Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Burlington

For one person, living costs are similar in Vancouver and in Burlington: $2,725 and $2,737 a month, rent and utilities included.

Vancouver, Canada
Burlington, Canada
Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,725
/mo nomad
Burlington
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,737
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Burlington

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vancouver and in Burlington actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,725 per month in Vancouver vs $2,737 in Burlington, rent included.

  • Vancouver $2,725
  • Burlington $2,737

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Vancouver vs $3,881 in Burlington, rent included.

  • Vancouver $4,039
  • Burlington $3,881

A family of three spends $5,352 per month in Vancouver vs $5,025 in Burlington, rent included.

  • Vancouver $5,352
  • Burlington $5,025

Vancouver and Burlington have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Vancouver and Burlington sit above the global median – Vancouver by 100%, Burlington by 101%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.65 CA$24.66
$21.84 CA$30.51
-19.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.4 CA$101
$72.3 CA$101
0.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.84 CA$15.14
$10.60 CA$14.80
2.26%
Cappuccino
$3.91 CA$5.47
$3.31 CA$4.62
18.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 CA$2.94
$2.00 CA$2.80
5.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 CA$2.29
$1.55 CA$2.17
5.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 CA$8.02
$5.57 CA$7.79
3.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.36 CA$8.89
$6.11 CA$8.53
4.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.21 CA$3.09
$2.60 CA$3.63
-15.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 CA$3.69
$2.86 CA$4.00
-7.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.68 CA$6.53
$3.78 CA$5.28
23.81%
Eggs
$4.24 CA$5.92
$3.76 CA$5.25
12.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.92 CA$16.66
$10.00 CA$13.97
19.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.12 CA$18.33
$10.59 CA$14.79
23.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.40 CA$28.50
$14.78 CA$20.65
38.02%
Apples (1kg)
$4.10 CA$5.73
$3.83 CA$5.36
7.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 CA$1.92
$1.48 CA$2.07
-6.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 CA$5.35
$2.67 CA$3.73
43.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.92 CA$5.47
$3.65 CA$5.10
7.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.77 CA$3.88
$1.96 CA$2.74
41.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.84 CA$3.96
$1.92 CA$2.68
47.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.60 CA$3.63
$2.09 CA$2.92
24.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 CA$2.22
$1.47 CA$2.06
8.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.87 CA$22.17
$13.64 CA$19.06
16.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.00 CA$19.55
$10.79 CA$15.08
29.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 CA$3.59
$2.80 CA$3.92
-8.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 CA$4.21
$2.92 CA$4.09
3.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 CA$3.57
$2.65 CA$3.70
-3.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.1 CA$118
$99.8 CA$139
-15.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 CA$3.73
$5.09 CA$7.12
-47.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$2.44 CA$3.40
-35.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.19 CA$44.97
$43.32 CA$60.5
-25.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 CA$2.03
$1.19 CA$1.67
21.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K CA$38.4K
$27.8K CA$38.8K
-1.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K CA$29.8K
$21.7K CA$30.4K
-1.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 CA$115
$144 CA$201
-42.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.46 CA$52.3
$44.16 CA$61.7
-15.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 CA$72.2
$67.4 CA$94.2
-23.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.52 CA$56.6
$43.66 CA$61.0
-7.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.69 CA$17.73
$30.23 CA$42.23
-58.02%
Cinema Ticket
$12.66 CA$17.69
$16.13 CA$22.54
-21.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,080 CA$1,508
$902 CA$1,261
19.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.1K CA$28.1K
$19.0K CA$26.6K
5.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$81.7
$69.3 CA$96.8
-15.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.10 CA$47.64
$65.5 CA$91.5
-47.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.9 CA$135
$100 CA$140
-3.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.4 CA$136
$99.8 CA$139
-2.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,813 CA$2,533
$1,729 CA$2,415
4.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 CA$2,201
$1,480 CA$2,068
6.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,217 CA$4,494
$2,599 CA$3,631
23.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,651 CA$3,704
$2,176 CA$3,041
21.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,590 CA$12.0K
$5,270 CA$7,363
62.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,649 CA$9,289
$4,145 CA$5,790
60.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
Burlington
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,733 CA$5,215
$3,285 CA$4,590
13.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
4.52
-5.31%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 27, 2026

Last update for Burlington: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.6K
Burlington
$1.5K 6% $95
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$401
Burlington
$346 13.6% $55
Eating Out
Vancouver
$277
Burlington
$300 8.5% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$172
Burlington
$256 48.9% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$129
Burlington
$151 16.6% $21
Getting Around
Vancouver
$105
Burlington
$128 21.7% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$66
Burlington
$76 15.3% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,813 in Vancouver versus $1,729 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 14% higher in Vancouver. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72 in Vancouver versus $72 in Burlington. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Vancouver vs $346 in Burlington – so Burlington wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇨🇦 Burlington
🕒 Local time
22:20 10:20 PM
00:20 12:20 AM
2 h ahead of Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
183,314
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vancouver Burlington 3,350 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Vancouver
  • Burlington

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
Vancouver vs Burlington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,087 per month in Vancouver and $4,105 in Burlington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Vancouver and Burlington?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,813 in Vancouver and $1,729 in Burlington. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 16% less in Vancouver. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,080 per month in Vancouver and $902 in Burlington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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