Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Brampton Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Brampton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,783 in Vancouver versus $2,482 in Brampton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Vancouver versus $3,515 in Brampton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,278 in Vancouver versus $4,549 in Brampton.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 12% more expensive than in Brampton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 102% above, Brampton 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$16.40 CA$22.75

9.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$51.4 CA$71.3

41.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$10.88 CA$15.09

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$3.43 CA$4.76

21.57%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.48 CA$2.06

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.24 CA$1.73

37.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$5.03 CA$6.97

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$5.62 CA$7.79

18.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$3.34 CA$4.64

-34.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.15 CA$2.98

23.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$2.92 CA$4.04

51.71%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.25 CA$4.51

29.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$9.73 CA$13.49

22.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$9.99 CA$13.86

36.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$13.81 CA$19.15

47.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$3.50 CA$4.86

21.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.82 CA$2.52

-24.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$3.25 CA$4.50

24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.42 CA$4.75

17.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.11 CA$2.93

36.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$2.21 CA$3.07

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.50 CA$3.47

5.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.85 CA$2.56

-10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$12.90 CA$17.89

23.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$12.16 CA$16.86

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.36 CA$3.28

17.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$2.39 CA$3.32

28.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$3.30 CA$4.58

-22.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$101 CA$140

-17.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.05 CA$4.23

-11.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.25 CA$1.74

30.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$21.38 CA$29.65

52.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.14 CA$1.58

26.32%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$29.0K CA$40.3K

-2.19%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$19.9K CA$27.5K

-1.57%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$181 CA$250

-56.13%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$31.97 CA$44.34

13.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$56.5 CA$78.4

-9.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$27.77 CA$38.52

56.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$30.48 CA$42.27

-56.82%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$12.92 CA$17.91

-8.28%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$952 CA$1,321

18.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$11.3K CA$15.6K

74.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$62.2 CA$86.3

-3.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$42.66 CA$59.2

-18.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$103 CA$142

-11.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$114 CA$159

-18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,412 CA$1,959

27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$1,275 CA$1,769

23.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$2,172 CA$3,012

46.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$2,006 CA$2,782

22.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$5,848 CA$8,111

51.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$5,371 CA$7,448

29.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

$2,905 CA$4,028

28.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.72

-10.81%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brampton: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,806 in Vancouver and $1,412 in Brampton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 29% 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: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $51.0 in Brampton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $343 per month, with Brampton 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

Vancouver vs Brampton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brampton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Vancouver, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,412 in Brampton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,783 per month in Vancouver versus $2,482 in Brampton – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brampton runs roughly 21% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,482 in Brampton versus $2,783 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Brampton but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Brampton 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 Brampton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.