Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stratford, ON and Vancouver

For one person, living is cheaper in Stratford, ON: $1,992 a month against $2,725 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Stratford, ON, Canada
Vancouver, Canada
Stratford, ON
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,992
/mo nomad
Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,725
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stratford, ON and in Vancouver

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stratford, ON and in Vancouver actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,992 in Stratford, ON versus $2,725 in Vancouver.

  • Stratford, ON $1,992
  • Vancouver $2,725

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,189 in Stratford, ON versus $4,039 in Vancouver.

  • Stratford, ON $3,189
  • Vancouver $4,039

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Stratford, ON versus $5,352 in Vancouver.

  • Stratford, ON $4,387
  • Vancouver $5,352

Living in Stratford, ON costs roughly 27% less than in Vancouver, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stratford, ON 46% above, Vancouver 100% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.70 CA$24.76
$17.65 CA$24.68
0.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.39 CA$69.1
$72.4 CA$101
-31.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 CA$15.76
$10.84 CA$15.16
3.97%
Cappuccino
$3.46 CA$4.83
$3.91 CA$5.47
-11.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 CA$2.08
$2.10 CA$2.94
-29.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 CA$1.85
$1.64 CA$2.29
-18.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.16 CA$5.82
$5.74 CA$8.03
-27.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 CA$6.40
$6.36 CA$8.90
-27.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 CA$2.99
$2.21 CA$3.09
-3.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.90 CA$4.06
$2.64 CA$3.70
9.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.75 CA$5.25
$4.68 CA$6.54
-19.87%
Eggs
$3.04 CA$4.25
$4.24 CA$5.93
-28.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 CA$14.57
$11.92 CA$16.68
-12.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.60 CA$16.23
$13.12 CA$18.35
-11.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.09 CA$30.89
$20.40 CA$28.53
8.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.63 CA$5.07
$4.10 CA$5.74
-11.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 CA$1.49
$1.38 CA$1.93
-23.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.40 CA$6.16
$3.83 CA$5.36
14.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.55 CA$6.36
$3.92 CA$5.48
16.07%
Potato (1kg)
$3.46 CA$4.83
$2.77 CA$3.88
24.91%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 CA$3.21
$2.84 CA$3.97
-19.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.49 CA$3.49
$2.60 CA$3.64
-4.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 CA$2.06
$1.59 CA$2.23
-7.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.13 CA$15.57
$15.87 CA$22.19
-29.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.88 CA$15.21
$14.00 CA$19.58
-22.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.36 CA$4.70
$2.57 CA$3.60
30.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 CA$4.42
$3.01 CA$4.22
4.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.09 CA$2.92
$2.55 CA$3.57
-18.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.32 CA$69.0
$84.1 CA$118
-41.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.33 CA$3.25
$2.67 CA$3.73
-12.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.84 CA$2.58
$1.58 CA$2.22
16.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.43 CA$34.17
$32.19 CA$45.02
-24.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 CA$1.51
$1.45 CA$2.03
-25.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K CA$38.8K
$27.5K CA$38.4K
0.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K CA$31.8K
$21.3K CA$29.8K
6.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 CA$169
$82.5 CA$115
46.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.64 CA$55.4
$37.46 CA$52.4
5.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 CA$44.40
$51.7 CA$72.3
-38.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.49 CA$59.4
$40.52 CA$56.7
4.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.24 CA$26.92
$12.69 CA$17.75
51.62%
Cinema Ticket
$10.31 CA$14.42
$12.66 CA$17.71
-18.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$823 CA$1,152
$1,080 CA$1,510
-23.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K CA$23.7K
$20.1K CA$28.2K
-15.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.3 CA$90.0
$58.5 CA$81.8
10.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.14 CA$52.0
$34.10 CA$47.69
8.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 CA$120
$96.9 CA$136
-11.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 CA$177
$97.4 CA$136
29.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 CA$1,691
$1,813 CA$2,536
-33.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$883 CA$1,234
$1,576 CA$2,204
-43.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,117 CA$2,961
$3,217 CA$4,499
-34.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 CA$2,646
$2,651 CA$3,708
-28.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,782 CA$5,290
$8,590 CA$12.0K
-55.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,649 CA$9,300
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stratford, ON
Vancouver
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,765 CA$3,868
$3,733 CA$5,221
-25.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.99
4.28
16.59%

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

Last update for Stratford, ON: October 27, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Stratford, ON
$883
Vancouver
$1.6K 78.5% $693
Groceries & Markets
Stratford, ON
$385
Vancouver
$401 4% $15
Eating Out
Stratford, ON
$258
Vancouver
$277 7.3% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stratford, ON
$192
Vancouver
$172 10.8% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Stratford, ON
$141
Vancouver
$129 8.6% $12
Getting Around
Stratford, ON
$69
Vancouver
$105 51.6% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Stratford, ON
$63
Vancouver
$66 4.3% $2.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,209 in Stratford, ON and $1,813 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: $49 in Stratford, ON vs $72 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $401 per month, with Stratford, ON cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Stratford, ON
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🕒 Local time
20:37 8:37 PM
17:37 5:37 PM
3 h behind Stratford, ON
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
31,465
631,486
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.642 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Stratford, ON Vancouver 3,260 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Stratford, ON
  • Vancouver

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Stratford, ON and in Vancouver?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,992 in Stratford, ON and $2,725 in Vancouver, so Stratford, ON is about 27% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Stratford, ON. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Stratford, ON and in Vancouver?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,209 in Stratford, ON versus $1,813 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Stratford, ON or Vancouver?
All in, you’ll spend $1,992 per month in Stratford, ON versus $2,725 in Vancouver – Stratford, ON is about 27% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Stratford, ON and in Vancouver?
A monthly transit pass in Stratford, ON runs roughly 41% less than in Vancouver. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How far does $3,000 go in Stratford, ON compared to Vancouver?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Stratford, ON gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Where should families live: Stratford, ON or Vancouver?
For families, Stratford, ON is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vancouver, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Where should expats move: Stratford, ON or Vancouver?
Expats usually find Stratford, ON gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Stratford, ON vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?