Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Union, SC and Vancouver

For one person, living is cheaper in Union, SC: $2,296 a month against $2,662 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Union, SC
Learn more

Union, SC Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
Learn more

Vancouver Living Index

Jump to prices

Union, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,296

/mo nomad

Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,662

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Union, SC 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 Union, SC and in Vancouver actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Union, SC vs $2,662 in Vancouver, rent included.

Union, SC $2,296
Vancouver $2,662

A couple spends around $3,597 per month in Union, SC vs $3,916 in Vancouver, rent included.

Union, SC $3,597
Vancouver $3,916

A family of three spends $4,897 per month in Union, SC vs $5,170 in Vancouver, rent included.

Union, SC $4,897
Vancouver $5,170

Union, SC is about 14% cheaper than Vancouver, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Union, SC and Vancouver sit above the global median – Union, SC by 69%, Vancouver by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.15 $9.15

$18.01 CA$25.46

-49.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$71.0 CA$100

39.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 $8.51

$10.83 CA$15.31

-21.42%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$3.94 CA$5.56

51.78%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.13 CA$3.01

9.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.66 CA$2.34

16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.73 CA$8.10

-51.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$6.40 CA$9.04

-46.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.15 CA$3.04

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.55 CA$3.61

27.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$4.56 CA$6.45

-46.27%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$4.06 CA$5.74

-18.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$12.14 CA$17.17

-26.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$13.23 CA$18.71

0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$20.24 CA$28.62

-27.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.05 CA$5.73

-30.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.42 CA$2.00

-7.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.97 CA$5.62

-18.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.91 CA$5.53

13.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.64 CA$3.74

-10.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.82 CA$3.98

-24.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.48 CA$3.51

-29.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.59 CA$2.24

-18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.35 $8.35

$15.30 CA$21.64

-45.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$14.32 CA$20.24

-38.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.57 CA$3.63

-30.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.91 CA$4.12

77.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.55 CA$3.60

-18.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 CA$120

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.64 CA$3.73

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.63 CA$2.31

85.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.96 $34.96

$31.77 CA$44.91

10.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.42 CA$2.01

-35.92%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$27.1K CA$38.3K

3.20%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$21.6K CA$30.5K

16.83%

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

$177 $177

$81.3 CA$115

117.68%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$37.20 CA$52.6

74.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.72 $45.72

$52.6 CA$74.4

-13.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 $41.73

$44.34 CA$62.7

-5.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.37 CA$17.49

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 $13.17

$12.62 CA$17.85

4.36%

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

$2,585 $2,585

$1,093 CA$1,544

136.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$20.0K CA$28.2K

15.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.21 $47.21

$58.5 CA$82.7

-19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.96 $20.96

$33.35 CA$47.14

-37.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$96.3 CA$136

-11.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$95.6 CA$135

3.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$1,765 CA$2,495

-21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 $1,259

$1,508 CA$2,132

-16.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$3,122 CA$4,414

-29.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$2,469 CA$3,490

-2.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 $2,700

$8,173 CA$11.6K

-66.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,125 $2,125

$6,354 CA$8,982

-66.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,496 $2,496

$3,592 CA$5,078

-30.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

-6.54%

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

Last update for Union, SC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Union, SC

$1.3K 54.8%

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.7% 19.8% $250

Groceries & Markets

Union, SC

$332 14.4%

Vancouver

$399 15% 20.3% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Union, SC

$288 12.5%

Vancouver

$171 6.4% 40.5% $117

Eating Out

Union, SC

$208 9.1%

Vancouver

$280 10.5% 34.6% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Union, SC

$114 5%

Vancouver

$128 4.8% 12.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Union, SC

$68 3%

Vancouver

$70 2.6% 2.2% $1.5

Getting Around

Union, SC

$28 * 1.2%

Vancouver

$106 4% 276% $77

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,390 in Union, SC versus $1,765 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 44% 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 $99.0 in Union, SC versus $71.0 in Vancouver. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Union, SC vs $399 in Vancouver – so Union, SC wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Union, SC

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🕒 Local time

06:12 6:12 AM

03:12 3:12 AM

3 h behind Union, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

631,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Union, SC Vancouver 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Union, SC
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

Union, SC vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 16% more than Union, SC, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Union, SC and $3,992 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Union, SC, 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 $99.0 in Union, SC and $71.0 in Vancouver. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Vancouver, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Union, SC, where all-in costs run around $2,296, than in Vancouver at $2,662. In Union, SC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Union, SC – 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 Union, SC. 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.