Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,847 per month in Thompson vs $2,845 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,781 per month in Thompson vs $4,183 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,716 per month in Thompson vs $5,520 in Vancouver, rent included.

Thompson is about 35% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thompson and Vancouver sit above the global median – Thompson by 37%, Vancouver by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 CA$22.76

$18.26 CA$25.01

-9.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$97.7

$78.8 CA$108

-9.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.42

$11.17 CA$15.30

0.72%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.32

$3.92 CA$5.37

-1.02%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.23 CA$3.05

-11.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.83 CA$2.51

-6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.60

$5.85 CA$8.02

-5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$7.17 CA$9.82

-15.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.89

$2.20 CA$3.02

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$3.22 CA$4.41

-16.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$3.75 CA$5.13

-5.60%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.61

$4.36 CA$5.98

-22.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 CA$15.52

$12.71 CA$17.41

-10.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.38

$13.90 CA$19.04

-13.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 CA$19.84

$15.66 CA$21.45

-7.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.48

$4.24 CA$5.81

-5.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.93

$1.54 CA$2.11

-8.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$3.87 CA$5.30

-7.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.12

$5.08 CA$6.96

-26.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.39

$3.20 CA$4.38

-22.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.51

$2.93 CA$4.02

-12.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.56

$2.63 CA$3.60

-1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.45

$1.86 CA$2.55

-3.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.86 CA$18.98

$15.36 CA$21.04

-9.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$17.92

$15.48 CA$21.20

-15.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.98

$3.10 CA$4.25

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$3.74 CA$5.12

-17.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$2.38 CA$3.27

2.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$86.2

$84.0 CA$115

-25.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.31

$3.66 CA$5.01

-13.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.65 CA$35.13

$26.98 CA$36.96

-4.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.61

$1.28 CA$1.76

-7.81%

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

$24.8K CA$34.0K

$25.6K CA$35.0K

-2.80%

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

$20.5K CA$28.0K

$20.8K CA$28.6K

-1.85%

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

$143 CA$196

$91.0 CA$125

57.54%

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

$43.17 CA$59.1

$40.15 CA$55.0

7.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 CA$86.8

$60.8 CA$83.3

4.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.30 CA$56.6

$46.05 CA$63.1

-10.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 CA$15.39

$12.25 CA$16.79

-8.24%

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

$749 CA$1,026

$1,165 CA$1,596

-35.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.1K

$18.4K CA$25.2K

-36.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$75.4

$62.6 CA$85.7

-12.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.03 CA$53.5

$42.30 CA$58.0

-7.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$117

$98.1 CA$134

-12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$144

$114 CA$156

-7.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 CA$952

$1,988 CA$2,724

-65.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 CA$971

$1,669 CA$2,287

-57.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 CA$1,589

$3,580 CA$4,904

-67.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 CA$1,563

$2,728 CA$3,738

-58.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,455 CA$6,103

$9,014 CA$12.3K

-50.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,442 CA$4,715

$7,085 CA$9,707

-51.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,591 CA$2,180

$3,588 CA$4,916

-55.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.61

15.15%

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

Last update for Thompson: April 14, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Thompson versus $1,988 in Vancouver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% 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 in Thompson versus $79 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $415 – making Thompson 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

Thompson vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 54% more than Thompson, 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 $2,770 per month in Thompson and $4,268 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thompson, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Thompson and $79.0 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 $1,847 in Thompson and $2,845 in Vancouver. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thompson, where all-in costs run around $1,847, than in Vancouver at $2,845. In Thompson it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thompson – 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 Thompson. 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.