,214 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $2,731 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,538 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $3,956 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,862 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $5,181 in Vancouver, rent included.

St. Albert, AB is about 56% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Albert, AB sits 12% below the global median, while Vancouver is 99% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.59 CA$28.40

$18.36 CA$25.32

12.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$97.3

$72.9 CA$101

-3.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 CA$13.88

$10.88 CA$15.00

-7.54%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.41

$4.25 CA$5.86

-7.53%

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

$2.15 CA$2.97

$2.12 CA$2.92

1.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.66

$1.69 CA$2.33

14.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.08

$5.75 CA$7.92

-10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 CA$7.74

$6.65 CA$9.17

-15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 CA$2.37

$2.14 CA$2.96

-19.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.55 CA$3.52

-12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.36

$4.41 CA$6.09

-28.34%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$4.96

$4.24 CA$5.85

-15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 CA$15.97

$12.14 CA$16.74

-4.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 CA$16.01

$13.66 CA$18.84

-15.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.33 CA$25.27

$20.78 CA$28.66

-11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.21

$4.31 CA$5.94

4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.39 CA$1.92

-2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 CA$5.80

$4.00 CA$5.51

5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.46

$4.06 CA$5.61

-2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.69

$2.82 CA$3.89

-4.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.93

$2.95 CA$4.06

-3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.66

$2.77 CA$3.82

-4.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.63 CA$2.24

-4.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$19.95

$16.06 CA$22.15

-9.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 CA$16.79

$14.54 CA$20.04

-16.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.63

$2.73 CA$3.76

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$3.07 CA$4.23

-6.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.55 CA$3.51

-13.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$87.1

$85.1 CA$117

-25.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.00

$2.71 CA$3.73

7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.64 CA$2.26

-17.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.55 CA$29.71

$31.75 CA$43.78

-32.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.63

$1.43 CA$1.97

-16.78%

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

$28.1K CA$38.7K

$28.9K CA$39.9K

-2.86%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$19.7K CA$27.1K

1.44%

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

$184 CA$254

$77.6 CA$107

137.30%

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

$38.58 CA$53.2

$35.35 CA$48.74

9.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$77.6

$51.6 CA$71.2

8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.61 CA$57.4

$46.26 CA$63.8

-10.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 CA$18.44

Cinema Ticket

$13.34 CA$18.40

$11.55 CA$15.93

15.50%

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

$783 CA$1,079

$1,137 CA$1,568

-31.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,897 CA$13.6K

$21.2K CA$29.2K

-53.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$78.3

$59.3 CA$81.7

-4.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.09 CA$53.9

$35.02 CA$48.29

11.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 CA$120

$90.1 CA$124

-3.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$157

$96.3 CA$133

18.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,544

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 CA$2,199

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 CA$1,858

$3,271 CA$4,511

-58.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 CA$1,595

$2,499 CA$3,447

-53.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,564 CA$3,536

$9,039 CA$12.5K

-71.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,578 CA$3,556

$6,985 CA$9,633

-63.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,355 CA$4,627

$3,659 CA$5,045

-8.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.23

4.02%

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

Last update for St. Albert, AB: September 1, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 9% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in St. Albert, AB versus $73.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $409 – making St. Albert, AB the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

St. Albert, AB vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 125% more than St. Albert, AB, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,821 per month in St. Albert, AB and $4,097 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in St. Albert, AB and $73.0 in Vancouver. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,214 in St. Albert, AB and $2,731 in Vancouver. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in St. Albert, AB, where all-in costs run around $1,214, than in Vancouver at $2,731. In St. Albert, AB it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St. Albert, AB – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with St. Albert, AB. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.