Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Burlington Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Burlington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $2,778 in Burlington, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $4,107 in Burlington, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $5,436 in Burlington, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 2% more than Burlington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Burlington sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Burlington by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$20.15 CA$28.02

-9.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$74.4 CA$104

4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.09

$10.96 CA$15.24

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.54

$3.67 CA$5.11

8.45%

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

$2.12 CA$2.95

$2.01 CA$2.80

5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.73 CA$2.41

2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.85 CA$8.14

-1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.51

$6.54 CA$9.09

15.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$1.99 CA$2.76

16.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$3.07 CA$4.26

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$4.31 CA$5.99

-9.74%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.30

$3.19 CA$4.43

42.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.96

$13.65 CA$18.98

-5.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.67

$9.14 CA$12.72

54.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.89

$21.94 CA$30.51

-28.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$3.46 CA$4.81

23.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.42 CA$1.98

3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.73 CA$5.19

7.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$3.49 CA$4.86

44.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$1.95 CA$2.71

54.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$1.79 CA$2.48

64.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.10 CA$2.93

23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$2.00 CA$2.78

-6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.14

$14.74 CA$20.50

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.88

$12.63 CA$17.56

13.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.36 CA$3.29

30.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.33 CA$3.24

60.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$3.39 CA$4.72

-28.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$105 CA$146

-19.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.32 CA$3.22

61.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.70 CA$2.37

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.15

$43.79 CA$60.9

-37.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.17 CA$1.63

14.53%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-0.08%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$21.4K CA$29.8K

-3.23%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$131 CA$182

-29.74%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$53.2 CA$74.0

-25.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$62.1 CA$86.3

-1.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$45.44 CA$63.2

-1.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.81

$23.28 CA$32.38

-32.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.20

$11.22 CA$15.60

10.25%

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

$1,180 CA$1,641

$952 CA$1,324

23.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$24.0K CA$33.3K

-21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$62.1 CA$86.4

0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.0

$69.4 CA$96.5

-37.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$87.5 CA$122

8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$136 CA$189

-13.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,774

$1,733 CA$2,410

15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,266

$1,470 CA$2,045

10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,991

$2,640 CA$3,671

35.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,851

$2,440 CA$3,393

13.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.9K

$5,745 CA$7,989

60.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,854

$4,546 CA$6,322

55.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,831

$3,278 CA$4,559

5.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.4

-12.34%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Burlington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,733 in Burlington. 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 6% 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 $74.0 in Burlington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $375 – making Burlington 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 Burlington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 2%, 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 $4,247 per month in Vancouver and $4,167 in Burlington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,180 per month in Vancouver and $952 in Burlington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Vancouver, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,831 in Vancouver and $2,778 in Burlington. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Burlington – 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 Burlington. 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.