Cost of Living Comparison Between Stratford, ON and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Stratford, ON and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,038 in Stratford, ON versus $2,860 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,255 in Stratford, ON versus $4,199 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,472 in Stratford, ON versus $5,538 in Vancouver.

Living in Stratford, ON costs roughly 29% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stratford, ON 52% above, Vancouver 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.45 CA$21.57

$18.50 CA$25.84

-16.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.8

$79.5 CA$111

-10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 CA$16.17

$11.11 CA$15.52

4.23%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.18

$4.11 CA$5.74

-9.73%

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

$1.85 CA$2.58

$2.21 CA$3.08

-16.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.11

$1.75 CA$2.45

-13.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 CA$7.14

$5.77 CA$8.06

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$7.45 CA$10.40

-59.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 CA$2.50

$2.20 CA$3.07

-18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 CA$2.58

$3.22 CA$4.49

-42.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.50

$3.68 CA$5.14

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.09 CA$2.92

$4.39 CA$6.13

-52.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.23

$12.82 CA$17.90

-59.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 CA$10.42

$14.20 CA$19.82

-47.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.72 CA$35.92

$16.04 CA$22.40

60.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.65

$4.38 CA$6.12

-7.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 CA$1.18

$1.53 CA$2.13

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.41

$4.07 CA$5.68

-22.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.17

$5.18 CA$7.23

-56.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$3.05 CA$4.25

-2.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$2.96 CA$4.14

-13.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CA$3.25

$2.73 CA$3.81

-14.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.87 CA$2.61

-22.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.79 CA$15.06

$15.40 CA$21.51

-29.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 CA$15.41

$14.32 CA$20.00

-22.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.78

$3.11 CA$4.35

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$3.66 CA$5.12

-26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.06

$2.41 CA$3.37

-9.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.6 CA$72.1

$82.6 CA$115

-37.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$3.65 CA$5.10

-36.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.44

$1.49 CA$2.08

17.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.56 CA$45.48

$26.94 CA$37.63

20.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.28 CA$1.78

-14.06%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$24.9K CA$34.8K

1.60%

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

$21.5K CA$30.0K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

2.27%

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

$132 CA$185

$92.2 CA$129

43.29%

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

$53.3 CA$74.5

$40.43 CA$56.5

31.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$81.1

$62.0 CA$86.6

-6.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.00 CA$61.5

$44.57 CA$62.2

-1.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.09 CA$28.05

$15.75 CA$21.99

27.56%

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 CA$14.68

$12.19 CA$17.02

-13.78%

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

$946 CA$1,321

$1,164 CA$1,625

-18.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$15.2K

$18.1K CA$25.3K

-40.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.22 CA$67.3

$62.9 CA$87.9

-23.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 CA$53.2

$42.23 CA$59.0

-9.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 CA$117

$98.0 CA$137

-14.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$176

$118 CA$165

6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 CA$1,891

$1,977 CA$2,761

-31.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 CA$1,325

$1,665 CA$2,325

-43.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 CA$3,128

$3,579 CA$4,997

-37.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 CA$2,718

$2,798 CA$3,907

-30.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,758 CA$5,248

$8,881 CA$12.4K

-57.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,873 CA$9,598

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,768 CA$3,865

$3,432 CA$4,792

-19.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.61

16.76%

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

Last update for Stratford, ON: June 6, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,354 in Stratford, ON and $1,977 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 24% 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: $71.0 in Stratford, ON vs $80.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $417 per month, with Stratford, ON 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

Stratford, ON vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stratford, ON and Vancouver differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($2,038 vs $2,860 including rent). Stratford, ON is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Vancouver earns 24% 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: $1,354 in Stratford, ON versus $1,977 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,038 per month in Stratford, ON versus $2,860 in Vancouver – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stratford, ON runs roughly 60% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,038 in Stratford, ON versus $2,860 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Stratford, ON but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Stratford, ON 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 Stratford, ON gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.