Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Brandon, MB Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Brandon, MB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,906 per month in Vancouver vs $1,728 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,209 per month in Vancouver vs $2,732 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,513 per month in Vancouver vs $3,735 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 68% more than Brandon, MB, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Brandon, MB sit above the global median – Vancouver by 118%, Brandon, MB by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$16.08 CA$22.63

15.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$65.8 CA$92.6

18.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$7.94 CA$11.17

36.52%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$3.60 CA$5.07

9.17%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$1.58 CA$2.22

41.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.65 CA$2.32

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.30 CA$7.46

14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$6.73 CA$9.47

8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$1.60 CA$2.25

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.21 CA$3.11

38.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$3.37 CA$4.73

11.87%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.14 CA$4.41

37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$10.96 CA$15.42

14.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$9.75 CA$13.72

40.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$14.65 CA$20.62

9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$3.80 CA$5.34

12.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.38 CA$1.94

10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$3.03 CA$4.26

29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.44 CA$4.84

47.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.76 CA$3.88

15.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.44 CA$3.43

26.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.41 CA$3.39

7.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.56 CA$2.20

20.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$15.03 CA$21.15

2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$12.06 CA$16.97

23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.88 CA$4.05

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$3.42 CA$4.81

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.32 CA$1.86

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$72.1 CA$101

15.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.24 CA$4.56

16.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.26 CA$1.78

17.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$26.31 CA$37.02

2.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.03 CA$1.45

26.21%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$23.1K CA$32.6K

8.85%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$21.4K CA$30.1K

-3.89%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$158 CA$222

-41.89%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$42.44 CA$59.7

-7.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$60.7 CA$85.5

-0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$40.92 CA$57.6

8.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$16.60 CA$23.35

-4.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$12.24 CA$17.23

-0.49%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$975 CA$1,372

21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$12.3K CA$17.3K

50.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$48.33 CA$68.0

29.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$42.33 CA$59.6

0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$79.7 CA$112

19.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$88.0 CA$124

30.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$794 CA$1,118

149.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$599 CA$842

174.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$1,267 CA$1,783

182.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,241 CA$1,746

124.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$2,266 CA$3,189

286.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$2,235 CA$3,144

217.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$2,410 CA$3,391

40.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.02

-6.81%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Brandon, MB: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,979 in Vancouver versus $794 in Brandon, MB. 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 40% 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 $78.0 in Vancouver versus $66.0 in Brandon, MB. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $333 – making Brandon, MB 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

Vancouver vs Brandon, MB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,359 per month in Vancouver and $2,592 in Brandon, MB. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 24% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Vancouver and $66.0 in Brandon, MB. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Brandon, MB, where all-in costs run around $1,728, than in Vancouver at $2,906. In Brandon, MB it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brandon, MB – 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 Brandon, MB. 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.